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The Asian Telecentre Forum 2007 will be held on February 6-8, 2007 at the Palace of the Golden Horses, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event is being organised by the Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies (CSDMS) and GIS Development, in cooperation with the Global Knowledge Partnership.

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The Internet has come a long way from its early days as a simple communication protocol, to the highly political space that it has now become: a powerful influence in world social and economic affairs—but with practically no global policy frameworks to govern it. With political and business interests increasingly gaining control of it these days, the Internet’s potential as a tool to “push forward a neo-liberal world order that serves dominant interests” should not be ignored.

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A policy has been drafted for Botswanas broadcasting industry, which seeks to establish a three-tier broadcast service: public, private and community.

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All countries in the Southern African region now have legislation in place for a diverse media environment. However, broadcasting remains controlled, either directly or indirectly, by the state, notes AMARC Africa in the publication Legislation & Community Media for Southern Africa: A Guide. Broadcasting regulatory systems keep ownership and access to broadcasting very much in the control and/or favour of the political elite. It is unusual for countries to have anything like independent regulators with policies that, for example, recognise three tiers of broadcasting (community, commercial and public) and thereby seek to promote some kind of diversity through licensing and allocation of frequencies, AMARC noted.

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Watchdogs in Australia and Bahrain have slammed anti-terrorism laws for threatening press freedom.

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Feminist Internationla Radio Endeavour (FIRE) launched an international campaign to address and curb violence against women in the Internet, at the International Know How Conference 2006 in held in Mexico City last August 21-26, 2006.