Two leaders, two visions, many narratives

On the Listening Post this week: Palestine and Israel at the UN: two leaders, two visions and the ensuing media narratives. Then, agenda and ownership in South Africa’s media.

In a historic move, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, took his bid for Palestinian statehood to the world stage of the United Nations General Assembly. As he spoke, the cameras rolled, and the world watched. It was a huge media moment that neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians were willing to pass up. The speeches, the TV interviews and the backroom spinning were designed to try and influence the coverage not just back at home but on the global media stage as well. In our News Divide this week we analyse the battle for public perception at the UN – a fight between Israel, Palestine and their competing visions and hopes for the future of their region.

Quick hits from the media world: Andy Coulson taking Rupert Murdoch to court; computer hackers hit out at Syria’s Bashar al-Assad; and a British broadcaster apologises for a TV blunder.

Julius Malema is a controversial figure in South Africa. He is head of the ruling African National Congress’ Youth League and rarely does a day go by without him making news. A charismatic leader for some, a radical politician for others and in South African newspapers, coverage leans toward the latter. His supporters have accused print media of having an anti-Malema agenda and have pointed to white ownership as being the cause behind it. On television it is a different story. The state-broadcaster, the SABC, dominates the airwaves but – relative to print – has been considered rather meek in its coverage of politicians and government. So with this dichotomy in coverage, ownership and agenda has found their way back into the South African media debate.

You would not associate North Korea with Party Rock Anthem by the ‘electro-dance duo’ LMFAO but that is what mash-ups are for. An architecture student from London noticed that North Korea’s goose-stepping military and traditional dancers keep a pretty good rhythmical beat. So he took some scenes from Kim Jong Ill’s birthday and laid down LMFAO’s massive summer hit. With nearly a million hits on YouTube we had to make this mash-up our Internet Video of the Week. We hope you enjoy the show!