新聞故事：秘魯礦難–生死救援69天
33名被困兩個多月的礦工全部成功獲救，智利舉國歡騰，回顧這兩個多月來的救援行動，可謂一波三折，驚心動魄。來看鳳凰衛視資訊臺週末特別新聞故事 －－生死營救69天。
2010年8月5日
智利北部聖何塞銅礦發生塌方
33名礦工被埋井下，生死未卜
一個礦井，三十三條人命，從八月五號開始，成為了全球媒體關注的焦點。
複雜的地形，二次的垮塌，種種的種種，都令人擔心，礦井下的三十三名礦工生存希望渺茫。
正在對哥倫比亞訪問的智利總統皮涅拉，聞訊緊急中止了訪問回國，親自到事故現場視察，監督救援工作。
2010年8月22日
距離礦難發生已經過去了半個多月，33名礦工依舊音訊全無。就在人們幾近絕望時，奇跡突然出現了。
救援人員第八次嘗試用探桿尋找礦井時，隨探桿一起送到井下的攝像機拍到了這一令人鼓舞的畫面。
由於沒能建立起語音聯絡，工人們將兩張紙條裝入一個塑膠袋裏，綁在探桿上，向救援人員發出了求助訊息。
字條證實井下33人全部倖存，正在地下約700米的避難所。
一時間，智利全國上下一片歡騰。
“他們還活著”，這一消息給了救援隊伍和家屬巨大的鼓舞，只要活著，就有出來的希望。大家抱著這一理念，積極的展開了下一階段的救援。
2010年8月23日
連接井下礦工和地面救援人員的管道生命線陸續成功打通，食物、飲用水、藥品等必須品，都通過管道，源源不斷的從地面送往地下，礦工們精神看起來不 錯。
2010年9月3日
眨眼間礦難已經發生了將近一個月，智利當局加快研究救援方案，重型鑽孔機陸續抵達礦區，開始挖掘救援井。
但這次的救援可謂是史上最艱難的一次，礦工們頭頂上是幾百米厚的岩石層，在鑽探逃生通道時，稍有不慎就可能觸動不穩定地層引發坍塌，還得避免挖出的 四千噸重石塊掉進礦工所在的避難室。挖掘行動多次受阻，救援再次陷入困境。
不過井下的礦工們苦中作樂，通過救援人員送到井下的小型電視接收器，收看了智利與烏克蘭隊的一場足球友誼賽。智利球員都穿上印有“礦工加油”標語的 T恤，給被困礦工鼓勁，這讓被困一個月的礦工們興奮莫名，締造了史上最接近地心的一次足球直播。
而幾天后，隨著一聲嬰兒的啼哭，被困礦工泰科納的妻子為他誕下了愛女。泰科納從地下傳來紙條，希望給孩子取名為埃斯佩朗莎·伊麗莎白，西班牙語中的 意味著－－希望。
2010年9月18日
在家屬的焦灼不安中，智利迎來了獨立200週年紀念日，營救工作也傳來好消息：第一個抵達被困位置的鑽孔當天打通，礦工們興奮地在井下唱起了歌，跳 起了舞。
一週後，由智利海軍造船廠製造的救生艙運抵礦區，用於加固救援井壁的大型鋼管也陸續運抵。至此，人們終於看到了被困礦工逃出升天的希望。
10月9號，其中一個救援井完成隧道全程624米的挖掘，33名礦工的最後救援行動有望儘快啟動。在場的人們頓時歡呼雀躍，掌聲、祈禱聲和歌聲響成 一片。
救援通道打通後，智利工程師開始內壁鋪設工作，使用金屬管為接近地面的一百米隧道加固，防止發生塌方。
10月11號，準備工作終於接近尾聲，工程師先後完成隧道內管鋪設工作，以及救人搭載艙試驗。智利礦業部長戈爾沃內宣佈，救人計劃有望順利完成。
10月12號，救援搭載艙順利完成了最後一次測試，一切性能良好，最終救援行動準備就緒。
2010年10月13日
終於，漫長的69天等待後，升井行動正式開始。
第一名獲救的礦工阿瓦洛斯，乘坐智利軍方特製的紅白藍三色的“鳳凰號”救生艙，由625米深的地底，緩緩升上地面。
一切順利，阿瓦洛斯終於重見天日。現場守候許久７歲兒子哭著撲向爸爸，一家三口緊緊的擁抱在一起。
