Online Journalism News

Blog awards cry freedom

Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) is inviting nominations for its first Freedom Blog awards.

The awards applaud independent blogs that provide an alternative view of the news, especially in countries where journalists and writers are persecuted by the authorities and the traditional media is under government control.

Blogs are being adopted around the world as a way to combat censorship and share information.

To be eligible, blogs must have been live for more than six months and must not be run by a government or non-governmental body. Blogs run by journalists are eligible, as are group blogs and all languages are acceptable.

Entries should be run on a blog publishing service such as Typepad or Blogger, although bespoke blogging formats will be considered.

Yan Sham-Shackleton, otherwise known as Glutter Girl, has blogged about Hong Kong's democratic movement since July 2003. Her blog has been banned in China, where the government has invested enormous resources in monitoring and banning sites containing any dissenting political opinion.

"They have consistently been very fast in shutting down services and sites within China that have put forth alternative views, and blogs are not treated with any less vigilance than any other type of media," she told dotJournalism.

"Blogs can and do put forth a more humanised and personal view of the events that unfold. They have highlighted many people with interesting thoughts and increased the profile of self-publishing.

"So overall it’s a positive step in a time of media cartels."

The blogging community reacted furiously when the Chinese government blocked all blogs hosted by Typepad, blogbus and blogcn in March 2004. Ms Sham-Shackleton initiated a symbolic 'blackout' protest by turning part of her site black, and this was quickly copied by more than 100 sites around the world including US tech site Slashdot.

"I simply did it as a personal response and it captured the imagination of others," said Ms Sham-Shackleton.

"It made me understand the power of the internet."

To nominate a blog, email internet@rsf.org including the blog's web address and a short description.

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