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German media clueless on monetizing online content

By: Haroon Baloch I could recall William Wordsworth's following lines during the well-intended study tour of five cities: …once on those steeps, I roam at large and have in mind, The landscape, as if still in sight, The river glides, the woods before me wave…  Kassel, Horst Seidenfaden, Editor-in-Chief HNA. For me the tour was also an opportunity to travel across German countryside – got pleasure and piece of mind from nature, lush landscapes spread across miles with dancing windmills in the middle, and horses running in the fields. Purpose to travel between Berlin, Hamburg, Munster, Kassel and Frankfurt was to get an idea about relatively immature online and multimedia industry via different media outlets in Germany. Hence, we visited seven media houses; both publications and electronic media, and focused on practical aspects of new media.     For publications e.g. Der Stern in Hamburg and Hessische/Neiderschasische Allgemeine (HNA) in Ka

The way German's watch fussball at Brandenburg Tor

By: Haroon Baloch BERLIN: Germans, avid football watchers, prepared heavily for the semi-final of Euro Cup 2012 between Deutschland and Italy. The Brandenburg Tor is usually thronged with people around 4.5 million as per the rough estimates.

Lankan autos: pleasant to see and ride

By: Haroon Baloch                      First output of ICFJ training in Colombo: Produced by Haroon Baloch                               Colombo: Rickshaw, a symbolic way of transport in South Asia, is considered as an economically viable and pleasant mean to commute around in Sri Lanka. International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) conducted a workshop in last week of April, 2012 while assembling 23 journalists from South Asia to train them in New media, new challenges: best practices in the digital age for South Asia. Seasoned journalists from United States, Indonesia and Sri Lanka trained these young lot of journalists with special focus on Multimedia, Online Journalism and Climate Change.

Saving Face - a real challenge in South Asia

By: Haroon Baloch Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy's film Saving Face claimed the first ever Oscar in the history of Pakistan in 2012 that not only focuses on the acid attack crime in Pakistan, but enacts the real story of violence against women in South Asia. "We must have to end this crime and need a speedy and robust legislation through speedy courts and change the mindset against women", said Sharmeen Chinoy while talking to this correspondent after a discussion Higher Education Commission and US Embassy in Islamabad organized in the capital. The event was live streamed across the 65 campuses of universities in Pakistan. When it comes to implementation, Sharmeen told that firstly we must have confidence in our law enforcing authorities and secondly need to follow the way Bangladesh worked on this issue. Although she exaggerated the results of the study she referred, but cited an example that definitely can be followed for better results. "Bangladesh has signi

'Desperate' glory of Pakistani heritage

By: Haroon Baloch April 1, 2012  Statue of Priest from Mohenjo Daro Nations who remember their past have survived – heritage ensures the survival of cultures and those less likely bother about their heritage are crippled in ensuring their survival. The land where Pakistanis dwell has witnessed the footprints of eminent warriors like Nadir Shah, Mehmud Ghaznavi, Halaku Khan, and rules of great emperors like Moguls Shahansha Akbar, Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan, etc. Incredible to this adds when archeologists find thousands of years old Budha civilizations in early 20 th century at Taxila, Mohenjodaro and Harappa . Similarly another type of heritage belongs to shrines like Chanan Pir, Bahauddin Zakariya, Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Shah Shams Tabrez, Pak Pattan, etc. The marvels of centuries old forts in Southern Punjab , Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan, and parts of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa are also part of our rich cultural heritage. These incredible forts include but are not limited to Qila De

Revamping Pak-US ties, not different than past: Mushahid

Mushahid Hussain Sayed - File Photo By: Haroon Baloch Country's leading foreign policy expert and Pakistan Muslim League's Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed termed Pakistan - US relationships a chute-the-chute and need-based journey, characterized with abrupt and extreme changes. New Terms of Engagement with US " United States requires Pakistan 's cooperation in combating terror war and Pakistan looks for financial assistance. These need-based ties would proceed ahead the way they were in the past", said Mushahid Hussain Sayed adding that ups and downs are foreseeable and what we experienced four months back was mere a demonstration of the United State 's callous attitude. Pakistan has time and again said parliamentary process will give us a confidence and a broad ground to interact with United States . "I believe parliamentary process will pave the road to our new cooperation with United States on more concrete grounds. Pakistan

US Cooperating in Faridullah's Probe: Hoagland

US Deputy Chief of Mission, Richard Hoagland:  From Express File By: Haroon Baloch ISLAMABAD, March 7: US Deputy Chief of Mission in Pakistan Richard Hoagland emphasized that US is cooperating with Pakistani authorities pertaining to the deceased Farid Ullah's probe, all the probabilities would be explored including the compensations to the victim's family once the investigations are completed.  "We have handed over the driver, Mohammad Ali, to Islamabad Police who was driving the US Embassy's Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) with the fake number plate QN-907, Islamabad", Mr. Hoagland told this correspondent. He explained the issue of Diplomatic Immunity as it was Pakistani driver who was driving SUV, therefore it has nothing to do with diplomatic immunity, which as per the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations 1961, articles 31 and 32 , is a privilege that only diplomats in the host country enjoy, "Farid Ullah's death was mere an accident,