When a 21 year old female waitress was attacked by a Chinese Official in Hubei Province, the young woman fought back and killed her attacker. She was later arrested for voluntary manslaughter. Her arrest sparked an online outcry that turned the waitress into a national hero. The government, both local and national, tried to censor all conversation or coverage of the event, both online and on the television. The courts have since ruled in her favor–freeing her from all criminal charges.

This incident has been yet another case where the internet has been used as a vehicle for expressing mass disapproval for official misconduct. As a result, the governments of many countries are seeking ways to control internet content from the Green Dam to service disruptions in Iran.

Related: http://www.ironpaper.com/current/2009/06/heavy-criticism-directed-towards-chinas-mandatory-censorship-software-policy/

As upstart news companies emerge, the profession of journalism will inevitably change. The NY Times has expressed concern about a growing lack of journalistic standards–with fears that a dwindling readership for the newspaper industry will eradicate quality journalism and the system of checks and balances provided by the NY Times and piers.

New media and news companies still must compete against the big guys, and the competition isn’t easy. While many blogs and political news sites jump towards the easy answer–sensationalism. Others try to pursue the more difficult path: venturing to the world’s hot spots and remote on stories not covered in the traditional media. Risks in this more difficult path are clear. New companies, such as Current TV, do not have the clout or political pull that larger venues have. This is evidenced in the recent arrest of two reporters, Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee, of Current TV who were covering a story on the border of North Korea. The reporters were detained by border patrol; arrested; and sentenced to 12 years in a labor camp. Their arrest comes at a time when relations with North Korea are particularly troubling–as North Korea tries to reassert it’s presence in the world.