Beating Censorship in Ethiopia

Beating Censorship in Ethiopia

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
Beating Censorship in Ethiopia
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Ethiopia’s media landscape is characterised by a complex interplay of political, ethnic, and religious factors significantly influencing media operations and content. The Ethiopian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and press freedom, but these rights are often restricted. The government exerts control over the media through various means, including licensing restrictions, defamation laws, and the use of the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation.

Journalists face significant challenges, including self-censorship, harassment, and even imprisonment for critical reporting. The situation is particularly acute for journalists covering sensitive topics such as politics, ethnicity, and religion.

The Ethiopian diaspora is crucial in providing alternative media platforms that challenge the government’s narrative. Diaspora media outlets, operating mainly from outside Ethiopia’s jurisdiction, often adopt an activist journalism approach, openly criticising the government and advocating for political change. They provide a platform for dissenting voices and perspectives frequently silenced within Ethiopia.
However, these diaspora media channels face challenges, including accusations of bias, lack of fact-checking, and difficulty reaching audiences within Ethiopia due to limited internet access. Shortwave radio is one possible solution to get across firewalls and internet censorship.
The Ethiopian media landscape, both within and outside the country, reflects the ongoing struggle for freedom of expression and the challenges journalists face in reporting sensitive issues in a restrictive environment.
EU Prepares for the Worst:  Boosting Civilian and Military Readiness

EU Prepares for the Worst: Boosting Civilian and Military Readiness

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
EU Prepares for the Worst: Boosting Civilian and Military Readiness
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This podcast in the series “Beyond Global Waves” discusses a report submitted by Sauli Niinistö, the former President of Finland and Special Adviser to the President of the European Commission. The report, titled “Safer Together: Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness“, focuses on bolstering the EU’s preparedness and readiness in the face of a volatile geopolitical landscape and the rising occurrence of various threats and crises. This analysis stems from the observation that the EU was inadequately prepared for both the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The report emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach, encompassing both civilian and military dimensions, to enhance the EU’s capacity to anticipate, prevent, withstand, and respond to a spectrum of challenges.

Key recommendations within the report advocate for a multi-faceted strategy. This includes promoting 72-hour self-sufficiency for citizens through coordinated information campaigns and stockpiling guidelines. Furthermore, the report stresses the importance of strengthening information sharing and communication networks among EU institutions, Member States, and relevant partners. The report also underscores the need to improve the EU’s intelligence structures and its ability to counter hybrid threats, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and frequent. Additionally, the report suggests revising the EU’s defence capabilities to address existing gaps and reduce dependencies, particularly in high-intensity scenarios. Finally, the report advocates for enhancing cooperation with key partners, such as NATO, to bolster collective preparedness and response mechanisms.

What is a Content Delivery Network (CDN)?

What is a Content Delivery Network (CDN)?

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
What is a Content Delivery Network (CDN)?
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This podcast in the seires “Beyond Global Waves” discusses the history of the Content Delivery Network (CDN), highlighting its Italian origins.

In the mid-1990s, NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association, a non-profit broadcast and technology incubator based in Milan, Italy, pioneered the first experiments with this technology. This first-ever CDN was called WordDirector and was developed by NEXUS-IBA R&D lab in Milano, Italy in 1994, and used for beta-testing of the RealAudio technology, the first audio streaming technology used by NEXUS-IBA to broadcast radio programs internationally across the Internet.

NEXUS subsequently launched the first commercial version of its CDN  (WorldDirector) in 1995, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of content delivery. This technology was later exploited commercially and has been made available through Milano Ventures, an Irish company based in Dublin.

The podcast indicates that other CDN systems was later designed in the USA, and Content Delivery Networks, including WordlDirector, are widely adopted not only to stream audio & video, but for high traffic websites and web apps.
Read more about WorldDirector and the inner workings of a CDN on the NEXUS-IBA website.
The 2024 US Presidential Election and The Complex Relationship Between US Politics, Religion, and Morality

The 2024 US Presidential Election and The Complex Relationship Between US Politics, Religion, and Morality

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
The 2024 US Presidential Election and The Complex Relationship Between US Politics, Religion, and Morality
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This particular episode of the “Beyond Global Waves” podcast series examines the complex interplay of US Politics, Religion, and Morality as the nation approaches the November 2024 presidential election – a time when faith, values, and policy priorities will again shape the American political landscape.

The intersection of Religion, Politics, and Morality in the United States reveals a unique and often paradoxical dynamic. In American political culture, especially among evangelical and conservative Christian communities, religious beliefs heavily influence voting behaviour. For these voters, policy alignment frequently precedes a candidate’s Morality, reflecting a “policy over personality” mindset. This perspective leads religious voters to support candidates who champion fundamental cultural values – such as pro-life positions, traditional family roles, and protections for religious freedom – even if those candidates’ personal actions conflict with Christian ethics.

Doctrines of forgiveness and redemption often prioritise values-based policy over individual Morality among religious voters. Christian principles encourage compassion for personal flaws, enabling voters to justify supporting leaders with ethical controversies if they feel these leaders are committed to advancing their faith’s core societal goals. This approach underscores the concept of strategic voting in a two-party system, where many conservative Christians view supporting specific candidates as a necessary choice for preserving values they believe are under threat.

