Television and the Afghan Culture Wars: Brought to You by Foreigners, Warlords, and Activists

Portrayed in Western discourse as tribal and traditional, Afghans have in fact intensely debated women’s rights, democracy, modernity, and Islam as part of their nation building in the post-9/11 era. In her new book, Television and the Afghan Culture Wars, Wazhmah Osman places television at the heart of these public and politically charged clashes while revealing how the medium also provides war-weary Afghans with a semblance of open discussion and healing. After four decades of gender and sectarian violence, she argues, the internationally funded media sector has the potential to bring about justice, national integration, and peace.

Read more

Two Billion Eyes: The Story of China Central Television

With over 1.2 billion viewers globally, including millions in the United States, China Central Television (CCTV) reaches the world’s single largest audience. The official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, CCTV is also a dynamic modern media conglomerate, fully reliant on advertising revenue and aggressively competitive both within China and on the global media scene. … Read more

2008 Asian Film & Television Festival

This free five-day event will showcase films of varying topics that will help to assist in bridging the gap between Asian and American cultures. Another goal of the Asian Film & Television Festival is to draw in New York City residents to visit Chinatown, a bustling neighborhood of commerce, entertainment, and delectable cuisine. Since September 11, 2001, Chinatown’s economy has suffered tremendously through the loss of jobs, businesses and traffic access in Lower Manhattan.

Read more