大約一小時後，第二名礦工塞普爾韋達也乘救生艙升井，現場傳出如雷歡呼聲。他步出救生艙的第一件事，就是與焦急等待的妻子深情擁抱。接著又掏出多塊 地底礦石，送給在場的救援人員及總統。
就這樣，每個之後四十五分鐘至一小時，就有一名穿著特製的防潮抗菌服，佩戴特殊防護眼鏡的礦工成功升井。
隨著礦工領班烏爾蘇亞的順利升井，33位礦工全部順利逃出生天，在與家人短暫相聚後，被送往醫院。
智利總統皮涅拉親自蓋上救援通道，宣佈聖何塞銅礦救援工作圓滿結束。
智利全國上下一片歡騰。
至此，69天的生死救援圓滿落下大幕，除了礦工們在面對死亡時的鎮定，超長的救援時間以及各方不離不棄的努力外，我們能夠銘記的，就只有這一雙雙守 望的眼，一滴滴喜悅的淚。
收看鏈接 http://real.v.ifeng.com/vplay/ifeng/20101017/313438.shtml
新聞故事：奧巴馬訪華
奧巴馬訪華：總統背後的男人和女人
宋寧宇 綜合報導
美國總統奧巴馬結束訪華回去了，可留給人們的還是無盡的話題：從美國總統應該叫奧巴馬還是歐巴馬，延伸到中美關係走向，美中擴大留學生規模，以及中美環境問題合作等等。今天週末特備的新聞故事，我們將拋開這些沉重的話題，來看看奧巴馬訪華期間，發生了哪些有趣的事情。-vt-
【奧巴馬訪華背後的男人和女人】
奧巴馬本月中到訪中國，受到了外界的極度關注。但中國百姓除了國家大事外，更關心的，還是奧巴馬訪華期間的趣事、軼事以及八卦事。
關鍵詞一 儀仗隊中國兵哥哥
【三軍儀仗隊驚現喜慶兵哥哥】
美國總統奧巴馬到訪中國，國家主席胡錦濤陪同檢閱三軍儀仗隊。原本沉悶的檢閱儀式因為細心網友的火眼金睛，瞬時變得有趣起來。單看視頻你也許不會發現什麽，這一排肅立的三軍儀仗兵，個個英姿颯爽。但如果把鏡頭拉近，你會發現什麽呢？沒錯，就是這位表情洋溢著興奮與喜悅的中國兵哥哥。
【兵哥哥表情激動引網友熱議】
兵哥哥的表情讓人忍俊不禁，並且引起了網友的廣泛猜測：他當時到底在想些什麽呢？有人說是因為看到了奧巴馬而內心激動，也有人表示這只是一種敬業的表現。一時間，這位熱情的兵哥哥一舉成名，成為奧巴馬訪華期間，炙手可熱的網絡明星。
關鍵詞二 隨身行黑超酷保鑣
【保鏢化身各處隱形保護奧巴馬】
各國元首出訪，都離不開一個人群：那就是保鑣。
奧巴馬也不例外，這次的訪華之行，我們可以在各個角落發現隨行保鏢的蹤跡。他們有美國人也有中國人，有時戴一副黑超眼鏡，就像電影中描述的那樣站在奧巴馬身邊，然而更多的時候，他們可以化作任何人，在不同的角度保護奧巴馬。
先看上海之行演講時，奧巴馬在臺上星光熠熠。保鏢們有的站在台下，有的護在人前，甚至懷疑有人化裝成媒體採訪區的攝影師，絲毫不在意攝像機的取景器，而是時刻關注著奧巴馬的安全。
【故宮行 黑色公事包成謎】
再看故宮之行，幾個黑衣男子一馬當先，手裡提著中國網民們甚感興趣的黑包。有人猜想這幾個黑包展開就是防彈板，也有人說，這就是傳說中總統隨身攜帶的核按鈕，更有人猜測，是即觸即發式武器。
最後看看長城之行的安保。
如此嚴密的防線，別說是恐怖分子，恐怕連南飛的大雁也逃不過他們的眼睛。
關鍵詞三 萬中挑氣質服務員
【緊盯服務員 奧巴馬惹非議】
奧巴馬國宴偷看女服務員?又是一張照片引發的緋聞。繼奧巴馬在G8峰會被指“偷窺”女性臀部的照片曝光後，這次的照片再度將奧巴馬送上輿論的風口浪尖。有網友表示，奧巴馬“色迷迷”的表情，有失平時風度翩翩的形象，果然是英雄難過美人關嗎？
【巧妙借位 為什麼受傷的總是我】
這就是引發爭議的照片，照片中的奧巴馬顯得眼光無法抽離擺餐具的國宴服務員。看起來確實像那麼一回事。
