<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants" rel="dofollow">Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)</a> are taking giant strides in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> with powerful performances. Though their batters are to be lauded for their results, the effort the bowlers are putting in must also be acknowledged - premier seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur" rel="dofollow">Shardul Thakur</a> thinks so.
Thakur remained unsold at the mega auction late last year but was roped in as Mohsin Khan&rsquo;s replacement at the LSG, returning with 11 wickets from six contested matches thus far &ndash; the second-best. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-viral-video-glenn-maxwell-travis-head-and-marcus-stoinis-indulge-in-mid-pitch-banter-during-ipl-2025-classic-8957260" rel="dofollow">Watch Viral Video: Aussie star trio indulge in mid-pitch banter during IPL 2025 classic</a>
Meanwhile, with how runs are flowing for fun this season, there is no place for the bowlers to hide, and what is worse? The commentators are taking a jibe at them for being unable to restrict the batters from going gaga over hitting boundaries. &nbsp; &nbsp;
Against Gujarat Titans (GT) in LSG&rsquo;s last home game on Saturday, Thakur conceded 34 runs from four overs but picked up two wickets. After the game, he addressed the criticism the bowlers are facing, arguing the commentators are being too harsh on them without knowing how T20 cricket is shaping up in the batter&rsquo;s favour and that hitting 200 or more in an inning is now becoming a norm.&nbsp;
"I&rsquo;ve always believed that, as a bowling unit, we&rsquo;ve bowled well throughout the season. A lot of times in commentary, there&rsquo;s criticism &mdash; they try to be hard on the bowlers. &nbsp;
&ldquo;But you have to understand that cricket is moving in a certain direction where 200+ scores are becoming more common. And like you said, criticism will always be there &mdash; especially from commentators," Thakur said in the post-match presser in Lucknow. &nbsp;
He said it&rsquo;s easier for anyone to sit inside a studio and comment on someone&rsquo;s bowling, instead, they must realise what the bowlers go through out there in the middle. &nbsp;
"It&rsquo;s easy to sit in a studio and comment on someone&rsquo;s bowling, but they don&rsquo;t see the real picture out there on the ground. I&rsquo;m sure they should look at their own stats before criticising anyone," he added.&nbsp;
<h2>Proud of the bowling unit&nbsp;</h2>
Despite not having any overseas seamer, LSG defended two totals this time, and Thakur is proud of the bowling unit for this. A win over Gujarat Titans at home saw LSG climb to the third spot on the points table with four victories in six matches.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Credit to us that we&rsquo;ve defended scores on two occasions when we batted first. We put up a good score, the pitch became better for batting, and even with drastic changes, we managed to defend &mdash; one game by 10 runs, one by four runs in Kolkata. &nbsp;
&ldquo;So, it was about holding our nerve till the end and believing in ourselves that we could win the game, provided we got an important wicket or bowled a key over,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Shardul Thakur has led the bowling attack at LSG this season, picking 11 wickets from six contested matches thus far. India news, Cricket, Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are taking giant strides in IPL 2025 with powerful performances. Though their batters are to be lauded for their results, the effort the bowlers are putting in must also be acknowledged - premier seamer Shardul Thakur thinks so. Thakur remained unsold at the mega auction late last year but was roped in as Mohsin Khan’s replacement at the LSG, returning with 11 wickets from six contested matches thus far – the second-best. Also read | Watch Viral Video: Aussie star trio indulge in mid-pitch banter during IPL 2025 classic Meanwhile, with how runs are flowing for fun this season, there is no place for the bowlers to hide, and what is worse? The commentators are taking a jibe at them for being unable to restrict the batters from going gaga over hitting boundaries. Against Gujarat Titans (GT) in LSG’s last home game on Saturday, Thakur conceded 34 runs from four overs but picked up two wickets. After the game, he addressed the criticism the bowlers are facing, arguing the commentators are being too harsh on them without knowing how T20 cricket is shaping up in the batter’s favour and that hitting 200 or more in an inning is now becoming a norm. "I’ve always believed that, as a bowling unit, we’ve bowled well throughout the season. A lot of times in commentary, there’s criticism — they try to be hard on the bowlers. “But you have to understand that cricket is moving in a certain direction where 200+ scores are becoming more common. And like you said, criticism will always be there — especially from commentators," Thakur said in the post-match presser in Lucknow. He said it’s easier for anyone to sit inside a studio and comment on someone’s bowling, instead, they must realise what the bowlers go through out there in the middle. "It’s easy to sit in a studio and comment on someone’s bowling, but they don’t see the real picture out there on the ground. I’m sure they should look at their own stats before criticising anyone," he added. Proud of the bowling unit Despite not having any overseas seamer, LSG defended two totals this time, and Thakur is proud of the bowling unit for this. A win over Gujarat Titans at home saw LSG climb to the third spot on the points table with four victories in six matches. “Credit to us that we’ve defended scores on two occasions when we batted first. We put up a good score, the pitch became better for batting, and even with drastic changes, we managed to defend — one game by 10 runs, one by four runs in Kolkata. “So, it was about holding our nerve till the end and believing in ourselves that we could win the game, provided we got an important wicket or bowled a key over,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: 'It's easy to sit in a studio and...,' Shardul Thakur hits back at commentators over bowlers' criticism

