The Asian Communication Handbook 2008 provides a comprehensive overview of media developments in Asia with a critical focus. This edition devotes more space to critical views and perspectives. It begins with a series of theoretical and critical papers that provide a context for the discussions on media development and specific national systems. These chapters constitute a conceptual lens through which the country specific chapters and statistics can be examined. In this sense they also provide analytical frameworks that help in understanding key media issues in the region. The theoretical papers here cover many of the most significant issues in the Asian media landscape. A first set of contributions cover several critical issues, including the role and responsibility of the media in promoting peace and development, managing media pluralism and promoting diversity, fostering knowledge societies through the use of information and communication technologies, and media and their role in structuring the public sphere. Another series of articles cover issues such as media globalisation and localisation, the role of the media in national development, the equilibrium between the government and the market in China, and the challenges facing schools of journalism and mass communication. The section ends with a set of articles covering media and terrorism, new paradigms within communication research, community radio and people's empowerment, and the impact of new media on traditional forms of broadcasting. This edition covers a total of 21 countries in Asia. The country reports have been prepared by leading communication researchers, either from the country covered or with extensive experience of the media scene in that country. Each chapter begins with a brief country background as it relates to the development of the current media and communication scene, including relevant history, geographical and political issues, and the state and rate of development. This is followed by a concise report profiling the current media and communication scene, including the latest developments and anticipated future developments. This section covers the print media, TV and radio broadcasting, satellite, cable and pay-TV services, journalism, advertising, alternative media, telecommunications, the Internet and related industries, cultural industries, media policies and regulations, training, education and research. Each country report is then followed by the supporting statistical section presenting key concise data for the country. The format of the statistical sections has been wholly revised to reflect the latest developments. Sections on older technology such as VCRs have been discarded, whilst details of alternative media and journalism ratings have been added. The presentation throughout has been rationalised to make the data clearer and easier to navigate.