然而換張照片,或從視頻來看，奧巴馬並未流露出不恰當的情感。顯而易見，這張照片和G8峰會那次一樣，也不過是巧妙的借位罷了。這時奧巴馬也許在想，為什麼受傷的，總是我！
關鍵詞四 有困難找北京的哥
【奧巴馬訪華 北京的哥顯身手】
相對兵哥哥的颯爽，保鏢的冷酷以及國宴服務員的美麗，接下來要出場的主角可要平淡很多。他們，就是北京城普普通通的的哥。
這三位師傅都是北京首汽集團的老司機。奧巴馬訪華期間，他們三人被安排執行美國總統訪華通訊組運輸任務，忙裡忙外，開車沒得挑，還義務幫搬上百斤的大箱子，一路任勞任怨，讓美國人滿意的沒話說。
【出色工作 白宮發來感謝信】
奧巴馬訪華正趕上全國大幅降溫，這幾位的哥不少次都在寒風中堅守著崗位，連去溫暖的車裡睡一覺都不肯，生怕醒來開車不安全。
奧巴馬走了，卻沒有忘記這幾位的哥。白宮發來的感謝信裡，誇三位的哥的職業素質“無可挑剔”，對他們的傑出服務表示了“誠摯謝意”。
【斯人已返程 笑談留風中】
奧巴馬圓滿完成訪華，離開了北京。但他留下的故事和笑談，卻仍在人群中不斷的傳播。大概只有等到奧巴馬的名人效應散去了，這些傳聞和笑談，才會在人們的視線中，逐漸淡去。sf
成片鏈接
http://v.ifeng.com/news/china/200911/d2a867cb-cacc-45fe-a65f-e26fae64e80c.shtml
新聞故事 ipad傳奇
新聞故事： iPad發售100409
宋寧宇 綜合報導
iPad橫空出世，吸引無數眼球。4月3號在美發售首日，便售出超過30萬台，一路走來iPad坎坷不少，笑料更多，下面請收看鳳凰衛視資訊台週末特備新聞故事，瞭解一下iPad的點點滴滴。-vt-
【電子江湖紛紛擾擾 iPad獨領風潮】
“你不在江湖，江湖卻已經有了你的傳說”這句話用來形容iPad是一點都不錯。隨著便攜電腦和平板電腦大熱，研發公司apple的一眾忠實擁躉，早已翹首期盼apple新產品的出現。
傳了將近一年的蘋果新產品，終於在2010年1月27號發佈，名字就叫：iPad。
一經發佈，iPad便在電子產品市場裡掀起了一場腥風血雨，世界各地更是出現了搶購風，有錢也難買到一台，各種批評和嘲弄接踵而來，但同時也不乏眾多的支持聲音。
【iPad名字起風波 遭恥笑惹糾紛】
首先備受爭議的，便是iPad的名字。
名叫iPad，其實無可厚非，因為PAD在英語中有隨身便籤的意思，相對網友早期猜測的islate等，更貼近便攜的設計理念。可不巧的是，pad在英文中可不止便籤一個意思，更多的人聯想到的，是一種女性衛生用品，這可讓iPad受盡詬病。
有人說，蘋果以後的產品可以叫iTampon，可以叫iPampers。有網友乾脆表示，希望下一代的iPad升級為帶護翼的外形。
而多年前的一部美國情景喜劇，也重新進入人們的視線。
片中的兩個女性探討蘋果公司的新產品，可以為女性提供更多保護，而由於是為女性提供特殊保護，這種新產品的名字就叫ipad。真正的ipad一出，網友紛紛高呼，編劇真是太有先見之明了！
雷人的名字見仁見智，但有設計師順水推舟推出的“個性“iPad保護套可是絕對的把人雷得外焦裡嫩，很“貼合”蘋果老大喬布斯的起名哲學。
有人認為ipad雷人，可就連這不太好聽的ipad，也已經早就被人註冊走了，想要用還要費番力氣。
在美國本土，ipad商標的使用權歸富士通公司所有。富士通曾發佈公告，聲稱蘋果有侵權嫌疑，要求蘋果解決。
不過搶名實屬蘋果駕輕就熟之事，2007年與思科公司和解拿到iphone使用權的經驗，讓蘋果公司成功的解決了與富士通的爭端，順利拿下IPAD的名字。
