Topic: Journalism

Top galleries, list articles, quizzes

Briefing
Chechnya: How a remote Russian republic became linked with terrorism

The main suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing are two brothers from Chechnya, a Russian republic that has been the scene of cyclical revolts and brutal crackdowns for the past 200 years.
On Earth Day 2013: 13 excellent books to consume

It's Earth Day. Check out these 13 books for the literary equivalent of a green boost of antioxidants and protein.
10 influential authors who came to the US as immigrants

These 10 immigrant authors have all made significant contributions to US literature and culture.
Sequester 101: What happens if $85 billion in cuts hit on March 1

The sequester is a complex concept with a tortuous history. Here are the basics on the automatic spending reductions set to kick in March 1.
11 practical or unusual books for professional – and aspiring – writers

Here are 11 useful titles for anyone hoping to make a living through the written word.

All Content

Amid bloodshed and chaos, Syrian wages a war for neutral reporting

Rami Jarrah, a Syrian anti-regime activist now living in Cairo, is launching Syria's first non-state-run news outlet to provide something he sees as sorely missing: objective reporting.
Why Al Jazeera bought Al Gore's Current TV (+video)

Al Jazeera's purchase of Current TV, the news network cofounded by former Vice President Al Gore, boosts Al-Jazeera's reach in the US nearly ninefold to about 40 million homes. Jazeera plans to add more US bureaus and transform Current TV to 'Al-Jazeera America.'
The Monitor's View: For journalists and Internet, 2013 must not repeat 2012

Record assaults on journalists in 2012 and official moves to censor the Internet show how much authoritarian regimes fear the truth. Perhaps in 2013, truth-tellers will start to win.
Gun owner map ricochet: Blogger publishes journalists' personal data

A newspaper published names and addresses of thousands of legal handgun owners, generating widespread criticism. In retaliation, a blogger mapped the names and addresses of the journalists.
Gun control: Is David Gregory’s on-air stunt proof of media bias?

Washington police are investigating ‘Meet the Press’ host David Gregory for holding up a rifle clip on air. Gun control opponents see the incident as proof the media are biased against them.
Backchannels Richard Engel freed, but news blackout debate remains

NBC Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and two other reporters are free today after five days of captivity in Syria.
Syria: rebels fight Palestinian pro-Assad group (+video)

When the revolt against Assad's rule began in March 2011, the half-million-strong Palestinian community in Syria stayed on the sidelines. But as the civil war deepened, many Palestinians have taken sides.
Terrorism & Security NBC's Richard Engel released in Syria, a journalist danger zone (+video)

The Syrian conflict is making 2012 the deadliest year on record for journalists.
Family of journalist Austin Tice struggles with silence on kidnapping

Austin Tice was kidnapped near Damascus in August. His family went to Beirut recently in hopes of extending their reach into Syria and finding out more about who might be holding him.
Detained wife of Nobel winner Liu Xiaobo speaks out

As China celebrates Mo Yan's Nobel Prize in literature this year, 2010 Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo remains in prison and his wife under house arrest. She spoke to AP reporters today.
Latin America Monitor McAfee's rise and downfall via technology (+video)

Computer protection guru John McAfee’s high-profile run from the law is over after his arrest in Guatemala. A simple slip in digital security may have helped lead to his capture.
Egypt freedoms in balance during constitutional showdown

Egyptian protesters swamped the presidential palace in Cairo today, angry at a draft constitution favored by President Morsi that many fear will limit freedoms.
Egypt: Thousands to march on presidential palace (+video)

The march comes amid rising anger over the draft charter and decrees issued by Egypt's Morsi giving himself sweeping powers. Morsi called for a nationwide referendum on the draft constitution on Dec. 15.
The Monitor's View: An 'ethical vacuum' in Internet media?

An official inquiry into the abuses of British newspapers calls for tougher regulation of journalist behavior. But it holds little hope for ethics in online media. This ignores the history of journalist ethics.
British press needs regulator, says phone-hacking inquiry

Lord Leveson concludes today a yearlong inquiry into the practices of the British press, including tabloids accused of illegal phone hacking.
In Pakistan, big perks and big risks to being a journalist

A bomb was found under the car of prominent journalist Hamid Mir, highlighting the difficulties facing journalists in Pakistan.
Planeloads of Syrian currency exposed, but does the Kremlin care?

A new report reveals that Russia printed and shipped eight planeloads of Syrian currency to Damascus over the summer, providing a critical lifeline to the Assad regime.
'Cult of David Petraeus': Did media perpetuate a myth?

Members of the Pentagon press are shaking their heads in the wake of the David Petraeus scandal. Some think Petraeus's savvy and personable style led them to be too soft on him.
Israel talks cease-fire in Egypt, while widening range of targets in Gaza

Egypt has been leading international efforts to broker a truce between Israel and Gaza. On Sunday, an Israeli envoy talked with Egyptian officials, but Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers have yet to compromise.
Opinion: Obama is right to visit Myanmar (Burma)

The apparent end of censorship has unleashed a veritable media gold rush in Myanmar (Burma). On his visit there, President Obama should encourage the country's wave of democratic reforms by highlighting the urgent need for free and open media to reach all parts of the country.
BBC news scandal: How big of a threat to British journalism?

The BBC's director general has resigned after a two-part scandal at the British Broadcasting Corporation – one of which wrongly implicated a member of Britain's Conservative Party as a child molester.
Editor's Blog What happens in a news drought?

Throughout the United States, newspapers are downsizing. Whether or not you shed a tear for journalists, it's worth considering what happens in communities where no one is keeping watch on politicians, public officials, or city streets.
Is the death of newspapers the end of good citizenship?

The death of newspapers – by cutbacks, outright disappearance, or morphing into lean websites – means a reduction of watchdog reporting and less local information. Some say it has caused a drop in civic participation. Is it a blow to good citizenship?
The Reformed Broker The fiscal cliff isn't gradual, and it will matter

Some financial bloggers argue that the fiscal cliff won't have much effect on the economy at all. But the actual impact of the fiscal cliff doesn't matter. What matters is the perception.
3 of the most-talked-about novels of fall 2012

Monitor fiction critic Yvonne Zipp reviews National Book Award finalist 'The Round House' and two other acclaimed fall novels.