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Al- Kilani, Sa’eda

Freedom Fries: Fried Freedoms/ Sa’eda Al Kilani- Amman: Arab Archives Institute, 2004.

Descriptors: Information (mass media)/ satellites// Mass Communication// Freedom of Information// Arab Countries

No. 892/4/2004

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Freedom Fries: Fried Freedoms

Media Status in Arab countries
Leaders and Subjects’39

Arab Governments & Social Pressure
‘Toe the line or else
Al Jazeera and Arab States
Where did it come from?                      

Women on Satellite Channels
Top Models or Veiled from Head to Toe
Followers of Haj Mitwalli 
In search of a rich polygamous husband

American Pressures on Arab Satellite TV
Arabs, Americans, and a Plate of Mansaf

Media War
Families, Cafes and Satellite
Satellite Channels & Local TV stations
‘The Wedding in Naour and the Ceremony in Qafqafa’

Words and Cultures
Sadem Usein vs. Saddam Hussein

Every body was infatuated with Haifa. Arab men suddenly started to exercise when beautiful, slim and strong Haifa started her sports shows on satellite Lebanese TV few years ago. She was a blast. Nobody missed morning exercises even if it meant to be late for work.

Haifa lost clout when heated political debates on the Qatari Al Jazeera TV shocked the Arab world. In hundreds and thousands, people were storming Al Jazeera’s programs, emailing, faxing and waiting on the international line for a long time just to pour their opinions on a certain subject. 

In no time, Arab viewers switched their attention to the very handsome George Kardahi and his show on the Saudi MBC ‘Who Wants to be a Millionnaire.’

The frenzy that came with the recent emergence of Arab satellite channels calmed down now. Well, to a large degreeThere are still people shouting and screaming at each other in live debates. There are hundreds of channels for all tastes and for all ages. Arab viewers can watch news about their countries in their own language and enjoy shows whose participants are from fellow Arab countries.

They no longer need to put up with the tension and frustration that resulted from watching their local TV stations.

The difference between Arab Satellite performance and state-owned TVs is staggering. Some people even believed that Arab local TV news bulletins were directly related to the increase of heart attack cases in Arab countries.

This is not an exaggeration.

The way Arab state-run televisions broadcast their news in general has been and still is a daily provocation to people.

A simple demonstration in an Arab country was translated into a condemned act of riot on its TV; women’s right to vote or even to drive a car was reflected in certain countries’ media as an act of immorality and westernization; a demand for media freedoms obviously became the attempt by some dissidents and outcasts to expose the country’s dirty laundry and ruin the economy; and the need to promote human rights was the western imperialistic agents’ attempts to foil our whole civilization and culture.

In the name of preserving the public’s interests and the country, patriotism and nationalism, it’s forbidden to disseminate information without official authorization. This applied to news directly related to the future of a country.

Take the recent years between 1999-2002, where veteran leaders of Morocco, Jordan and Syria passed away after decades of rule. The countries were passing through difficult phases amid international speculations of potential unrest and disorder following their deaths. Especially in Jordan, day by day, each news was decisive for the people who haven’t seen for five decades any other leader than their king Hussein.

While the whole world was issuing press releases by the second on the deteriorating health of the late king, Jordan television was broadcasting documentaries on the colors of nature and their meanings and impact.

In fact, all urgent news related to the future of the country came from outside.

It was the CNN that late king Hussein,(1) two weeks before he died, chose to share details of his illness and reflections of the future of Jordan with his own people.

Jordanians learnt of their king’s last-minute change of heart towards the line of succession, dismissing his younger brother Hassan to be replaced by his eldest son Abdullah, through Agence France Presse (AFP).

While local media, state-owned television and pro-government newspapers were consistently denying news of the aggravating illness of the longest surviving leader up to the last minute, Jordanians discovered later that the information their leaders were leaking to AFP and CNN were completely accurate.

Any foreign channel was good, not necessarily credible but at least people resorted to it for news, any news. Until the mid-1990’s, many people across the Arab world were depending on CNN or BBC radio or even Israeli TV to know what was happening in their respective countries. When they watched a local TV station or radio, it would be for weather forecast (which has never been accurate either) .

In the Gulf countries, its the same story but with an over exaggeration of transmitting religious programs.

A study(2) showed that up to 40% - 50% (up to 60% in the case of Saudi Arabia) of daily TV programs in the Gulf countries are Islamic oriented. All Islamic worshipping activities are aired at all times, beginning with the call to prayer five times a day (with ten minutes pause for each prayer call), Friday’s sermon and prayer, Ramadan’s daily night prayer for the whole holy month of Ramadan and the annual Hajj (pilgrimage) activities from Mecca. 