【網友譏功能雞肋 性價比不如石頭】
除了名字讓人啼笑皆非，iPad的功能也不盡如人意，一直被譏諷是iphone吃了超級馬里奧的蘑菇長大的版本。
有人則調侃，從iphone到iPad一系列產品，是蘋果公司的陰謀，總有一天要出到iMate才罷休。
更有網友將ipad的各種缺點羅列，整理出一張iPad和石頭有何區別的圖片，
不支持多任務處理，不支持flash，沒有內置攝像頭，無法更換電池，缺乏各種標準接口，除了觸摸屏外，iPad的性能接近於石頭。
【iPad大熱潮 名人被惡搞】
就連希特勒，也對iPad不爽，發了頓脾氣。
美國總統奧巴馬也沒能逃過iPad熱潮，被人著實惡搞了一把。
當然這只是開玩笑，雖然其他性能方面還有待改進，iPad在隨身娛樂方面的突出性能還是得到了很多人的青睞，就算是iphone的放大版也已經讓人愛不釋手。
美國著名脫口秀主持人[考伯特]就曾經在格萊美頒獎典禮上，神奇的拿出了一台尚未公開發售的iPad，試圖讓自己“酷一點”。
雖然在不同的場合拿iPad開過許多玩笑，甚至用iPad做過沙拉，但考伯特還是吐露了真言，說iPad簡直棒極了。
【狂熱粉絲排隊三天為得首部iPad】
像[考伯特]一樣對iPad狂熱的人實在不在少數，曾經於2007年買到全球第一臺iphone的平民傳奇Greg Packer，再次成為了iPad排隊第一人。身穿橙色衣服，攜帶折疊椅，他在iPad正式發售前，在美國紐約第五大道的蘋果專賣店前整整排了三天的隊，就是為了拿到全球第一台iPad。有粉絲如此，相信有再多非議喬布斯也可以一笑置之了。
可有人把它當寶貝，也有人迫不及待的就把它送進了攪拌機。
美國出名的超級攪拌機，也瞄準ipad熱潮，本次要攪拌的對像，就是ipad。
【抱怨不斷 iPad功能缺陷恐需回收】
看著iPad變成一堆粉末讓人心痛不已，但接下來的最新消息估計會讓更多人失望，首批iPad出現不能上網，上載程序出現問題以及電池過熱的案例。雖然蘋果聲稱只是特定情況，但有科技專家則指出，若問題持續，iPad則可能被召回。
【傳奇出場 iPad能否笑傲江湖】
雖然罵聲不斷，詬病不減，但ipad熱潮卻一直在延續，在毀譽參半的評論中創下了首日發售超過30萬臺的記錄。大概ipad真的要高唱，“不要迷戀我，我只是個傳說”了。sf
成片鏈接
http://v.ifeng.com/news/world/201004/24b7a5bd-1f87-4638-9e93-0018740e3aee.shtml
新聞故事《血鑽疑雲》
新聞故事<血鑽疑雲>
宋寧宇 綜合報導
在聯合國［塞拉利昂］特別法庭對利比裡亞前獨裁者［查爾斯·泰勒］的審理程序中，英國超級名模［娜奧米·坎貝爾］，好萊塢影星［法羅］以及坎貝爾經紀人［懷特］針對有關血鑽問題出庭作證，但三人證詞卻完全不同。究竟這背後藏著一段怎樣的故事，血鑽又意味著甚麼？請看鳳凰衛視資訊台週末特備新聞故事－－<血鑽疑雲>．VT
【黑珍珠遇血鑽 案情撲朔眾口不一】
2006年的一部電影，讓人們知道了血鑽．
２０１０年的一場庭審，讓血鑽再次進入人們的視線．
2010年8月，人稱黑珍珠的英國超模娜奧米·坎貝爾在［塞拉利昂］特別法庭作證．她口中骯髒的小石塊，就是世人趨之若鶩的鑽石．這不是一般的鑽石，而是浸滿鮮血的，血鑽．
血鑽，也稱衝突鑽石或戰爭鑽石，是一種在戰爭區域開采並銷往市場的鑽石。由於銷售得到的高額利潤和資金會投入反政府武裝衝突中，故而得名。
