James Loving - National Radio Text Service

 

 

Seven of the year ending NR Top 10 stories relate to Asian content. Our Phnom Penh columns took five of the Top 10 spots with child exploitation in Cambodia being one of the driving forces. Our new coverage on China has made an immediate impact with one Top 10 story. Four of the Top 10 most visited sections are of Asian subject matter.

 

Saturday December 31, 2011

THE WORLD IS WATCHING ASIA

The number one story this month is the December Phnom Penh column whic headlines GOOGLE'S PHNOM PENH/CAMBODIAN ALLIANCE ETHICS QUESTIONED that features Google's surprise move to alter their Cambodian service.

There was a major changeover at the end of November when some Google listings disappeared in Cambodia yet remain on Google's International feed which was previously available in Cambodia but has since disappeared. Google has the information but it is blocked in Cambodia. Since the change the quality of service has deteriorated immeasurably.

The ethics of the move and associations are questioned. Since the changeover the Google service is slower, biased and does not show the preview feature as it did previously. This is another blunder by Google who are respected but have a track record of making mistakes and THIS IS ONE OF THEM. Whomever the have given the responsibility of handling their business in the region is not doing a proper job with integrity.

When you consider famed author/columnist Elizabeth's Becker's statement to Pannasastra University students several years ago regarding Cambodia, "If you can get away with murder you can get away with corruption." It raises the question who can Google find worthy enough in Cambodia to entrust their business.

The June edition of our Phnom Penh column PHNOM PENH TOP FIVE STORIES continues to attract attention having been in the ratings for some time. This column reflects the most popular stories for the first half of 2011. The February issue of the column is another Top FIVE stories column which reflects the child sex trade problem that is so prevalent in Cambodia. It's a business that NGO'S squander tons of money to fight a fight they can't win since 90% of the child sex trade problem is conducted by Cambodians' as noted in the documentary Red Light.

The NGO's raise money go after the 10% of the foreigners involved while knowing that the Khmer elite will not be prosecuted. The point being is it's a good and profitable business to be in. Many NGO's are basically parasites benefiting from the sufferings of the poor.

December 20th the government somewhat endorsed the child sex practice by releasing the King of pedophilia Russian Alexander Trofimov. He was given a Royal pardon after serving only four of a 17-year sentence for having sex with 17 underage children several who were between the ages of 8-10.

He's also wanted by Interpol and the Russian government for having sex with 8-10 year-old children. The Cambodian government failed to honor and respect Russia's extradition request. Cambodia previously said that they would extradite him after he served his sentence.

After his release the millionaire businessman in charge of a $300 million development of Snake Island in Sihanoukville, Cambodia was under surveillance but now the police claim they don't know where he is. The impression it leaves is that Cambodia protects criminals.

Rounding out the Asian dominance of the first four positions on the Top 10 is SABAY CONTESTANTS FLEEING ADDS TO PROPOSED EVENTS MYSTERY. This is another question of integrity as a group of young, wealthy individuals who've got it all figured out boldly announced in May that they wanted to be the Grammy Award show of Cambodia.

The plan was to find the most popular male and female singer, TV host and actor via fan voting to their web site. Some of the celebrities selected to be in the contest revolted and requested that the promoters take down their information and photos from the Sabay site and remove them from the contest. Apparently the promoters failed to ask permission of the celebrities to be involved in what basically is a promotion of the businesses owned by the promoters.

That contest continued to create controversy as it was loaded with talent that they have been involved with by sponsoring their talent shows. The contest lacked a TV deal to televise the finals of their contest that was previously scheduled for earlier this month. The finals are now scheduled to be held in May 2012.

A column that features WOMEN TALK SHOW HAS 3 of 4 of their HOSTS COMPETING IN THE SABAY CONTEST took the 7th position and sent up a red flag of what is this all about. The selection process of who would be in the talent were Sabay employees that are supposed to be in the know of who is hot and who is not. With the shakeout and revolts since their obviously poor decision making the integrity of the contest is in question.

Last but not least of the Asian influence content is our first China column in November titled CHINA SOMETHING NEW 4 U notched the 10th spot. In the coming months we will relate the real deal of our 26 day experience in China and what a tourist might encounter.

