Media & Politics
Environmental Journalism in the UAE
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 UAE
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’

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 Media
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 Syria
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 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 broadcasters
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-Manar
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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 Kedars analytical contributions, argues Book Review Editor Samer Abboud.
Full Text: Draft Egyptian Broadcast Law
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
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
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
Andrew Hammond looks at the structures of Saudi Arabias 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?
