twitter revolution

A lot of people talk about saving journalism. If we don't quote unquote save the daily paper or the national news, who will tell us what's happening? The question resonated today as I looked online, although not at my television set. At least 140 people have been killed in rioting in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang. The semi-official China News Agency said 816 people were hurt and admitted to the hospital. At issue, among other things, are the rights and treatment of the minority Uyghur Muslims. In Honduras, thousands of protestors took to the streets a day after soldiers killed two supporters of the ousted president Zelaya during a mass demonstration at the airport, when the army prevented a plane carrying the deposed leader from landing. "Assassins!" the crowd shouted at soldiers. According to the news story on a website, not on my TV set. Some suspect that the powers that be don't want Americans thinking too long about Uyghers--the US detained seventeen Uyghur Chinese at Guantanamo Bay, without charge. And maybe it's touching to reflect on Honduras, where the military has been funded with US tax dollars. Others say, no. If you're trying to explain why there's so much Iran coverage and so little from China or Tegucigalpa, the Honduran Capital -- it's a matter of Twitter. Social networking, not networks made Iran the story it was -- for a moment. In either case, it makes you wonder. Save journalism? It may be too late already.