Clandestine, not confidential
by Jason Walsh
IMAGINE THERE was a communications medium that spanned virtually the entire globe and was virtually impossible to censor. Now imagine that, unlike the internet, it couldn’t be switched-off by the powers that be and didn’t require expensive equipment or monthly subscription fees to access. That would be a powerful voice for democracy, wouldn’t it?
Well, such a medium does exist and in the sense that it is a force democracy it is at least a forum for free speech. It’s called short wave radio. However, as with all media, some voices speak louder than others – and in this case the loudest are those with government backing, both overt and covert.
Additional story at http://forth.ie/index.php/content/weekend_article/clandestine_not_confidential/20100306/
(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India/Rachel Baughn, MT)