The US stands out globally in the way it integrates religion with politics, contrasting sharply with more secular countries, where candidates’ personal integrity and ethical standards often play a more significant role in electoral decisions. In the American context, this blending of faith-based values with political pragmatism continues to shape the broader cultural dialogue on Morality and governance, making religion a powerful and lasting force in the nation’s political landscape.

Read more about The Complex Relationship Between US Politics, Religion, and Morality on the NEXUS-IBA blog.

The Death of a Prophet: The Uncertain Future of Universelles Leben (Universal Life)

The Death of a Prophet: The Uncertain Future of Universelles Leben (Universal Life)

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
The Death of a Prophet: The Uncertain Future of Universelles Leben (Universal Life)
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This is a special update of “Beyond Global Waves” for the week ending October 27, 2024

 

 

NEXUS-IBA and IRRS: 45 Years of Pioneering Global Broadcasting, Media and Technology (1979-2024)

NEXUS-IBA and IRRS: 45 Years of Pioneering Global Broadcasting, Media and Technology (1979-2024)

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
NEXUS-IBA and IRRS: 45 Years of Pioneering Global Broadcasting, Media and Technology (1979-2024)
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This is a special podcast in the series Beyond Global Waves, celebrating the 45th anniversary of Globe Radio Milan, IRRS (the Italian Radio Relay Service), and what then became the NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association.

This podcast details the history, mission, and impact of the NEXUS-International Broadcasting Association (NEXUS-IBA), a non-profit organisation dedicated to global broadcasting, celebrating 45 years since its early start as a very peculiar business model as a local relay station on the FM dial in Milan, Italy.

Founded in 1979, Globe Radio Milan’s founders evolved the original local Italian FM English-speaking station into an international non-profit organisation (NEXUS-IBA) in 1989. It became a player championing free speech and diverse programming. They utilise various technologies, including shortwave, medium-wave, and internet streaming. They even developed the first-ever CDN, WordlDirector, to reach the world, including remote and conflict-ridden regions, bridging the digital divide and providing essential information.

The organisation has collaborated with the United Nations, UNESCO, other international broadcasters, and secular and religious organisations. Today, it facilitates global religious outreach through European Gospel Radio (EGR) and empowers communities through its broadcasts.

On the NEXUS-IBA blog, you can read more about NEXUS-IBA’s 45 Years of Pioneering Global Broadcasting, Media, and Technology (1979-2024). 

The Pitfalls of Italy’s Piracy Shield

The Pitfalls of Italy’s Piracy Shield

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
The Pitfalls of Italy's Piracy Shield
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This is a special podcast in the series “Beyond the Global Waves” describing the pitfalls of the Italian Piracy Shield’s development. It should not be considered elsewhere as an example of good policymaking. The recent blocking of Cloudflare and Google Drive shows how incompetence and excessive bureaucracy within Italian policymakers can halt essential services on the global Internet by de facto censoring access to legitimate content.

Italy’s Piracy Shield, intended to curb illegal streaming, is a stark warning to European lawmakers about the dangers of poorly designed legislation. By relying on blunt IP address blocking, the law inadvertently takes down numerous legitimate websites and services, including Google Drive, that share IPs with infringing sites. This overblocking, combined with a lack of judicial oversight, raises serious concerns about transparency, censorship, and undermining digital rights. Businesses reliant on online platforms face economic harm, and VPN providers are exiting the Italian market due to unworkable compliance requirements.

Despite its damaging effects, the Piracy Shield is largely ineffective in stopping piracy, as offenders can quickly adapt by changing IP addresses. This flawed approach highlights the risks of enacting poorly informed regulations that fail to grasp the complexities of modern Internet infrastructure. European lawmakers must learn from this failure and prioritize balanced, technically sound policies. Future frameworks should target the actual perpetrators of piracy while safeguarding essential rights like freedom of expression and access to information.

The Future of Radio in the Digital Age

The Future of Radio in the Digital Age

NEXUS-IBA World Radio and global media services for international broadcasting
Beyond Global Waves
The Future of Radio in the Digital Age
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This new podcast on “Beyond Global Waves” explores the future of radio broadcasting in the face of growing competition from digital media platforms like streaming services and podcasts.

Radio is undergoing a significant transformation in the digital age, adapting to the rise of on-demand platforms like podcasts and streaming services. The sources highlight the key trends shaping radio’s future, particularly its embrace of data analytics and technology to create personalised experiences and engage listeners in new ways.
One prominent trend is using data analytics to personalise content and enhance the listener experience. Radio stations are increasingly collecting and analysing data on listener preferences, enabling them to create personalised playlists, recommend relevant shows, and deliver customised news updates. This data-driven approach, already successfully implemented by music streaming platforms like Spotify, allows radio stations to offer more tailored and engaging experiences, increasing listener satisfaction and loyalty.
Another significant development is the integration of radio with smart devices and voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home. This integration streamlines radio consumption, allowing listeners to tune in effortlessly using voice commands. The hands-free, multi-tasking nature of smart speakers makes listening more convenient and immersive. Additionally, voice assistants can learn listener preferences and offer personalised recommendations, creating a more tailored experience. This integration also allows radio stations to tap into new audiences who may not have traditionally listened to broadcasts but are now exploring audio content through smart devices.
NEXUS-IBA, the Home of International Broadcasting on AM and Shortwave