Masthead graphic based on a painting by Gudrun Thriemer.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

"Developing countries start news service to counter Western bias," Bangladesh Financial Express, June 27, 2006.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (AP): Developing countries have launched an Internet-based news service, aiming to provide an alternative to the Western media that they say is biased.

"NAM News Network," a joint effort of the 116 member countries of the Nonaligned Movement, was formally inaugurated Tuesday by Malaysian Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin, although it has been live online since April 17.

Zainuddin urged members to develop their media and use technology to forge better communication links between them.

"Unless we do this, we shall continue to bemoan the fact that the so-called international media has not and will never give the fair coverage that is due to us," he said in a speech.

The Web-based news service will carry about 60 news items daily, as well as photographs, contributed by 35 news agencies and news organisations of NAM member countries in Asia, West Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe.

Other countries including China, whose news agency Xinhua has a wide global presence, are contributing.

French, Spanish and Arabic news services are also being planned.

Zainuddin said NNN must be supported, nurtured and developed to become an important window on NAM countries for the world.

"Admittedly, it already has its fair [share] of detractors but we must not be discouraged. With commitment and determination, we can make NNN a successful news organisation of the South and prove the doomsayers wrong," he said Malaysia's national news agency Bernama will maintain the site.

Check it out: http://www.namnewsnetwork.org
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