就是因為這樣一袋血鑽，坎貝爾不得不站上法庭，與閨中密友、好萊塢女星［米亞．法羅］，以及當了她十七年經紀人的［卡羅爾．懷特］，對峙公堂，互掀老底．
昔日好友以及多年經紀人的證詞，終於讓這位神秘送禮人的身份大白於天下
他就是這張照片中站在曼德拉身邊的，查爾斯·泰勒．
據懷特的證詞，在十三年前曼德拉家族的一次晚宴上，坎貝爾不僅收下泰勒的鑽石，而且還公然與泰勒調情．當時如此的熱絡，現在卻翻臉不認帳，這其中有著怎樣的隱情？查爾斯．泰勒究竟是誰？
【大幕拉開 幕後黑手浮出水面】
泰勒，利比里亞前總統，1948年出生於利比里亞首都蒙羅維亞，綽號“蒙羅維亞屠夫”．在1997年當選利比裡亞總統後，泰勒不但挑起本國內戰，還與塞拉利昂反政府武裝［革命聯合陣線］人員連絡，資助”聯陣”，對塞拉利昂平民犯下無數罪行．
其中最為駭人聽聞的，就是”砍手隊”．
為了懲治那些支持政府的平民，”聯陣”成員特別成立”砍手隊”，用彎刀殘忍地砍掉平民的上肢，讓他們不能再投票支持政府。
在內戰期間，數千名塞拉利昂平民遭遇砍手命運，其中包括很多兒童。當地人將這些平民將失去整個手臂的人稱為“短袖子”，僅失去手掌的則被叫做“長袖子”。
作為主要資助者，泰勒在從1997年至2001年的四年時間中，為革命聯合陣線購買並運送武器。在他的干預下，塞拉利昂內戰持續多年，數萬無辜平民死亡。
那麼泰勒依靠甚麼資助”聯陣”？
答案是，血鑽．
【滴血的鑽石 平民血淚資助內戰】
血鑽，滴滴是血，顆顆是淚．原本愛與美的象徵，卻淪為戰爭基金的主要來源，沾上了濃重的血腥味．
成千上萬並未取得政府許可執照的礦工，為了糊口，只好拿起鏟子和篩網自行非法採鑽．他們與家人經常因此被軍隊或礦場保全人員勒索、痛毆，甚至慘遭殺害。
而流離失所，家破人亡卻沒有給平民帶來財富，他們得到的是僅僅只夠糊口的收入；鑽石的高昂利潤，都流入了像泰勒這樣軍閥的口袋．
泰勒從”聯陣”手中獲得了非法開采的鑽石後，利用銷售鑽石的收入，資助塞拉利昂反政府武裝，迫害被迫開採鑽石的平民．如此週而復始，採鑽平民的悲慘生活永無盡頭．
【揭謊言 黑珍珠戰爭狂或雙雙入獄】
塞拉利昂內戰結束後，聯合國塞拉利昂特別法庭在2003年對泰勒提出戰爭罪、反人類罪和違反國際人道法等11項指控，“血鑽”交易也是其中一項。雙方拉鋸3年後，泰勒終于在2006年首次接受庭審，但卻拒不認罪。
想要證明泰勒擁有來自塞拉利昂鑽石礦的鑽石，並以此為資金在他的西非家鄉發動了殘酷的內戰，聯合國特別法庭的起訴方必須得到證人的相關陳述．
泰勒原本得意洋洋，以為自己做的天衣無縫，沒有留下任何把柄．可他忘了坎貝爾，十幾年前討好美人的幾塊裸鑽，將可能成為壓死駱駝的最後一根稻草．
正如十三年前那樣，血鑽再次成為兩個人之間唯一的紐帶．坎貝爾為了自保，不想承認鑽石來自泰勒；這無形中也幫了泰勒，讓國際法庭無法坐實泰勒的罪行．
可如今兩人的如意算盤都可能落空．雖然聲稱自己沒有必要撒謊，但面對好姊妹的指證，坎貝爾很可能因對法庭撒謊被判２－３年監禁；而戰爭狂泰勒，則可能因此面臨最高終身監禁的刑期．
【金伯利管不住 血鑽故事無奈繼續】
泰勒的故事即將結束，可血鑽的故事卻仍在繼續．為改變非洲非法開採鑽石的情況，聯合國曾通過金伯利認證機制，力阻血鑽進入國際市場，斬斷非洲叛亂團體購買武器的資金來源。
可隨著來自津巴布韋臭名昭著的馬蘭吉礦90萬克拉鑽石解禁拍賣，似乎證明面對血鑽交易，金伯利機制也無能為力．只要非洲軍閥繼續掌握鑽石礦，只要鑽石仍舊是人們的心頭好，血鑽的悲劇就仍將繼續．ＳＦ