What most people don't know about the travel industry is that the stories you read are more likely candy coated sales pitches supported by gifts and junkets which include free travel, food and accommodations. With perks like that you are not reading what really goes on. It's really about do you want us to tell you what you want to hear or do you want us to tell you the truth. WE'RE IN THE TRUTH BUSINESS not the prostitution business!

TV and video reviews have been our strength throughout the year. Much of the popularity is driven by our coverage of American Idol therefore it is a seasonal upward trend that is reflected in the ratings. The 5th spot was taken by our coverage of the Amazing Race USA. We have received email praising our coverage of the race and noting that it is the most in depth with an interesting perspective on human behavior.

For the past two months we came upon a new source of interest which is revealed in our November Video Beat column BLOOMBERG TV OFFERS FOOD FOR THE BRAIN PROGRAMMING which notched the 9th position. Since that time several columns have been popular regarding that subject with the primary focus being their programs Risk Takers and Game Changers. Those shows reveal the people behind the growth of the Internet that created Twitter, Google, Facebook, Craigslist, Netscape, Firefox and more.

Our Sports Notes column from November also has Asian content. That being the death of Phal Samphors a 19-year-old rising basketball star on Cambodia's national team. The lead to that column is how former NBA star Magic Johnson has survived 20 years living with the HIV virus. The irony being that Johnson has survived HIV a year longer than Samphors lived.

Our year in review of 2010 took the 6th spot. It also has an Asian influence as it notes Thailand's fugitive politician Thaksin Shinawatra who is on the run trying to avoid a two year jail term.

SECTIONS MOST VISITED

There were five new entries in the most popular sections visited with the Cambodia Travel Tips making the charts for the first time with the impetus being the ASEAN Tourism Forum held in Phnom Penh. Major movers were the BIZ WHO IS and Phnom Penh sections. BIZ WHO IS returned to the charts after being among the missing since September. It was the most notable fast mover in claiming the 2nd position.

Phnom Penh returned after dropping off the charts for the first time in 2011 in our November edition. American Idol and the NFL (National Football League) returned to the charts after being among the missing on the November ratings charts.

ARCHIVES

For Archives we selected the two most read columns in the 14-year history of National Radio on the Internet. Those stories are of Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Jim Murray and Dr. Beat Richner who built hospitals for free medical care for Cambodian children.

HAVE A HEALTHY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

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SECTIONS MOST VISITED

 

