Media Helping Media

A radio station in the highlands of West Papua which runs on hydropower is broadcasting to remote villages thanks to a project to establish a radio network in one of the least developed parts of eastern Indonesia. Radio Pikonane has been set up by Indonesia's only independent national radio news agency, KBR, which covered the cost of building the station and training the staff. 1,500 radios are now being distributed to remote highland villages to enable locals to access news and information. Tessa Piper reports.  

A month ago, the premises of the only independent printing press in Central Asia were raided. The print runs of two Kyrgyz newspapers, critical of the regime, were disrupted. Now, following pressure from media freedom campaigners, the newly-appointed prime minister has expressed regret about the action. As Nadia Shvab reports, the prime minister has promised that such an intervention will not happen again.

Journalists in the Philippines say they are to press ahead with their class-action suit against the president's husband despite Jose Miguel Arroyo's announcement that he is dropping the libel charges against 46 of their colleagues. Journalist groups say Mr Arroyo is out to 'erode the watchdog function of the press'. Alecks Pabico reports from Manilla.