The Looming Threat of Government Censorship in Print Media Outlets

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many publications in Cameroon will only print what the government news is also printing. For a country that has a constitution that grants all citizens the right to free press this seems extremely amazing that there would not be one opposing view of the government or anything that is happening. However, Cameroon does not really offer freedom of the press.

Should the government view that what is being published and printed is a threat to the government it could very well carry out sanctions against the press or publication. Sanctions that can be carried out by the government could include legal battles, closing of the publication and charges of treason. To prevent their publications from being accused of this type of writing most private publications will not publish anything that they view as opposing to the government.

While it might seem to an outsider that the only form of media that is under this threat is that of print newspapers it is not. The Internet, radio stations and TV stations are also under the same jurisdiction as the print media. However, since there are less private sectors for this the threat is less to the government and it gets less attention. In fact, there is only currently one TV station that broadcasts items to those in Cameroon and it is government owned and sponsored.

If you are heading to Cameroon you can understand exactly why all the media outlets seem to publish the same stories and opinions. It is because of the fear or government censorship or legal problems.

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Benefits Print Media Brings to Society

February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There is a lot of talk in the media and journalism world about how print media outlets like magazines and newspapers are about to become extinct. Many people believe that print media has been pushed aside in favor of Internet media outlets. However, there are some major benefits that print media offers society that Internet media can never replace.

The first benefit that comes with print media that society sees is the ability to create lasting memories. Some of history’s most important moments are memorialized by what the heading and picture of the daily newspaper had. In fact, the front page of the print newspaper is still so important that many internet outlets and TV news stations will still take time to show the headlines of the newspaper. The Internet can never replace these memories and people will still use the front page of the print newspaper as a guideline for what is important in the world.

The second benefit is the ability to give readers the story and facts. The problem with Internet media is that there can be hundreds of distractions from other websites, ads and games that people have a hard time focusing on the news and what is being said. When a person reads the printed newspaper they are focused completely on the news and gathering information like they wouldn’t normally on the Internet.

The last benefit that print media offers society is the change to get away from the computer. Many people spend their whole day looking at the computer. These people do not want to spend their day when they get home looking at the computer. A printed newspaper allows them to get their news without having to rely upon the Internet for their news needs.

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Getting Assistance for low Income Families

January 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In tough times like now, with many people out of work, there are plenty of families that are having a lot of trouble keeping up with all of the bills. Thankfully there are a lot of different options for low income families to choose from to get some help to make it through the tough times. Whatever your needs are, there is probably a program out there for you. Here is a guide to a few of the most common aid programs.

Cash: If you have recently lost your job the first thing that you will want to do is apply for unemployment compensation. Most states do most of their unemployment claims online, just do a search for your state followed by unemployment (ex. “Minnesota unemployment”) to find your states unemployment compensation website. Also many states provide a temporary cash assistance program for those in need. To apply for this go to your local human services office. With both of these options you will need to be actively looking for a new job to continue receiving benefits.

Food: If you need help getting enough food to feed your family you may want to visit a local food shelf. Food shelves offer you food at very little or no cost to you and the amount that you receive is based on the size of your family. You can also apply for food stamps at your local human services office. Another option is to apply for the emergency food assistance program offered by the Department of Agriculture.

Housing: The Department of Housing and Urban Development has programs to help lower you monthly rent. To apply for one of these programs contact your local human services office. They may also be able to help you find a low income apartment if you need to move. You may also want to ask about other low income assistance programs that they might have.

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Holes in our Court Systems That may be Putting our Children At Risk

January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Image by jaredmellentine via Flickr

In today’s world where children are being protected to the best of our abilities, and laws are put in place to try and make sure our children are safe, mistakes are still being made. In some courts today rapists and pedophiles are still able to go home after serving time for their crime in a jail or prison, and are able to spend time alone with their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, or other children they may have contact with. To keep are children safe we need to make sure there is no one they may cause physical and/or mental harm to them. If someone is able to take advantage of someone whom they may or may not know and rape them or touch them in an inappropriate way, and are then able to go back to living life as if it has never happened with no limitations, is that keeping our children safe?

This may not be happening in every court system in our country, but should it be able to happen in any? Supervised visits are available to people who have made the wrong choices in life and still want to see their children. These visits are set up to help try to keep our children safe. Although many rapists and pedophiles may never harm someone again after their initial charge, is a risk that should be allowed? Peoples emotional well being and possibly their lives are at risk. They can still see their kids, that is a right people have, but supervised visits are set up to try and keep children safe in the world they call home. Mistakes are being made in the justice system and there is not much happening to better some of these mistakes. Ask yourself the question, how far will you go to keep you loved ones, your children, your family safe?

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