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News Media under Financal Turmoil SOUNDSLIDE on Vimeo
Hong Kong – April 19 – IJS-Global – News Media under Financal Turmoil SOUNDSLIDE
News Media under the Financial turmoil: Less and More
Hong Kong – April 19 – IJS-Global – It’s 4:00 in the morning, and is still dark outside. The alarm clock began to ring, and it’s time for Kandy to go to work.
Usually it is not necessary for an intern student to go to work that early, but under the pressure of the financial turmoil, active attitude maybe equals to “a job”, which is very precious for a fresh graduate in the coming May, like Kandy.
Kandy Wong, an undergraduate student from Chinese University of Hong Kong, is now having her internship in a local TV station. There are ten more other students who are having internships there, and all hope to get a job there.
“I’ve spent 4 years in Hong Kong, and hope that I can get a job soon, for I will become a permanent resident of Hong Kong when I spend 7 years here. It’s only 3 years left.”
Kandy Wong
For students like Kandy, the willing of getting a job is built on the willing of becoming a permanent resident; whereas people like Susie are only hoping to have a job.
“All I want is a stable job, but for a person working in the news media, it is a luxury fantasy,” Susie said, “all the news media are layoff the staff, I’m afraid of being cut off in the near future.”
Susie Lam, a fresh staff in a local newspaper, who has work there for a year, is now afraid of getting fired.
