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al-Sharq al-Awasat coverage |
Journalism in Arab countries: With the increased
violence and potential for sectarian war in the Middle East, one would think
that the media and journalists would pay more attention to details, facts, and
the language they use to report about the death and destruction in that part of
the world. Instead, journalist and the media in general sided with their benefactors
or religious/ethnic community, betraying the profession and their duty to
objectively inform the public.
Al-Sharq al-Awsat, which wanted to be the New
York Times of the Arab world showed its true identity: the mouth piece of the
rulers of Saudi Arabia. Aljazeera, whose funders wanted it to be the BBC
of the Arab world, resigned to its limited true function: serving the Qatari
ruling family and its political allies—the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey.
Alarabiya has become the Fox News of the GCC ruling families. Alahram serves
Sisi… and the list goes on.
Here is an example of the kind of headlines the
“professional” journalists at al-Sharq al-Awsat ran recently:
5 nations cut their
diplomatic relations with Iran… and the world condemn its violations
It did not cross the mind
of Iran that its attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and
Mashhad would open the doors of hell on it, including the cutting of diplomatic
ties…
[The headlines and
opening sentence sound ominous. But the rest of the news story would make you
think that you are reading a satirical piece on The Onion or watching a story
on the fake news program, The Daily Show. The 5 countries that cut relations
with Iran are:
Saudi Arabia (the country
the just executed 4 and beheaded 43 including a religious scholar whose crime was
“criticizing wali al-amr [the ruler]”)
Bahrain (the tiny kingdom
that serves as a bar and resort for the Saudi princes and princesses)
Sudan (Whose president
cannot travel much because he faces arrest for war crimes and genocide)
Djibouti (where the hell
is Djibouti)
Somalia (does this
country actually has a government?)
Arab journalists’ dereliction of duty during these
difficult times will make a grave situation graver. In the past, and during
peace time, people of that region were used to the media serving as the propaganda tools in the
hands of authoritarian rulers. People did not take them seriously. However, with civil
wars raging in a handful of Arab countries, the need for accurate information is
compelling and Arab journalists ought to take their responsibilities seriously.
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