We hear about news from around the world, but what do the newspapers of the world deem to be front-page news? Jonar reports about the front-page news headlines at the same time around the world. It’s interesting to note how different countries place different emphasis on the news. To listen to an excerpt from the radio broadcast, click on the green arrow below.
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Here is a transcript of the audio file.
Host: Jonar Nader good evening, tonight we are going to look at front pages of newspapers.
Jonar Nader: Yes, I thought we get a lot of news from around the world so it would be interesting to see what makes ‘front page’ news around the world. I’ve got a few clippings here. For example, if we look at the Times of India, their very first story is about the fact that no living person has ever seen this sight before. They are talking about Venus. We’ve heard a bit about that here too, so it’s interesting that it is on the front page of the Times in India.
Host: Yes, Venus crossing the sun.
Jonar Nader: Yes. If we go to Zimbabwe, their front page is about Mugabe’s wife and his clan. They are talking about corruption; about Mugabe’s wife who went on a shopping spree funded by contractors who won contracts arranged by the head of their Federal Reserve – their reserve bank- huge scandal there. There’s a picture of the wife in a lovely dress and jewellery. If we go to Portugal, we see there is a story there about prohibiting smoking in restaurants and offices. They are a bit behind us on that score, that law is only just coming in. At the bottom of their front page (in Portugal) they say that the airforce has confirmed a UFO. They say that, for 3 minutes, something blipped and gave off smoke. It was a bright light, then it disappeared. If the airforce is saying it is a UFO, it is not some looney walking home at night.
Host: Sounds like a steam engine on tracks to me – giving off smoke.
Jonar Nader: We go to Moscow. The Moscow Times talks about the crime rate getting so much higher, and police being underpaid. You know the average policeman, according to this article in todays paper, earns between 4000 and 6000 rubles per month, which is (I did the conversion) 195 to 293 Australian dollars per month!
Host: That is incredibly low money isn’t it.
Jonar Nader: And so what they are saying, therefore, is that people are now opting to call in private-eyes and investigators to help with theft and so forth, because they just can’t trust that the police have enough time or resources to get the job done.
Host: Yes.
Jonar Nader: Where shall I take you next? Let’s go straight to the Arab News and their front page story is about the gunman who shot the BBC cameraman. That is a continuing tragedy there.
Host: How long ago was that?
Jonar Nader: It was about 2 days ago.
Host: Oh I’ve been away I missed that.
Jonar Nader: In Bahrain the Tribune talks about a Telethon that was held by the Red Crescent (which is like out Red Cross). They did a telethon to raise money for the displaced Palestinians in Gaza and raised 27 million US dollars in 8 hours!
Host: Goodness me that is incredible!
Jonar Nader: China Day; let me see what are they talking about? Oh in China they are saying that the exams for their school students are normally held next month, but they are bringing them forward to this month in order to avoid the heat. They made 7.23 million students sign an agreement that they will not cheat or there will come a time when a piece of paper (degrees and qualifications) from their schools and university will become devalued, because there is so much cheating going on. They are now threatened with are cameras in the rooms scrutinizing anyone who cheats, and they will put your name up on the internet for the world to see. Future employers can see if you were once caught cheating.
Host: Well it is fascinating, the changing face of the headline. Just in one day differing stories making the impact in different countries. Thank you.
Jonar Nader: Thank you. Bye.
Host: Author of ‘How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People’, he is on the worldwide web www.LoseFriends.com
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