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Media & Politics

Environmental Journalism in the UAEIcon indicating an associated article is new

Part of a model of Masdar City, one of the UAE government's 'eco-friendly' projects

Lisa Reinisch investigates coverage of environmental issues by English-language newspapers in the United Arab Emirates and analyses what it tells us about the evolution of media-government relationships in the country.

Environmental Journalism in the UAEIcon indicating an associated article is new

Part of a model of Masdar City, one of the UAE government's 'eco-friendly' projects

Lisa Reinisch investigates coverage of environmental issues by English-language newspapers in the United Arab Emirates and analyses what it tells us about the evolution of media-government relationships in the country.

Tales of 9/11 - What conspiracy theories in Egypt and the United States tell us about ‘media effects’Icon indicating an associated article is peer reviewedIcon indicating an associated article is new

The infamous 9/11 attack on the twin towers in New York

Stephen Marmura tries to explain the persistence of mistaken beliefs about 9/11 and about the rationale for invading Iraq among the US and Egyptian publics, concluding that memories and long-term discourses sometimes outweigh short-term media effects.

Iraq: A Diverse MediaIcon indicating an associated article is new

A collage of Iraqi media logos

David A. Rousu argues that Iraq now qualifies as having a diverse media, despite some government ownership and occasional instances in which the authorities have used legal provisions against media organizations .

Defining the Boundaries of Acceptable Speech in SyriaIcon indicating an associated article is new

The Syrian sheikh in his fateful TV appearance

Leah Caldwell looks at the travails of Syrian cleric Abdul Rahman Kuki and what his trial means for what public figures in Syria can say, and what indeed they must say

Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Tale of Two Media Covering Conflict in YemenIcon indicating an associated article is new

Mazraq camp for people displaced by fighting in northern Yemen

Anne Hagood says that at least on the media front Iran and Saudi Arabia have been fighting a proxy war in northern Yemen, taking advantage of the Houthi rebellion to promote their political visions to the detriment of their geostrategic competitors.

For the record - US House of Representatives resolution on Middle East broadcastersIcon indicating an associated article is new

The complete text of U.S. House of Representatives resolution 2278, which would penalize satellite providers that contract with broadcasters such as al-Manar and al-Aqsa. The US Senate has not yet acted on the resolution

Not Your Father's Islamist TV: Changing Programming on Hizbullah's al-ManarIcon indicating an associated article is peer reviewed

fromn al SharqAlAwsat

As the voice of the Hizbullah, you might expect al Manar to present a grim and gritty image, reflecting the Islamic organization that has upended Lebanon’s politics. But that’s not the case and the twist is fascinating, as Anne Marie Baylouny explains.

A new direction or more of the same?

Breaking news on Wael Abbas' YouTube channel

Blogging has intensified political trends first triggered by the birth of satellite television and an independent print press but does not mark a new departure for Egyptian politics, argues Tom Isherwood.

Framing April 6: Discursive dominance in the Egyptian print media

Clashes in Mahalla.  Photo courtesy of Flickr user 3arabawy under a Creative Commons license

The strikes in Egypt held on 6 April 2008 had mixed results – but you wouldn’t know that from reading the country’s main papers. Aaron Reese analyzes how the Egyptian press framed coverage for and against the protesters.

It's a cultural thing

Courtesy of Flickr user FredArmitage under a Creative Commons license

Being a business journalist has never been easy in the notoriously tight-lipped UAE. But will investors tolerate Dubai & Co’s culture of keeping quiet amid a global financial crisis, asks Contributing Editor Dana El-Baltaji.

Nasrallah and the compromise and rehabilitation of Hizbullah’s reputation

Nasrallah greets the faithful

A pitched battle on the streets of Beirut backed Hizbullah’s opponents into a corner last May. But it was media savvy and the powerful rhetoric of Hassan Nasrallah that turned a tactical victory into a strategic success, argues David Wilmsen. Features video and full translations of three speeches.

