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A range of ideas have been floated about how to correct the current imbalance between media freedom in China and the United States: American journalists who work in China are regularly harassed and denied visas, while Chinese journalists including propaganda workers employed by the state are free to roam in America.

To correct this imbalance, an American scholar suggests in a recent paper that the United States should start World Trade Organization (WTO) action against China to push it to open its media market.

Aynne Kokas, a scholar at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, proposed the idea in a recent her paper, Building a Transparent Web: Transnational Social Media, Cybersecurity and Sino-U.S. Trade.

The U.S. government should register a trade complaint with the WTO because of the preferential market access Chinese companies are receiving, Kokas wrote in her paper.

Kokas continued: The U.S. government should place increased restrictions on Chinese media companies that want to raise capital within U.S. markets until there is greater parity of market access.

Chinese censors have blocked U.S. social media like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, while allowing cloned versions like Weibo, Renren, and Youku that they can control to dominate the market.

Chinese websites and social media companies, some of whose success has owed to Chinese blocking of their U.S. competitors, have raised more than $43 billion in U.S. capital markets.

Other forms of media, including television and newspapers, have also not been in equal trade in China and the U.S.

China has regularly restricted foreign journalists operating there. A number of reporters with The New York Times have been forced to leave because they were not issued visas, while a number of other reporters with that and other newspapers still await visas.

Chinese authorities have effectively barred U.S. media companies from competing in China because of the battery of Internet restrictions, and publishing and broadcast license restrictions. No foreign media company can freely operate in China.

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To Push China on Media Freedom, US Should Try WTO

BENGKULU, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the initiative to organise a National Media Day in Malaysia should come from its own media community in line with the freedom of press.

"I should ask the Malaysian press if they want to organise it. If they do then we will support them. In Indonesia its the media community which organises the event and the government supports them," he said.

He was speaking to reporters after the Indonesian National Press Day (Hari Pers (Media) Nasional (HPN) assembly at Fort Marlborough, Kota Bengkulu here today.

Ahmad Shabery was responding to queries from Malaysian journalists as to whether the Malaysian authorities intended to have such a celebration in Malaysia.

The HPN was attended by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for the 10th and final time as the leader of the republic before the end of his term in October.

Ahmad Shabery said the government did not want to be misunderstood as trying to control or own the media if it initiated the event.

"All this while we have supported the Malaysian Press Institute. The Prime Minister always attends their annual dinner, so there's no reason for the government not to support an event like this if it's organised by the media itself," he said.

The Indonesian Media community today awarded Yudhoyono the title of "Media Friend" in appreciation of his service and contribution to the media and as a farewell present as Indonesia's sixth president.

In his speech, Yudhoyono said he and his family were never spared from being criticised and attacked by the media during his 10 years as President.

He stressed however that they had done him a service by making him stronger and able to lead Indonesia and its population of more than 240 million.

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Malaysian Media Community Should Initiate National Media Day - Ahmad Shabery

Blue System - Love Suite (Live Media Control)

By: GermanoSkolman

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Blue System - Love Suite (Live Media Control) - Video

By CAROLYN WEBB, DARREN GRAY, NICK TOSCANO AND FAIRFAX REGIONAL REPORTERSFeb. 10, 2014, 6:30 a.m.

VIC: UP to 12 homes have been destroyed as thousands of firefighters battle more than 150 bushfires across Victoria.

Houses under threat as a fire moves through Romsey on the outskirts of Melbourne which was photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

Fire moving through the town of Gisborne photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

Smoke from an out of control bush fire is clearly visible from Orbost, as CFA crews wait for news. Picture: Joe Armao, The Age.

Houses under threat as a fire moves through Romsey on the outskirts of Melbourne which was photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

Fire moving through the town of Gisborne photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

Fire moving through the town of Gisborne photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

Houses destroyed in Warrandyte on the outskirts of Melbourne which was photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

Houses destroyed in Warrandyte on the outskirts of Melbourne which was photographed from the air in a helicopter. Photo: Simon O'Dwyer. Fairfax Media.

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Victoria's bushfire emergency | Photos, Video

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is encouraging Canadian diplomats to experiment with social media to promote democratic freedom and trade across the globe.

The plan could represent a loosening of the communications leash the Harper government has placed on foreign diplomats as part of its centralized communications strategy.

Baird announced the initiative Friday in northern California as he visited the Silicon Valley headquarters of Internet search giant Google and of Twitter, where he is seeking advice on how to better use social media tools to advance Canadian foreign policy.

Diplomacy may never live up to the Silicon Valley mantra of move fast and break things, for various reasons. But in the environment of instant communication and social media, we do have to move faster and not be afraid to try new things or to make mistakes, Baird said.

Baird encouraged diplomats to take risks on social media to reach civic actors who can bring about political change in their countries.

It basically is a message to all of our diplomats, a word of encouragement to be innovative, even if it means there are risks, said a senior government official who was not authorized to speak on the record.

After coming to power in 2006, the Conservative government imposed strict communication controls on its diplomats, including ambassadors and high commissioners, requiring them to clear major public events through the Privy Council Office in Ottawa.

The Canadian Press reported this week that bureaucrats at Industry Canada must run each proposed tweet through a 12-step protocol, and seek the approval of the ministers office.

However, the senior government official said diplomats abroad would have more local control, saying, each mission is ultimately responsible for their own Twitter/Facebook and other social media tools.

Canada has lagged far behind its two closest allies, the United States and Britain, in digital diplomacy so Fridays announcement was a welcome development, said Roland Paris, director of the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa.

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Canadian diplomats should use social media more, foreign minister says