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Listening Post
The summit of spin
The G8 summit and the US/Russian tensions in the run-up to it.
Last Modified: 15 Aug 2007 09:56 GMT

Outside the summit there were the usual
demonstrations
In our Newsdivide we look at the summit of spin, the G8. 

In some ways this year was a typical G8. Inside the cordons the meticulously choreographed photo opportunities, and carefully crafted communiqués. Outside there were the usual demonstrators hoping to get their concerns on the political agenda. 

But the events leading up to the summit were different. Tensions between the US and Russia were on the unofficial agenda. President Putin had invited eight journalists to dinner, one from each of the G8 countries. The dinner was in Moscow pre-G8. 

He announced his plans to point missiles at Europe if Bush goes ahead with his European defence plans. 

Doug Saunders, who writes for the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail, tells us about his dinner invitation, the event and how the announcement succeeded in putting Russia on to the G8 and the media agendas. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/

In our Newsbytes we look at how Pervez Mushasrraf, the president of Pakistan, has abandoned proposed media curbs on media coverage of opposition protests and how three editors lost their jobs in China, after an ad paid tribute to the mothers of the hundreds of protestors killed in Tiananmen square. The publication of the ad contravened a law that bans any public mention of Tiananmen Square.

In our feature we look at the phenomenon of outsourcing – this time in journalism. Many businesses see outsourcing as a cost effective employment strategy. Now the news media are giving it a try.  Pasadena now, a California-based paper is experimenting with employees in Bangalore and Mumbai. We speak to both international and local journalists to find out what they think the repercussions of this will be. http://www.pasadenalivingmagazine.com/FrontCover.html

And as ever, in our Global Village Voices – we hear your views on the news, via webcam.

Watch Part One here:

Watch Part Two here:



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