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1.	NATIONAL RADIO TOP 10 - December 2011
	Phnom Penh (Ah) - SOMETHING IS FISHY & Cambodia Isn't Denmark - December, 2011 It is business as usual in Cambodia when something jumps up that defies logic. Google's listings went astray but the reasons why are currently in the GO FIGURE FILE - The floods in Thailand and Cambodia have caused a stir in the Cambodian economy - Something new TWO TOP 5 PHNOM PENH STORIES LISTINGS. One focuses on our Phnom Penh columns of interest the other from various other sections on National Radio - Overseas Press Club of Cambodia for the screening of "War Photographer" Previous - NR TOP 10 Part 1 - GOOGLE co-founders SERGEY BRIN & LARRY PAGE ROCK OUR CHARTS - November, 2011 GOOGLE FLIPS THEN FLOPS - Goggle's cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page are the drivers of this months NR Top 10 Ratings. It's not about what they delivered but what they did that mattered. What the world is interested in has been fragmented and does not equate to their motto not to be evil. - The departure of two well liked individuals made a major impact on our charts - American Idol continues to rock our boat in a good way
2.	Phnom Penh (Ah) EXTRA - PHNOM PENH TOP FIVE STORIES - June 2011 THE BEAT GOES ON - Activist Theary Seng took the number one spot in our review of the documentary Facing Genocide in which Seng is the primary focus of the film - The child sex trade documentary Red Light continues to attract readers as it is ranks 2nd on the Phnom Penh Top 5 - Phnom Penh Burning returns to the charts Previous - Sports Notes Part 1 - REMEMBERING JOE FRAZIER - November, 2011 THE BALANCE OF LIFE - November 7, 2011 will be locked in our memory as three sports figures emerged from our past with two dying and one celebrating being alive. Who are the names? Joe Frazier died and Magic Johnson has survived the HIV virus for 20 years. The third is a name not known around the world. His name is Phal Samphors a promising 19-year-old basketball player with the Cambodian national team who was killed in a motorcycle accident while taking money to his mother only days before he was to depart to play in the SEA Games
3.	Phnom Penh - TOP (5) FIVE STORIES - February 2011 RED LIGHT TAKES THE TOP SPOT with CHILD PROSTITUTION - As our ratings revealed the world is interested in stories about oppression as some of our most read stories related to the poor being abused, children sold into prostitution as well as strong armed tactics towards the press. Previous - Sports Notes Part 2 - MAGIC JOHNSON & PHAL SAMPHORS REMEMBERED - November, 2011 Two people that loved the game of basketball walked on different paths. One got to the top of the NBA winning 5 NBA titles and 3 league MVP Awards the other was killed on his way to a successful Cambodian national team basketball career. One lives 20 years after acquiring the HIV virus and is now 52-years-old. The other lived one year less than Johnson's 20 years of fighting off death. Place this in the GO FIGURE FILE.
4.	Phnom Penh (Ah) EXTRA - SABAY CONTESTANTS FLEEING ADDS TO PROPOSED EVENTS MYSTERY - September 2011 Sabay mystery - Within two months of the announcement of Sabay wanting to create the Grammy Awards of Cambodia 10 contestants (5 females and 5 males) in the singers segment of the event requested that their photos be eliminated from the competition - OUR CITY FESTIVAL - TOP 5 PHNOM PENH COLUMNS + produces big movers Previous - TV - VIDEO BEAT - Part 3 - AMERICAN IDOL'S TOP 3 VOICES - March, 2011 After sifting through seven city auditions from which 327 yellow tickets to Hollywood were issued the cream of the crop is starting to surface - Recommended TV Listings
5.	TV - VIDEO BEAT Part 1 - THE AMAZING RACE USA IS SHAPING UP - November, 2011 Monday is a good night for television viewing in Southeast Asia with two interesting series available. Locked Up Abroad has turned it up a notch - There are several celebrities on the show that are running a good Amazing Race. One celebrity team consists of Zac Sunderland, the first person under 18 to sail solo around the world, and his father Laurence. In this race dad is in control of decision making and dominates his son. The father made a bad decision in Thailand when they got on and later off a VIP bus from Phuket to Bangkok - Recommended TV Listings Previous - TV - VIDEO BEAT EXTRA - ASIAN SHEENA SAKAI IS BACK on AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL ALL-STARS - November, 2011 THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER SHEENA - She's back!!! Former Americas Next Top Model's only full Asian competitor Sheena Sakai whom we deem as the Asian Persuasion. The sassy lady is competing in the programs current All-Star series but will be ELIMINATED TONIGHT in Southeast Asia. This means tune in or MISS OUT - Can the Terminator return with former NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal going against Arnold Schwarzenegger? Both are out of work and O'Neal told us 15 years ago that this was one of his greatest ambitions - Recommended TV Listings