Susie Lam
What Susie described is a live picture of the news media in Hong Kong now, all the newspapers and TV stations are thinking ways of cut down expenses under the hard pressure of the financial turmoil, layoff the staff becomes one of the popular way; besides, is the cut on the new positions for those fresh personnel.
The situation is far worse than bad.
The financial turmoil made all the news media trap in the difficulty of lacking advertisement, which directly caused the lack of financial resources. The shrink of the advertisement market will let the weaker news media out of the competition, which means a further shrink of the job market.
According to the research of CTR, 9 main industries are the most important advertising resources of the news media, including commercial, cosmetics, food, drink, medicine, real estate, entertainment, car and communication. Under the shrinking economic environment, the companies will cut the input in the advertisement, at the mean time, increase the standard of the advertising effect. Using the running pressure of the news media, some companies may even cut down the advertising price in further step.
“I don’t really want to work here, but this is my best choice till now,” Kandy said, “This station is the only one that promised no layoff in the difficult time. I hope it will provide some new positions, thus I’ll have the opportunity to work here.”
Broadcasting to the mainland China and other 150 countries and areas with Chinese people there, the TV station which Kandy worked for is one of a few news media in Hong Kong which doesn’t beat hard by the financial turmoil. According to the TV’s report, the business performance kept a stable increase in 2008; the whole classified broadcasting earning has increased 18.6% compare with 2007 under the pressure of the shrinking advertising market.
But still, the work availability is fewer than less.
“Under the pressure of the financial crisis, it’s need great courage for us to say that we will not lay off staff, but the problem is, the hard situation will last for a period of time, and surely we will affect by it,” Amy Lee, a human resource manager of the station said, “the opportunity for those intern students to stay is very less.”
Even though the station has a stable increase in profit, the financial turmoil is urging them to cut down the unnecessary further employment, including recruit new employees.
“I have to say that we have enough employees to run the whole company, and have no plan to add more positions, especially for those fresh men in society,” Amy said, “but maybe, we will receive one or two of the intern students, if they are really have an outstanding performances.”
The situations are the same in the whole news media industry, less advertisement, more professional graduates, makes the whole industry facing a difficult period of transforming, especially those weaker ones in the industry.
Singpao, which used to be a main newspaper in Hong Kong, plan to cut down salary under the pressure of the financial crisis. When answering the inquiry, it’s executive officer Yu Huaiying said that the advertising profit of the news paper have the possibility decreasing 15%, and cut down salary is a way of helping the newspaper pass through the difficulties. But some employees said that the salary cut down may affect on their passion of working for the newspaper, for their salary is much lower than other newspapers’.
After all, money is the essential for the news media to survive, advance and transform. Hong Kong’s 2009-2010 budgets show a great deal of will to help out all the industries. it’s need time to see whether the news media is among them or not. But what obvious is, the news media industry do need a transformation under the chaos of financial turmoil.
Weak news media like Singpao will have a painful transformation in the process, as well as the whole news media industry.
“Even though the situation is not that well, I believe that finally I can find a job here,” said Kandy, with fully hope of the future.
“It will surely become better, as a saying of Shelley: If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” When asking whether the news media industry will recover soon or not, Amy answered so.
Czech it out: yesterday, today and tomorrow (text only)(modified)
By Rynn Song
Kutna Hora, near Prague – Jan 10 – IJS-Global – The cold, spreading out as a white fog, had deterred all but a handful of tourists. The old town of Kutna Hora appeared to be hibernating.
But with the streets almost empty of the visitors who flood in during the summer, those who braved the chill of the off-season got the opportunity to speak at length with some of the inhabitants of this ancient city and hear of the monumental changes they have experienced in their lifetimes.
Jaromira was one. At 66 years of age, she has lived through the remnants of the East German influence following World War II, Communism following the Soviet invasion of 1968 and now free-market capitalism as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
One of Kutna Horo’s few English-speaking guides, she is in high demand during the summer season. But on this freezing winter day there is little scope for her services so she is able to relax indoors in the warmth with her dog, drink tea and tell her story.