<o:p></o:p>Amazon.com has revealed plans to lay off several hundred employees in its streaming and studio operations, extending the trend of significant job cuts witnessed across industries over the past two years into 2024. <o:p></o:p>

According to a Reuters report, employment notifications for affected employees at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios in the Americas are set for Wednesday, with the majority of other areas receiving notice by the end of the week.<o:p></o:p>

Reuters cited Mike Hopkins, the Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, who conveyed the company's decision in an internal note, stating, "We've identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact." <o:p></o:p>

This move comes after Amazon's workforce reduction of over 27,000 jobs last year, aligning with a broader wave of tech layoffs in the US following a period of extensive hiring during the pandemic.<o:p></o:p>

Amazon has been actively investing in its media business, including the acquisition of MGM for $8.5 billion and a hefty expenditure of around $465 million on the first season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" on Prime Video in 2022.<o:p></o:p>

However, the company is now making strategic shifts, prioritising content and product initiatives that promise the highest impact. <o:p></o:p>

In addition to the job cuts in the streaming and studio divisions, Amazon is set to introduce changes to its Prime Video offerings. This includes the rollout of advertisements on Prime Video and the introduction of a more expensive, ad-free subscription tier in select markets, mirroring moves made by competitors like Netflix and Walt Disney.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

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Amazon.com has revealed plans to lay off several hundred employees in its streaming and studio operations, extending the trend of significant job cuts witnessed across industries over the past two years into 2024.

Amazon.com has revealed plans to lay off several hundred employees in its streaming and studio operations, extending the trend of significant job cuts witnessed across industries over the past two years into 2024. According to a Reuters report, employment notifications for affected employees at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios in the Americas are set for Wednesday, with the majority of other areas receiving notice by the end of the week. Reuters cited Mike Hopkins, the Senior Vice President of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, who conveyed the company's decision in an internal note, stating, "We've identified opportunities to reduce or discontinue investments in certain areas while increasing our investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact." This move comes after Amazon's workforce reduction of over 27,000 jobs last year, aligning with a broader wave of tech layoffs in the US following a period of extensive hiring during the pandemic. Amazon has been actively investing in its media business, including the acquisition of MGM for $8.5 billion and a hefty expenditure of around $465 million on the first season of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" on Prime Video in 2022. However, the company is now making strategic shifts, prioritising content and product initiatives that promise the highest impact. In addition to the job cuts in the streaming and studio divisions, Amazon is set to introduce changes to its Prime Video offerings. This includes the rollout of advertisements on Prime Video and the introduction of a more expensive, ad-free subscription tier in select markets, mirroring moves made by competitors like Netflix and Walt Disney. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Amazon Initiates Restructuring: Job Cuts in Prime Video and Studios

Honking, simmering heat, a smattering of stars, and a lot of anger at Disney boss Bob Iger. 
The Hollywood actors' strike kicked off on a sweltering Friday morning in Los Angeles, just over 24 hours after contract talks collapsed with studios.

Several hundred actors swelled the ranks of picketing television and movie writers, who have been pounding the palm tree-lined sidewalks outside Netflix, Warner, Paramount and more for well over two months already.

"No contracts? No actors! No wages? No pages!" went the chants, as organisers from both unions begged strikers to keep hydrated and stay off the roads, where passing cars and trucks blared their horns in support.

"It's a wonderful celebration of workers. This is more than an entertainment industry labor strike -- it's all of labor, all over the country and the world," said "Titanic" star Frances Fisher, 71.