Of course, all five prayers, in all Arab and Muslim countries, can be heard directly from the mosques loudspeakers in all neighborhoods and areas. 

But they are still aired in full on local TVs. The percentage of aired religious programs increases during the holy month of Ramadan to reach an average of 80% of all programs.(3)

Entertainment programs are not entertaining. Western movies are usually decades old or ‘disgustingly’ violent. Comedy shows make people cry. Locally produced programs definitely constitute a basic reason for the increasing cases of heart attacks in Arab countries. 

That was it.

News or analysis never came from local media.

Surprisingly enough, everyone, from the top echelons down to the person in the street, was lamenting the lack of freedoms, media freedoms in particular, on the other’s lack of comprehension.

The regimes blamed their own people for not being ready for freedoms!; political parties blamed the ruling authorities for not granting them space in their controlled media; the public complained that its main concerns were never aired; and women related discriminatory practices against them to the biased media coverage that is dominated by male chauvinistic mentality. Even  western countries based their lack of political and economic cooperation with countries in the region on the lack of freedoms.

When a beam of freedoms loomed in the horizon in the shape of satellite channels, everyone freaked out.

The region’s leaders were in constant battle against each other’s countries each time a critical news item is broadcast. And the west, which has produced tons of reports about media repression in the region, found that Arab satellite reporting was unbearable. Everybody was enjoying criticizing the lack of freedom that made its real existence hard to absorb.

In fact, nobody believed his eyes and ears when the Arab satellite channels emerged in the mid and late 1990’s. Satellite TV, where there is more professionalism, more information, where programs are more related to reality, where public participation in the programs is not artificial, and where entertainment is not forced-upon has dramatically changed the media map in this part of the world.

In a region considered to be the least free in the world according to Reporters Sans Frontieres Report for 2004 (and for all previous years), there are now more than 120 satellite channels and growing. These channels are run by 28 corporations, 17 of them are governmental.

Not all of them are general channels. Specialized channels have emerged with the emergence of the channels themselves. There are channels for news, sports, children, entertainment, music, as well as religious and educational channels, and one channel specialised in women’s issues.

People who for a long time were used to hearing their news in a foreign language were more than eager to have first-hand information in the Arabic language presented professionally without the usual sickening hypocrisy.

Arab viewers no longer have to wait for a special occasion or religious holidays to hear Fairouz sing, or watch a movie for Faten Hamama or a play for Adel Imam. They can watch them any time now.

Everything is available.

Options have become too many for all tastes and ages. Satellite dish had become a prerequisite to any new home regardless of the level of living.

No more old and unsavory shows repeated over and over again. No more journalists, presenters, and anchors learning something about the profession, about professionalism and media freedoms, but practicing totally ridiculous and hypocrite reporting.

No more government officials and leaders appearing as daily stars on TV screens.

Officials, who got the habit of clamping down on any newspaper for forgetting to put their favorite photo next to their uninteresting news, have no longer the capacity to pressure satellite channels to broadcast their news, day and night, with or without occasion, if they have something to say or not.

No more the frowning looks of officials or meaningless smiles and handshakes of presidents.

There are now daily tones of programs, movies and shows that cater to all tastes.

Good journalists started to emerge too. There are star anchors and presenters of political debate shows, such as Gisele Khouri, Ahmad Mansour, Zahi Wahbeh, Khadijeh Bin Qinnah, and many others who can bring news and analysis professionally.

The peak is in Ramadan, the holy month of Muslims where viewers rate is at its highest. The Arab satellite channels, declare a state of emergency especially the general channels and those specialized in entertainment.

None of the media experts in and out of the region anticipated the coup that Arab satellite channels brought to media freedom and contributed to its development in an unexpected and speedy way.

To the contrary, all anticipations and analyses that were founded on the history of the evolution of media freedoms in the Arab countries, pointed to the potential deterioration of media freedoms and the incapability of the Arab governments and regimes to accept in the foreseen future free and professional media.

The short-lived experiences of openness that some of the countries had passed through and which wound up in a setback speak volumes. In most cases, the state reinstated its control over the media, and state of affairs was in many cases worse than before. Past experiences of openness were bitter mishaps that did not prognosticate the emergence of a free media.

Until recently, the possibility of quoting an Arab media mean was a fictitious, mocked-upon idea. Arab media means, save for immigrant Arab and Lebanese newspapers, did not enjoy any credibility for the Arab citizen.

Rumors perpetually spread following the release of local news item. The rumor and not the news becomes the basis of information and analysis.