Jaromira, who became a guide upon retiring seven years earlier, is unusual among the more mature guides in that she speaks English.
Many youngsters cannot speak it as well. It is very rare for someone in her 60s to have such a command of the language, even if she has to refer to a dictionary on occasions.
Jaromira ascribed the low level of English among her generation to the German and Russian influence that dominated the country following World War II.
“People in Czechoslovakia did not pay attention to study English. They learned German when the German army took control of the country (in 1938) and following the Soviet invasion (of 1968), they learned Russian.”
Jaromira was unusual in that she studied some English at school. She is determined to improve her fluency in the language.
“I’m practising my English with my friends in England, that’s why I can keep speaking,” Jaromira said, “I also travelled to England to see them, that’s very helpful to improve my English.”
Memories of the Soviet invasion still ache, Jaromina said.
Troops from the Soviet Union and their Warsaw Pact allies, Poland, Bulgaria and Hungary, invaded the then Czechoslovakia on the night of August 20-21, 1968, to reverse liberal economic and political reforms lead by the new Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubcek.
In the run-up to the invasion Jaromira was abroad. “At that time, my husband and I were in Bulgaria, people in Bulgaria told us that our country will have a very bad time,” she recalled. “They told us to stay there or stay in Yugoslavia, but we decided to go back.”
But as Jaramira recalls: “I had problems on our way, on the bumpy motorcycle, I got bloodied,” she said, “so I took a train in Slovakia to go back to Kutna Hora and my husband went back by motorcycle.”
“When I arrived at the station, people there told me that Dubcek and (the chairman of the National Assembly) Josef Smrkovsky were having negotiations here with Russians,” she said, “then I arrived in Kutna Hora and went to hospital. I could hear the tanks and cars outside.”
Everything changed while she lay in her hospital bed. “After a week when I left the hospital, I walked around and heard people died, it was horrible, really horrible.”
There were soldiers everywhere. Communist party policy and doctrine was enforced.
“I have to say, I don’t like communism,” she commented. “They are too strict, they declared everything to be theirs, even houses built by the citizen themselves.”
But she said there were some advantages. “Some things weren’t bad, I must say. Some organization gave us some money, and every year my husband and I able with our three sons to have a one week holiday (thanks to) a special grant.”
Summing up: “In communist times, I can’t go aboard because of the shut up of the country, and in capitalism, I can go abroad but have no money.”
Today, she longer pays attention to whether communism or capitalism is best. She focuses on the future.
“I’m practising my English with my grandson, and plan to guide more people in the following high tourist season. I love my job, and I love my life, so much,” Jaromira said.
For her, yesterday is history, today has been determined, but tomorrow is still in her own hands.
“I’d like to be a tour guide as long as I can, it gives me energy.”
Soundslide: the way to BU
A backgrounder of Prague Spring
Czechoslovakia, the former name of Czech and Slovakia, had been invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union separately in 1938 and 1968, between which the Czech people can never forget the Prague Spring in 1968.
When the reformist Alexander Dubček came to be the highest leader of Czechoslovakia in 1968, he decided to carry out a reformation in this socialist country, and tended to give more rights to the citizens, including ease the control on the media, speech and travel, etc.
The act of partial decentralization of the economy and democratization arose the attention of the Soviet Union, who’s the big brother of the country at that time. After useless negotiation, they came to no consent. So the Soviet Union sent out troops and tanks in August 21, 1968 to control Czechoslovakia.
The Prague spring reform only lasted from January 5 to August 21 1968, and then the whole country was under the control of the Soviet Union until 1990. After the invasion, Gustáv Husák, who replaced Dubček and then became the president of the country, reversed almost all of Dubček’s reforms. The only heritage of Dubček is that Czechoslovakia was then divided into Czech and Slovakia until today.
It was a tough time for all the citizens in Prague as well as in the whole country, and many Czechoslovakia people went to other countries to avoid this event. It has been a nightmare for those people who experienced it, and will always be a deep pain underneath their skin.