Also Read | <a href="Also Read | 'Everything is f**ked': Margot Robbie, Cynthia Nixon and more stars speak in support of SAG-AFTRA strike">'Everything is f**ked': Margot Robbie, Cynthia Nixon and more stars speak in support of SAG-AFTRA strike</a>

"Everybody's standing up," she told AFP, yards award from the historic arched entryway to Paramount Picture studio.

Chanting writers welcomed the new influx of noticeably louder voices from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), and expressed hope that the arrival of globally recognizable faces should bring renewed attention to the movements.

Stars including Allison Janney ("The West Wing"), Mandy Moore ("This is Us"), and Ben Schwartz ("Sonic the Hedgehog") joined rank-and-file actors on the picket lines, while Jason Sudeikis and Susan Sarandon showed up across the country at protests in New York.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-oppenheimer-premiere-florence-pugh-saves-co-star-emily-blunt-from-a-wardrobe-malfunction-615717">Oppenheimer premiere: Florence Pugh saves co-star Emily Blunt from wardrobe malfunction</a>

"It feels historic," said Zev Frank, 36, a writer on Amazon Prime series "Patriot."

"To see them show up like this, in huge numbers, it feels different today. It feels electric."

"We're part of an industry that has so many people that are front-facing, so that extra PR is gonna be helpful, said Tien Tran, 36, star of sitcom "How I Met Your Father."

<h2>'Disgusting'&nbsp;</h2>

Among other demands, SAG-AFTRA is asking studios for pay rises to keep pace with inflation, a greater share in the profit of hit shows or films.

Those proposals were dismissed by Disney CEO Bob Iger this week as "unrealistic" -- comments that invoked fury among several strikers interviewed by AFP.

Watch | Five times Margot Robbie slayed in Barbie-inspired outfits

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"He's refurnishing his house right now for $5 million, and these people don't even have health insurance... it's disrespectful and disgusting," said Shawn Richardz, an actress who has appeared in "Treme" and "Nip/Tuck."

"This guy is saying we're asking for unrealistic things? Are you kidding me?"

"That was a really prime example of the mindset of the people on top," agreed actor E.J. Arriola 42.

"As artists, we've been around for so long, and there doesn't seem to be any sort of respect."

Many heaped praise&nbsp;on SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, whose similar language in a press conference announcing the strike Thursday went viral.

She was swarmed by fellow actors outside Netflix on Friday, as the crowd cheered her comments and took them up as chants.

Elsewhere, among the hundreds of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America signs, placards from other Hollywood unions representing behind-the scenes crew and transport workers were visible among the marchers.

"I have no sets to build without actors," read one slogan.

Both of those guilds re-negotiate their own contracts with studios next year.

"If they need to walk off the job, then we're going to be there to support them too," said Frank, the writer.

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Honking, simmering heat, a smattering of stars, and a lot of anger at Disney boss Bob Iger. The Hollywood actors' strike kicked off on a sweltering Friday morning in Los Angeles, just over 24 hours after contract talks collapsed with studios.