The voice of a commander and statesman: Bashir Gemayel

Gemayel speaking as Lebanese president-elect in 1982

Contributing Editor Pete Ajemian traces the rhetoric and media techniques of Bashir Gemayel from his years as a military commander to the days before his assassination as president-elect of Lebanon. Featuring video and full English translations.

Politics and priorities: Inside the Egyptian press

Al-Ahram gets to market

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kenneth J. Cooper gets behind the headlines at three Egyptian dailies, looking at the politics and ideologies that drive coverage choices.

Book Review: Asad in Search of Legitimacy: Message and Rhetoric in the Syrian Press under Hafiz and Bashar

Side-by-side renderings of Arabic articles and their English translations make the book useful for students and researchers, yet crude generalizations and culturalist arguments deflect from Kedar’s analytical contributions, argues Book Review Editor Samer Abboud.

Full Text: Draft Egyptian Broadcast Law

hazy jenius on Flickr using a Creative Commons license

Unofficial translation of an alleged draft Egyptian media law published by Almasry Alyoum. It appeared on 9 July 2008 under the headline: “’Full text of AL-Fiki’s’ Bill, which the Government is preparing to present to the People’s Assembly in the new parliamentary session.”

The rise and decline of London as a pan-Arab media hub

No longer calling?

Why is London losing its appeal as an Arab media hub? Not much has changed about Britain as a host, but structural shifts in the industry and a changing political landscape have combined to reduce the need for an offshore base, writes Najm Jarrah.

Egypt's Press: More free, still fettered

Newspaper piles in Cairo.  photo by Will Ward

Temporary crackdown or reverting to the repressive norm? Jeffrey Black examines the politics and legal basis of recent actions against Egyptian journalists.

Saudi Arabia's Media Empire: keeping the masses at home

Al Arabiya's Studios.  Photograph courtesy of Al Arabiya

Andrew Hammond looks at the structures of Saudi Arabia’s media influence and the formal and informal pressures it can bring to bear on media outlets to secure their desired coverage.

Are Lebanon's Media fanning the flames of sectarianism?

Politics have become so divisive in Lebanon that the national media council chief urged the media in January to curb "tense rhetoric" that could instigate violence among the country's religious sects, writes Contributing Editor Paul Cochrane. So what are the media up to? Are they guilty of fanning the flames?

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Arab Media Wire

CPJ asks Jordanian king to toss out cyber law The Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide, is deeply concerned about a provisional law on cyber crimes that was approved by the cabinet of ministers on August 3.
The Loss Of Popularity Of Egyptian Blogging The active blogs of a few years ago, which scrutinised social violence and confrontations between the opposition and the police, seem to have waned in popularity today. Their success was attained neither by Facebook nor by mini-blogs, like dormant volcanoes whose eruption has been postponed eternally.
Media Habits of MENA Youth - AUB/Issam Fares Institute report "The survey found the participants highly adept at using new media. They spent considerable time consuming new and traditional media, but much less time producing media content."
Kuwait likely to follow UAE, Saudi BlackBerry ban Kuwait officials are likely to follow Saudi Arabia and the UAE with a ban on certain BlackBerry services, local Arab media has reported.
UAE to suspend Blackberry service on security fears The United Arab Emirates' plan to suspend BlackBerry services in October has sparked concern among users in the Gulf Arab state over the impact it might have on free speech and on companies which rely on the services.
Al Jazeera Files a Lawsuit Against the Egyptian Newspaper Al Ahram Al Jazeera has filed a lawsuit against the Egyptian-based newspaper Al Ahram Newspaper following the publication of what it calls false and damaging statements about the international news network and its management. Al Jazeera says tThese allegations, published in June in an article entitled "Jazeerat Al-Taharrush" ("Al Jazeera an Island of Harassment"), were completely baseless, and without merit, and were mainly aimed at damaging the reputation of the Al Jazeera Network.
Re-thinking 'civil society' in the Arab world Rami Khouri on the role of NGOs in the Arab world
Journalism court threat to Iraqi media Media freedom in Iraq has taken another turn for the worse with the announcement of plans for a special court to handle journalism cases.

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