For example, when a local TV station broadcasts news on the meeting of a head of state with his security advisor and tightens the grip on his hand, it would lead viewers to believe that either this official will get a raise or get sacked. Others might have a different analysis: The timing of the visit is very important because there might be some troubles between the state and the minorities. The meeting of the head of state with his security advisor was simply an admonishment of dire consequences if these minorities decided to riot or protest their conditions.

The most typical news item runs like this: ‘The prime minister (or the head of state) has met with the Council of Ministers and discussed matters that are of interest to the citizen and the country.’

‘Of interest to the citizen?’

What does this mean?

Nobody knows. But this is the most used phrase in press items released by the official media.

It reached a point where people anticipated officials reactions to any event in the region.

At the end of two leaders meeting, people know that an official statement would not say anything more than stressing that the two countries ‘enjoy excellent bilateral relations and that the leaders discussed issues of mutual interest.’

They might have had a big argument. Relations between the two countries might have worsened after the meeting, but people would know the truth after months when the two countries start lashing out at each other.

For decades, Arab official media had not changed its press releases that concern the Palestinian problem. No exaggeration.‘Leaders have discussed developments and stressed their commitment to peace and support of the Palestinian cause,’ has been a permanent cliche statement that is usually uttered at the end of any meeting related to Palestine.

On camera, officials are continuously‘hailing’ the country’s leadership efforts to support development project and forge good relations with neighboring countries. At the end of a news report, the local station would then air smiles, focusing on the moving lips of leaders (without their voices) with classical music in the background. Then the camera moves into full reporting of presidential or royal processions, national anthems and finally hugs and kisses (xoxo).

Nobody was blamed for watching other foreign channels or listening to foreign radios. In fact, those who did not, did not know what was going on in their countries.

Local state televisions did not change with the boom in satellite channels. Their policies that focused on what they saw as the‘interest of the country and the citizen’ remained unaltered.

It is the viewer that switched channels.

The satellite channels, though most of them are run or administered by people close to the ruling regimes, have alienated themselves from the official discourse and the forced hypocrisy that filled news and programs of local state televisions.

The big surprise was the emanation of these satellite channels from the Gulf area that is traditionally known to be more closed mediatically than other Arab countries.

They did not come out of Egypt that prides itself for its veteran journalists and famous writers, or from Lebanon- the source of intellect and the haven of professional and free journalism of all Arab media- nor from Jordan that forever boasts its openness and tolerance in comparison with neighboring countries.

It was from the small Qatari island that Al Jazeera emerged. Since its establishment in 1996, Al Jazeera made the most powerful countries shiver at the sound of its news that came like thunder 24 hours a day.

From the United Arab Emirates emerged Dubai and Abu Dhabi satellite channels, which later became known for their objective coverage and balanced programs and analysis. Abu Dhabi’s coverage of the Palestinian intifada and the war on Iraq has rivaled at certain points that of Al Jazeera (during the war on Iraq in 2003) but did not enjoy the same editorial freedom when it came to political news and debate.

The Saudi capital, which controlled the immigrant print media in the Arab world, was also the most influential in the satellite realms though probably not having the biggest influence in terms of news coverage. It has invested in, inter alia, Orbit, MBC, ART, Al Arabiyyah and Iqra, which are gigantic channels that have made quite an impact on the Arab media level.

Contrary to what is perceived about the Gulf area, figures show modern technology had penetrated the society in an amazingly speedy way. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), whose population is less than three million, there are half a million Internet users- while the number of users does not exceed ten thousand in Syria whose population reaches more than 15 million, and 20,000 in Algeria whose population exceeds 30 million. (4) 

There are certainly the usual lists of taboos that Arab governments try to impose either on Internet or satellite which are frequently related to pornographic sites, critical political debates or human rights violations. But the emergence in abundance of satellite TV had weakened the control of the Arab governments on the flow of information in the Middle East and North Africa.(5)

The real shock to Arab viewers was to watch the same anchors and correspondents that hardly anybody listened to their nonsense on local TV, suddenly turned into professional journalists and correspondents on the Arab satellite channels.

Journalists who were too lazy to leave their newsrooms and who were used to receiving their articles and reports by fax are now seen on satellite TV in dangerous war zones. They are risking their lives and reporting from all over the world, from Washington, to Ukraine, to Europe and to South Africa- the same moment an incident occurs.

As the first plane hit the twin towers in New York in 2001, there were millions of viewers across the Arab world and beyond watching the news on Al Jazeera. Two years later, there were tens of millions or may be hundreds of millions of Arab viewers watching Georgians taking parliament peacefully in the ‘revolution of the roses’ forcing President Edward Shevardnadze to step down.