Honking, simmering heat, a smattering of stars, and a lot of anger at Disney boss Bob Iger. The Hollywood actors' strike kicked off on a sweltering Friday morning in Los Angeles, just over 24 hours after contract talks collapsed with studios. Several hundred actors swelled the ranks of picketing television and movie writers, who have been pounding the palm tree-lined sidewalks outside Netflix, Warner, Paramount and more for well over two months already. "No contracts? No actors! No wages? No pages!" went the chants, as organisers from both unions begged strikers to keep hydrated and stay off the roads, where passing cars and trucks blared their horns in support. "It's a wonderful celebration of workers. This is more than an entertainment industry labor strike -- it's all of labor, all over the country and the world," said "Titanic" star Frances Fisher, 71. Also Read | 'Everything is f**ked': Margot Robbie, Cynthia Nixon and more stars speak in support of SAG-AFTRA strike "Everybody's standing up," she told AFP, yards award from the historic arched entryway to Paramount Picture studio. Chanting writers welcomed the new influx of noticeably louder voices from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA), and expressed hope that the arrival of globally recognizable faces should bring renewed attention to the movements. Stars including Allison Janney ("The West Wing"), Mandy Moore ("This is Us"), and Ben Schwartz ("Sonic the Hedgehog") joined rank-and-file actors on the picket lines, while Jason Sudeikis and Susan Sarandon showed up across the country at protests in New York. Also Read | Oppenheimer premiere: Florence Pugh saves co-star Emily Blunt from wardrobe malfunction "It feels historic," said Zev Frank, 36, a writer on Amazon Prime series "Patriot." "To see them show up like this, in huge numbers, it feels different today. It feels electric." "We're part of an industry that has so many people that are front-facing, so that extra PR is gonna be helpful, said Tien Tran, 36, star of sitcom "How I Met Your Father." 'Disgusting' Among other demands, SAG-AFTRA is asking studios for pay rises to keep pace with inflation, a greater share in the profit of hit shows or films. Those proposals were dismissed by Disney CEO Bob Iger this week as "unrealistic" -- comments that invoked fury among several strikers interviewed by AFP. Watch | Five times Margot Robbie slayed in Barbie-inspired outfits × "He's refurnishing his house right now for $5 million, and these people don't even have health insurance... it's disrespectful and disgusting," said Shawn Richardz, an actress who has appeared in "Treme" and "Nip/Tuck." "This guy is saying we're asking for unrealistic things? Are you kidding me?" "That was a really prime example of the mindset of the people on top," agreed actor E.J. Arriola 42. "As artists, we've been around for so long, and there doesn't seem to be any sort of respect." Many heaped praise on SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, whose similar language in a press conference announcing the strike Thursday went viral. She was swarmed by fellow actors outside Netflix on Friday, as the crowd cheered her comments and took them up as chants. Elsewhere, among the hundreds of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America signs, placards from other Hollywood unions representing behind-the scenes crew and transport workers were visible among the marchers. "I have no sets to build without actors," read one slogan. Both of those guilds re-negotiate their own contracts with studios next year. "If they need to walk off the job, then we're going to be there to support them too," said Frank, the writer. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Stars take to streets, join writers as contract talks with studios collapse

A massive fire broke out at Navrang Studio inside Todi Mills Compound in south Mumbai&#39;s Lower Parel in the wee hours of Friday morning.&nbsp;

The fire erupted on the fourth floor of the studio. No casualties have been reported yet and the cause of the fire is unknown.&nbsp;

12 fire engines, which were rushed to the spot, brought the fire under control. An ambulance and 7 tankers also reached the spot.

Officials have said that the condition of the building is poor, and can collapse at any time.

&quot;This building has not been functional for nearly 20 years now. The fire broke out in the fourth floor of the building. Operations are still underway,&quot; Deputy Chief Fire Officer R Chaudhary told reporters here.

Further details are awaited.&nbsp;

The fire erupted on the fourth floor of the studio. No casualties have been reported yet and the cause of the fire is unknown

A massive fire broke out at Navrang Studio inside Todi Mills Compound in south Mumbai's Lower Parel in the wee hours of Friday morning. The fire erupted on the fourth floor of the studio. No casualties have been reported yet and the cause of the fire is unknown. 12 fire engines, which were rushed to the spot, brought the fire under control. An ambulance and 7 tankers also reached the spot. Officials have said that the condition of the building is poor, and can collapse at any time. "This building has not been functional for nearly 20 years now. The fire broke out in the fourth floor of the building. Operations are still underway," Deputy Chief Fire Officer R Chaudhary told reporters here. Further details are awaited.

Major fire breaks out at Navrang Studio in Mumbai

THIS IMAGE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. 
 
Sumner Redstone&#39;s National Amusements Inc is consulting investment bankers about strategic options for Viacom Inc&#39;s Paramount Pictures, including a possible stake sale, sources&nbsp;said.

National Amusements, which controls 80 per cent of the voting shares of Viacom, is also keen to extract more value from the film studio&#39;s real estate holdings in Los Angeles.

It is unclear what other scenarios National Amusements is considering. The fact that it is entertaining options for Paramount is significant because it could mean that a deal for the movie studio could happen even without Viacom chief executive Philippe Dauman leading the process.

Redstone&nbsp;is considering removing Dauman and members of the board. Representatives for National Amusement and Viacom declined to comment.

The sale of&nbsp;interest in Paramount has been an issue of contention in the battle for control of 93-year-old Redstone&#39;s $40 billion media empire, which includes Viacom and CBS Corporation.

Redstone said in a statement last month he believes keeping 100 per cent of the film unit is in the best interest of Viacom but could be swayed by a plan that convinces him otherwise.

National Amusements said&nbsp;it &quot;is not opposed to a transaction that would unlock value at Paramount&quot;. But it amended Viacom&#39;s bylaws to create hurdles for Dauman to sell a stake in the studio unless he obtained the approval of the entire board of the media company. 
 
