September 11, 2007

It’s hard to believe 6 years have now gone by since the planes hit the world trade center in New York. For our generation, this will be the typical “do you remember where you were when…?” question. Like the day Elvis died, for my parents.

I was working in Citibank, Buenos Aires. My English classroom in the company was a bit like a fixed up storage closet. There were no windows and with the door shut, it was soundproof.

I couldn’t see a thing but every class that came and went that day was all about the students trying to explain to me what the hell was going on.

When I got a break, I ran out to watch the news, which was on TVs all over the company. A few people asked me if I was ok. Those who don’t know you tend to assume that you’re American.

I watched a lot of CNN that week. It was the only English channel we could get on the old TV.

The News stands

CNN is one of two English news channels I can get on my TV here in Korea. I refuse to watch CNN. The other, Arirang TV, is worse. There are some interesting shows that teach Korean culture. But for news, it’s a joke.

It’s the channel that serves the local foreign community – most of whom are the American soldiers stationed here. So it’s a bit like the video version of the “stars and stripes”. The anchorwoman reads the news wearing combat fatigues.

I read the newspaper on the subway every morning – The Korea Times, which was started in 1953 to serve the Americans who were being stationed for longer stays here after the war. It’s a bit like a small town press in a big city. But I can usually find enough pages of reading to last my trip back and forth to work. There’s always plenty of talk about North and South and what to do about it, which I find fascinating.

When I had early morning classes in August, the news stands were closed when I passed them on my way to work. They are also closed every Saturday and Sunday – the days one would most feel like sitting back with a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

So as the debate goes on over whether or not the internet will kill the newspaper, that’s something the press could keep in mind. Why is it so hard to find a newspaper? They’re letting the internet beat them down.

Radio survived the internet. Not only that, it’s stronger than ever. I’m a bit of a radio junkie. And here in Korea, even more so. I have all the stations and programs I like from back home all dialed up. With the 16 hour time difference, it can get weird listening to the morning shows at night and vice versa.