BBG Media Highlights – February 10, 2014 — excellent work by RFA and RFE/RL — poor news reporting by VOA noted by World Media Watch

— Radio Free Asia reporters blocked from covering meeting between Taiwan and China’s top cross-Taiwan Strait policy planners. (also mentioned by AFP, Taipei Times)

— Reporters Without Borders mentions Radio Free Asia as one of organizations participating in the joint evaluation of the Vietnamese government’s human rights policies.

Citations of BBG Networks

— New York Times cites Radio Free Asia report on Tibetan self-immolation, raising number of self-immolations in Tibetan areas to 126.

— PBS Newshour quotes RFE/RL’s Liz Fuller in backgrounder on unrest in the North Caucasus.

— Foreign Policy quotes RFA on locations going viral after being visited by world leaders.

— Vice cites RFE/RL story on genetic testing for future Olympians in Uzbekistan.

— CPJ cites RFA on death of Cambodian journalist.

— Al Monitor quotes VOA interview with Kurdish Democratic Left Party leader on Syria.

— allAfrica cites VOA reporting on female genital mutilation in Liberia.

— Karen News cites RFA on jailing of five journalists in Burma.

— Opposition supporters were “fed up” with the Thai political system. UPI cites VOA reporting.

— Chosun Ilbo cites RFA on Jang Song-taek supporters summonsed back to North Korea.

— ThinkProgress cites reporting by RFE/RL on Serbian migrant workers fleeing Russia without pay.

— allAfrica cites VOA Somali service on al-Shabaab leader near-death misses.

— The Oregonian cites RFE/RL interview with Nick Symmonds.

Of Interest

— U.S. waives sanctions on Iran’s state broadcaster.

— Broadband penetration in MENA countries.

— “The military shut down unfriendly news outlets and started a campaign of intimidating journalists, both Egyptian and foreign. The repression was so random that, according to The Economist, even a film crew that was working for a Washington public relations firm hired to improve the government’s image was arrested.”

— Smartphones make you tired and unproductive.

— Journalists in Sochi should have just used Airbnb.