Dauman is&nbsp;pushing ahead with plans to sell a 49 per cent stake in Paramount, and he is&nbsp;also looking to unlock the value of the film studio&#39;s real estate holdings, he said at an investor meeting.

Last month, Redstone removed Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from the seven-person trust that will determine the fate of Viacom and CBS after Redstone dies or is incapacitated. Part of the reason that he made the move was over concerns about the Paramount sale, a representative for Redstone has said.

Dauman and Abrams have filed a lawsuit opposing Redstone&#39;s removal of them from the trust and the National Amusement Inc&#39;s&nbsp;board. A Massachusetts judge is deciding whether to move up that trial from October.

National Amusements, which controls 80 per cent of the voting shares of Viacom, is interested in the film studio's real estate holdings

THIS IMAGE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. Sumner Redstone's National Amusements Inc is consulting investment bankers about strategic options for Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures, including a possible stake sale, sources said. National Amusements, which controls 80 per cent of the voting shares of Viacom, is also keen to extract more value from the film studio's real estate holdings in Los Angeles. It is unclear what other scenarios National Amusements is considering. The fact that it is entertaining options for Paramount is significant because it could mean that a deal for the movie studio could happen even without Viacom chief executive Philippe Dauman leading the process. Redstone is considering removing Dauman and members of the board. Representatives for National Amusement and Viacom declined to comment. The sale of interest in Paramount has been an issue of contention in the battle for control of 93-year-old Redstone's $40 billion media empire, which includes Viacom and CBS Corporation. Redstone said in a statement last month he believes keeping 100 per cent of the film unit is in the best interest of Viacom but could be swayed by a plan that convinces him otherwise. National Amusements said it "is not opposed to a transaction that would unlock value at Paramount". But it amended Viacom's bylaws to create hurdles for Dauman to sell a stake in the studio unless he obtained the approval of the entire board of the media company. Dauman is pushing ahead with plans to sell a 49 per cent stake in Paramount, and he is also looking to unlock the value of the film studio's real estate holdings, he said at an investor meeting. Last month, Redstone removed Dauman and Viacom board member George Abrams from the seven-person trust that will determine the fate of Viacom and CBS after Redstone dies or is incapacitated. Part of the reason that he made the move was over concerns about the Paramount sale, a representative for Redstone has said. Dauman and Abrams have filed a lawsuit opposing Redstone's removal of them from the trust and the National Amusement Inc's board. A Massachusetts judge is deciding whether to move up that trial from October.

National Amusements in talks to buy Paramount Pictures

For an hour each day, Kim Chung-seong, a defector from North Korea and a Christian missionary, takes to the microphone in a small Seoul studio.

At 1 a.m., his show, &quot;Hello from Seoul, the Republic of Korea,&quot; sends a mix of gospel music and news into North Korea, defying the isolated state&#39;s efforts to keep its people in the dark about the world, religion and the truth about its leaders.

&quot;Brothers and sisters in the North, I hope this time can be a moment of prayer for a miracle that every party member of North Korea at the party congress can meet God, not take a further step into the cult of personality,&quot; Kim said.

He was referring to the meeting of the North&#39;s ruling Workers&#39; Party this month, where young leader Kim Jong Un was unanimously elevated to party chairman.

&quot;I am desperately praying that North Korea&#39;s Kim Jong Un and all administrators under him kneel down in front of God and repent for their sins, leave the path of tormenting their people,&quot; Kim, who came to the South in 2004, said in his studio at the Far East Broadcasting Company.

North Korea strictly bans access to outside information, but a growing number of North Koreans consume illicit media, including South Korean TV dramas that show the prosperity of life across the heavily fortified border, via contraband USB sticks and DVDs smuggled from China.

The impoverished North is still technically at war with rich, democratic South Korea because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty. It has also been slapped with UN and other sanctions for its nuclear and missile programmes.

Robert King, U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, told a Senate panel in October that up to 29 percent of North Koreans had listened to foreign radio and said the medium, including the U.S. government&#39;s Voice of America, remained the most important way to get information into the country.

&nbsp;

&quot;LISTENING UNDER THE BLANKET&quot;

Kim Myung-jun,&nbsp;professor at Sogang University&#39;s school of mass communications in Seoul, said smuggled USB sticks and DVDs were more about&nbsp;entertainment, whereas radio carried news.