6.	NR TOP STORY LIST - YEAR 2010 IN REVIEW - Part 1 - January 2011 THAILAND RIOTS is the first half of the year's TOP STORY - The first half of the years top stories featured the riots in Thailand spurned on by Thaksin Shinawatra. Filmmaker Oliver Stone, CNN founder Ted Turner and Timor East President Jose Ramos-Horta also made a major impact in our survey. Previous - Phnom Penh (Ah) EXTRA - SABAY CONTESTANTS FLEEING ADDS TO PROPOSED EVENTS MYSTERY - September 2011 Sabay mystery - Within two months of the announcement of Sabay wanting to create the Grammy Awards of Cambodia 10 contestants (5 females and 5 males) in the singers segment of the event requested that their photos be eliminated from the competition - OUR CITY FESTIVAL - TOP 5 PHNOM PENH COLUMNS + produces big movers
7.	Phnom Penh (Ah) - WOMEN TALK SHOW HAS 3 of 4 of their HOSTS COMPETING IN THE SABAY CONTEST - August 2011 SABAY EYES CAMBODIAN TALENT - Sabay's (Cambodia) rendition of America's Grammy Awards - Brace yourselves… STICKER SHOCK @ LUCKY MARKETS, the meat is on - TOP 3 PHNOM PENH STORIES - Our most recent Phnom Penh story published July 31st bolted to the top of our Top 3 Phnom Penh charts Previous - Phnom Penh (Ah) - THEARY SENG featured in the film "FACING GENOCIDE" - May 2011 While sleeping with her mother four year old Theary Seng's awakened and her eyes locked on to the eyes of the Khmer Rouge soldiers as they entered the room with wet ropes and then they left. Her mother knew exactly what the wet ropes meant. When she awakened her mother was gone. At first she didn't think that was unusual since the adults left early to go to work. In this case that wasn't the reality - Red Light and Virginity Trade to be Screened at the Meta House
8.	Sports Notes Part 2 - MAGIC JOHNSON & PHAL SAMPHORS REMEMBERED - November, 2011 Two people that loved the game of basketball walked on different paths. One got to the top of the NBA winning 5 NBA titles and 3 league MVP Awards the other was killed on his way to a successful Cambodian national team basketball career. One lives 20 years after acquiring the HIV virus and is now 52-years-old. The other lived one year less than Johnson's 20 years of fighting off death. Place this in the GO FIGURE FILE. Previous - Sports Notes - WHO'S THE MAN… CITY or UNITED? - Part 2 - October, 2011 IT'S GET IT ON TIME IN MANCHESTER - Pundits praise the emergence of the strength of the money rich deep pocket City and are softening their criticism of manager Roberto Mancini who previously has been challenged on his game decisions - CAMBODIA REDEEMS THEIR LOSS TO VIETNAM WITH A 14 POINT VICTORY - SCOREBOARDS
9.	TV - VIDEO BEAT EXTRA EXTRA Part 1 - BLOOMBERG TV OFFERS FOOD FOR THE BRAIN PROGRAMMING - November, 2011 YEARN TO LEARN = $ - Bloomberg offers programming that defines the Internet age and those who have been instrumental in its development. Risk Takers and Game Changers are programs that feature stories of those individuals who have been instrumental in the development of THE INTERNET AGE as well as those who take on business challenges, face and overtake adversity - Recommended TV Listings Previous - Phnom Penh (Ah) EXTRA - PHNOM PENH TOP FIVE STORIES - June 2011 THE BEAT GOES ON - Activist Theary Seng took the number one spot in our review of the documentary Facing Genocide in which Seng is the primary focus of the film - The child sex trade documentary Red Light continues to attract readers as it is ranks 2nd on the Phnom Penh Top 5 - Phnom Penh Burning returns to the charts
10.	NEW Travel Tips CHINA - SOMETHING NEW 4 U - November, 2011 THE REAL DEAL - In the coming months we will share with you some of those stories and in the process offer tips as to the who, what and where to do business with those with the business that are prepared to do so with staff that are competent enough to communicate with an English speaking tourist Previous - Sports Notes - THE (YAO) MING DYNASTY IS OVER - July, 2011 With his warm persona and basketball skills Yao Ming brought people around the world together and helped remove racial barriers much like Michael Jackson did through his music - NBA SET MICHAEL JORDAN FREE - How Kobe Bryant acquired his name - DID YOU KNOW
ARCHIVE STORIES	Feature - "Dr. Beat" - Free Health Care For Cambodian Children "He gave his life for this," an American from the city of Chicago said of the performer of a music concert. . He…is, Dr. Beat Richner who was about to perform a solo cello concert. The this... the tourist was referring to, be Jayavarman VII Hospital in Siem Reap, Cambodia. For the past ten years Richner has raised funds and has overseen construction of three Kantha Bopha Children's Hospitals in Cambodia. He is the founder and acting head of the facilities that give medical treatment to Cambodia's children FOR FREE. Feature - Jim Murray (1919-1998) - Pulitzer Prize columnist and cofounder of Sports Illustrated Magazine - My recollection of my first encounter with Murray was in the Rose Bowl press box, early on in my sports journalism career when he graciously shared his thoughts on writing. Here was an legend in his own time taking time to share his thoughts with someone who was new in the business and trying to figure out what was going on.

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