The American Media and Asia

America is of course the singular most influential country in the world and has been so for almost 100 years. American influence extends beyond politics and economics to include the media in its various forms. Where does Asia become part of the equation in what is reported on by the various news organizations in that country. Are hard news stories covered? Yes. As are the various forms of popular culture. The question then becomes which is most widely reported? Hard news or news about popular culture?


So, why the question? Because the reality of the situation isn't very good. Most media outlet's in America tend to ignore Asia when it comes to hard news unless it has to do with Lil Kim flipping missiles into the western Pacific or a major disaster has taken place such as the Asian tsunami in December of 2004.

Last Sunday the New York Times published a story on its front page about Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency and its alleged support for the Taliban and of harboring former Taliban leaders in Pakistan. From the reactions of not only the mainstream media but of bloggers in America one would have thought that these were the first revelations of the ISI's involvement with the Taliban. Which of course isn't the case. Pakistan's ISI involvement with the internal affairs of Afghanistan began shortly after the former Soviet Union invaded in an attempt to shore-up Afghanistan's Communist government. Their support of the Mujahideen through cash and weapons transfers would lead to the development of the Taliban.

Pakistan's involvement with the Taliban isn't the only hard news story either under reported or just ignored by the media in America.

In the Indian state of Assam during the first weekend of January the United Liberation Front of Asom carried out a series of attacks against Hindi speaking laborers in the state leaving more than 70 people dead. The ULFA has been fighting a separatist war against India since 1976. One of their main goals besides independence from India is the forced removal of all non-native peoples from the state. The ULFA has continued these attacks through bombings as well as with small arms fire. In addition they have begun targeting members of India's Congress party which holds the reigns of political power in the state.

How many people know that China is participating in President George Bush's War On Terror? Not many. Where is China taking the fight to the worlds terrorists? In northwestern China against the Uyghur's who are Muslims and live in the Provence of Xinjiang.

The attack by the Chinese Police on the alleged terrorist camp left 18 Uighur's and one Chinese policeman dead. It's the claim the of the Chinese government that the attack on the camp is part of the War On Terror as mentioned even though this has been an on going problem since 1998 with the Uighur's claiming wide scale abuse at the hands of the government, the army and security forces. They are also alarmed at the large influx of Han Chinese which has happened through the encouragement of the central government. Further evidence that other countries view the situation in Xijiang with alarm comes from the U.S. governments release of 5 Uighur's from Guantanamo Bay who had been held there since their capture in Afghanistan. Afraid that they would be imprisoned and tortured by Chinese authorities the American government instead sent them to Albania where they now live.

The above stories are important not only because they give Americans a window on to the world but because of the effects they can or will have on American policy. If Pakistan is one of America's staunchest allies in the War On Terror then why have there been continuous reports in the Asian media about Pakistan's ISI's involvement with the Taliban? In the cases of Assam in India and Xijiang in China further unrest could lead to regional conflicts because the populations of both states are not limited to that particular geographic location.

Instead of reporting on these types of stories on a regular basis the American media tends to focus on stories about Asian cultures. Should these kinds of stories be featured in American newspapers and other media outlet's of course. As, we all have a need to learn about the worlds cultures. The question is why are these stories given more importance than those first written about? Here is an example.

TOKYO ? Tomoaki Kurita presides over racks of cellphones lined up outside his shop on a busy sidewalk in Harajuku, Tokyo's catwalk of youth street culture where people attracted by the riot of phone options can stop to flip open and fondle the latest models of what the Japanese call keitai.

This story appeared on the front page of the Los Angeles Times after Apple Inc. announced the release of its i-phone.
Was the story interesting in showing the comparisons between Japanese and American mobile phones yes. Was it really worth putting on the front page of one of America's major newspapers? No. Because when comes down to it there is such a huge difference between these phones that you really can't compare one to the other.

The world does not exist in a vacuum no matter how much people would like to believe it does. Is America the most important country in the world yes. It isn't the only country in the world. Just as it isn't the only place in the world where news occurs. If you insist upon the world paying attention you you should pay attention to the rest of the world.