&quot;Once you listen in, you tend to keep listening under the blanket. It gets you addicted,&quot; he said. &quot;AM radio stations like Far East Broadcasting Company have pretty good signals and can be listened to clearly in much of North Korea.&quot;

Kim, the broadcaster, said he tried to delegitimise the three-generation Kim family dictatorship and preach Christian gospel on his show, often with fellow defectors as guests.

&quot;I am not saying everything is bad in North Korea,&quot; said Kim, 39, who has hosted the show for six years.

&quot;But, for example, if the party congress is meant to worship one particular person and make 20 million people that person&#39;s slaves, that is meaningless. That&#39;s what I am talking about on my show.&quot;

North Korea&#39;s constitution guarantees freedom of religion provided it does not undermine the state, but outside of a small handful of state-controlled places of worship, no open religious activity is allowed.

It is also illegal to own a radio that can be tuned, and the only radio or TV sets permitted are those pre-set to state channels. However, many tune in to foreign shows with smuggled Chinese radios and illegally altered North Korean sets.

One weekly guest, defector Ko Ji-eun, said she was a fan of Kim&#39;s show while hiding in China for several years.

After she arrived in Seoul last year, Ko met a fellow defector who had listened to the show while inside the North last year and has since fled to the South.

&quot;North Koreans are now using Chinese earphones not to expose themselves to authorities,&quot; Ko said. &quot;Many people inside North Korea are listening to this radio a lot.&quot;

For an hour each day, Kim Chung-seong, a defector from North Korea and a Christian missionary, takes to the microphone in a small Seoul studio. At 1 a.m., his show, "Hello from Seoul, the Republic of Korea," sends a mix of gospel music and news into North Korea.

For an hour each day, Kim Chung-seong, a defector from North Korea and a Christian missionary, takes to the microphone in a small Seoul studio. At 1 a.m., his show, "Hello from Seoul, the Republic of Korea," sends a mix of gospel music and news into North Korea, defying the isolated state's efforts to keep its people in the dark about the world, religion and the truth about its leaders. "Brothers and sisters in the North, I hope this time can be a moment of prayer for a miracle that every party member of North Korea at the party congress can meet God, not take a further step into the cult of personality," Kim said. He was referring to the meeting of the North's ruling Workers' Party this month, where young leader Kim Jong Un was unanimously elevated to party chairman. "I am desperately praying that North Korea's Kim Jong Un and all administrators under him kneel down in front of God and repent for their sins, leave the path of tormenting their people," Kim, who came to the South in 2004, said in his studio at the Far East Broadcasting Company. North Korea strictly bans access to outside information, but a growing number of North Koreans consume illicit media, including South Korean TV dramas that show the prosperity of life across the heavily fortified border, via contraband USB sticks and DVDs smuggled from China. The impoverished North is still technically at war with rich, democratic South Korea because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty. It has also been slapped with UN and other sanctions for its nuclear and missile programmes. Robert King, U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues, told a Senate panel in October that up to 29 percent of North Koreans had listened to foreign radio and said the medium, including the U.S. government's Voice of America, remained the most important way to get information into the country. "LISTENING UNDER THE BLANKET" Kim Myung-jun, professor at Sogang University's school of mass communications in Seoul, said smuggled USB sticks and DVDs were more about entertainment, whereas radio carried news. "Once you listen in, you tend to keep listening under the blanket. It gets you addicted," he said. "AM radio stations like Far East Broadcasting Company have pretty good signals and can be listened to clearly in much of North Korea." Kim, the broadcaster, said he tried to delegitimise the three-generation Kim family dictatorship and preach Christian gospel on his show, often with fellow defectors as guests. "I am not saying everything is bad in North Korea," said Kim, 39, who has hosted the show for six years. "But, for example, if the party congress is meant to worship one particular person and make 20 million people that person's slaves, that is meaningless. That's what I am talking about on my show." North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion provided it does not undermine the state, but outside of a small handful of state-controlled places of worship, no open religious activity is allowed. It is also illegal to own a radio that can be tuned, and the only radio or TV sets permitted are those pre-set to state channels. However, many tune in to foreign shows with smuggled Chinese radios and illegally altered North Korean sets. One weekly guest, defector Ko Ji-eun, said she was a fan of Kim's show while hiding in China for several years. After she arrived in Seoul last year, Ko met a fellow defector who had listened to the show while inside the North last year and has since fled to the South. "North Koreans are now using Chinese earphones not to expose themselves to authorities," Ko said. "Many people inside North Korea are listening to this radio a lot."

Good morning, North Korea! Defector preaches dangers of cult worship

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