Just watching it brought feelings of envy among so many Arabs who lamented their destiny and wished these events would be happening in an Arab country.

That was 2003.

What if these channels existed when the former Egyptian president Jamal Abdel Nasser was alive? 

What would have happened if Arab viewers watched the democratic transformations in Eastern Europe in 1989?

May be nothing, but may be something.

May be they would not have to see the American soldiers grabbing Saddam Hussein from a hole.

CNN is dead. 

The Israeli television, the Washington Post, the New York Times, any foreign media outlet is not watched anymore, or at least not as before.

The emergence in abundance of satellite channels have compensated the Arab people of the dire need for accurate news, in their own Arabic language, that had been fundamentally absent for ages because of the repressive policies.

No longer do the Arab viewers have to watch programs, news and entertainment shows in a foreign language.

Unlike Arab immigrant newspapers that were established and have prospered in the west, the Arab satellite channels came right out of the same countries that produced repressed television and press for local consumption.

And contrary to local TV stations, which usually impose on the viewers what they have to watch, the satellite channels that are increasingly entering a competitive market are mostly depending on what the viewers want.

This in itself is historical. Some of these satellite channels are governmental or owned by the state or relatives of leaders and regimes. They are close to the state and to the decision making circles but they are succumbing to the preferences of viewers.

This means that for the first time ever, Arab governments, in some way, are submissive to the will of the people!

Not only that, but Arab peoples are experiencing democratic practices and Arab closeness through satellite channels.

Since many of the programs depend on incoming calls either in an entertainment show or a political debate program, any channel is forced to take all incoming calls regardless of the caller’s ID.

In the Qatari Al Jazeera, Saudi and Kuwaiti callers whose governments hate the guts of this small country’s channel, pour in their views as much and sometimes more than other callers.

In one program, you would see Iraqis, Palestinians, Saudis, Jordanians, Moroccans and Arab residents in foreign countries all project their views on one subject.

There has never been so much diversity of opinions even within the same country let alone taking views of participants from countries whose policies are antagonistic to the very existence of the channel’s government.

If this is not progress in the Arab society, what is?

But this is not the most important thing though it constitutes a precedent particularly in pouring Arab opinions in one pot- (that all pan-Arab movements since the 1950’s and until now have failed in achieving).

The really big deal is that certain shapes of democracy are taking place on a daily and hourly basis. First, Arab individuals are speaking out on satellite channels- some of whom can not until this day, say the same opinions to their neighbors next-door.  

Second, Arab viewers had a unique chance of voting in fair and free elections!

In an earth shattering show of democracy, the Lebanese channel Al Mustaqbal (Future) brilliantly brought home the British SuperStar show. The show had tens of talented young singers participating and millions watching and voting for them.

In the episode before the last, the Lebanese competitor lost to the Syrian and Jordanian contestants.

All of Beirut went literally to the streets protesting the results. They accused the judges of ruling out a Lebanese singer in a Lebanese show in order to sound objective in the Arab world.

But what happened in the last episode superseded all expectations.

One and a half million votes came from Jordan (of five million inhabitants) to support Jordanian singer Diana Karazon. The number exceeded the number of votes given to the 80 deputies of the Lower House of Parliament in any given election year (since Parliamentary life was restored in 1989 and until 2003- the number of the Lower House deputies was increased to 110 in 2003, but still they did not receive as many votes either). 

Not only that, but the high number of voting, enthusiasm and eagerness to know the results reflected the confidence Arab viewers had in the show. It meant that they believed that the procedures were free and fair- contrary to what they felt about elections at home.

One would walk the streets of Amman, Beirut, Damascus and many Arab countries the night of the last episode and would hardly see a car in the streets. The sound of home TVs was echoing all around the cities

Who said Arab people don’t want democracy???

The SuperStar program was a direct message to all. Not only to Arab governments but also to the west, which thinks it is trying to bring democracy to the Arab world (through supporting Arab governments’ efforts to promote democracy)…

Satellite broadcasting, which is accessible in almost all Arab countries now, has become a beacon for free political expression and participation for all tastes and ages.

The youth’s high level of participation in its entertainment and political programs had filled a vacuum that governments, political parties and social movements have failed to occupy for decades. Men and women, girls and boys, have found a medium that would attend to their needs and aspirations.

The 2003 report of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) showed that despite the fact that the Arab world continued to lag behind the rest of the globe in civil and political rights, the emergence of Satellites and the Internet has eroded the information blockades of despotic regimes in the region.

The report pointed to their contribution to local Arab media scene especially because they have provided up-to-date news and platforms for open political and social debates. Despotic regimes of varying political shades regularly limited news they thought will undermine their power.