This week’s Jadaliyya "Media on Media" roundup tackles a number of issues dealing with media practices, coverage, and freedom of expression. With the ongoing war in Yemen, two media outlets have been divided between Saudi-backed forces, and those who stand with the Houthi-led rebels.
On a cultural note, two films--Saudi ‘Barakah meets Barakah’ and Egyptian ‘Eshtebak`--are making global headlines as they participate in a number of international film festivals, despite the hurdles that still hinder the industry’s progress in the region. In Lebanon, media icon and TV host Dolly Ghanem was wrongfully fired from her job at LBC, after dedicating thirty years of her life working for the network. This issue raised concerns about the lack of respect for veteran journalists and how mainstream media often treat their employees like numbers.
All of these articles, and more, are available below in further detail.
Media and Politics
Yemen: The war and the ongoing media divide [VIDEO]
Source: Al Jazeera
Two television stations, both called "Yemen TV"-–one based in KSA and the other in Houthi-controlled Sanaa–-are offering opposing views, and putting journalists in the crossfire as a result.
Iraq’s media are still censored
Source: Middle East Online
This article argues that freedom of the press is the driving force behind a nation’s progress, highlighting the different stages of Iraq’s media before and after 2003. Despite freedoms gained, there were many hurdles to overcome.
Western legends fight Eastern heroes in new Iranian animation
Source: Al-Monitor
This article makes it clear just how far the Iranian government will go to expel the ‘Western cultural invader’, including broadcasting a Shiite version of armageddon in an animated series aimed at kids.
Egypt hopes to use soccer to score influence in Africa
Source: Al-Monitor
Egypt’s $600 million bid to purchase the broadcasting rights of the African soccer games has raised waves of criticism, especially amid the economic crisis the country is passing through.
Demonize and distract: Sanitizing Syria for the masses
Source: CounterPunch
Jason Hirthler writes on how US corporate media and the state are working together to misrepresent the events in the Middle East, all with the goal of satisfying US interests.
What Aleppo is and is not
Source: The Intercept
Robert Mackey critically comments on how the media is mainly focused on the race for US presidency coverage, rather than ‘illuminating’ the candidates on what the city of Aleppo is, their biggest foreign policy dilemma to face once elected.
Culture
An unlikely story: Why do South Americans love Turkish TV?
Source: BBC News
This article dissects Turkish TV series’ popularity in South America---mainly due to similarities in cultures and values---and comments on Turkey’s cultural ‘exporting’ industry that is still growing.
The seriously funny Arab Comedy Festival set to begin in Abu Dhabi
Source: The National (AE)
This article features an interview with the host of the festival, Taim Al Falasi, a social media sensation in the Gulf.
`Eshtebak` to compete in London Film Festival
Source: Egypt Independent
After being nominated to participate in the Cannes film festival, ‘Eshtebak’ has been selected to compete in the upcoming London Film Festival, set to happen next October.
فنانون عرب: أعمالنا تستحق المنافسة على "الإيمي"
المصدر: موقع الفرسان
على خلفية انتهاء جولة التحكيم لجائزة الإيمي في أبوظبي للمرّة السابعة على التوالي، تقدم هذه المقالة شهادة عدد من الممثلين العرب ونقّاد السينما بتفائلهم بقدراتهم التمثيلية العالية وجودة الانتاج، لولا بعض العقبات اللوجستية التي ما زالت تواجههم.
الأغنية اللبنانية بحسب ملحم بركات
المصدر: موقع الرياض
بالاستناد على مقابلة تلفزيونية مع الفنان اللبناني ملحم بركات، تعطي المقالة موجزاً حول نشوء الأغنية اللبنانية والدور الذي لعبته الاذاعة بتكوينها بالاضافة الى الاشادة بدور الأخوين الرحباني في صناعة النجوم.
اليونيسف وCNNبالعربية يطلقان جائزة للأعمال الصحفية عن أطفال المنطقة
المصدر: CNN عربية
بيان صحفي حول اعادة اطلاق المسابقة الاعلامية التي تدعو الصحافيين تقديم المواد الإعلامية التي تصور بدقة وضع وحقوق وتحديات وأحلام وطموحات وإنجازات الأطفال في المنطقة.
Boy of War filmmakers describe power of animation to present trauma of war
Source: Shadowproof
This article provides a brief review of the filmography of Usama Alshaibi, an Iraqi filmmaker and visual artist, who stresses on animation’s potential to portray reality while affecting the audience on a deeper more intimate level
Film After Euphoria
Source: Ibraaz.org
An interview with Rasha Salti, curator of ‘Safar’ a film festival celebrating contemporary Arab cinema, who discusses her choice of 7 participating films that directly defy all stereotypes and norms of self-censorship in the region, especially post-Arab spring.
Saudi film ‘Barakah Meets Barakah’ released in UAE, soon Arab world
Source: AhramOnline
The film, which had its debut at the Berlin International Film Festival last February, aims to compete in the upcoming Academy Awards in the Best Foreign-Language Film category.
Media Industries
مستقبل الإعلام المرئي في 2016 حروب الشاشات على "كعكة" المعلنين
المصدر: مجلة مباشر
انطلاقا من التغيّرات التي يشهدها المشهد الاعلامي في مصر من عمليات بيع وشراء، تحاول هذه المقالة البحث عمّا قد يعنيه الأمر للمعلنين وبالأخصّ علاقاتهم بوسائل الاعلام.
هل تصدر «نيويورك تايمز» نسختها العربية؟
المصدر: وكالة قاسيون للأنباء
تعلن هذه المقالة وفق مصادرها، ان «نيويورك تايمز» تنوي التوسّع في السوق العربية نظراً "لولع العرب بالأخبار"
Freedom of Journalists/Expression
دوللي غانم: بين "بيارو" و بيار الضاهر.. تغيّر الزمن
المصدر: السفير
تلقي هذه المقالة الضوء على الصرف التعسّفي للإعلامية دوللي غانم من عملها كمذيعة في برنامج "نهاركم سعيد"، بعد ثلاث عقود من العمل في المؤسسة اللبناني للإرسال.
Huffington Post website blocked by censors in Saudi Arabia
Source: Middle East Eye
Ever since it published an article titled “Last Tango in Riyadh,” which was critical of the unsustainable policies implemented by Saudi ‘cronies’, the news outlet has been blocked in the kingdom
Social Media
Alphabet is using Google`s Ad technology to take on ISIS
Source: Fast Company
By reverse-engineering Google’s audience-targeting algorithm, this article highlights how Alphabet (Google’s mother company) is focusing its efforts on ridding ISIS from its digital occupancy---providing sympathizers with parodies and ‘relevant’ content instead.
Influencers weigh in on YouTube`s `censorship` controversy
Source: Digiday
After adjusting its censorship policies to become more "ad-friendly," online users were enraged of the impact on their viewing experience (#YouTubeIsOver was trending on Twitter last week).
Media Practices
Let’s not wait for another Alan Kurdi
Source: Huffington Post (the blog)
This article highlights how Alan Kurdi’s now iconic image has helped shift the world’s view of refugees, making aid efforts more visible and effective.
Why one-sided reporting on Syria harbours big dangers
Source: Middle East Eye
The people living in regime-controlled areas are being ignored by mainstream Western media, providing the Syrian regime more agency and thus making the peace process ever more difficult to achieve.
البرامج الإذاعية الصباحية: المزيد من أسباب الاهتراء
المصدر: مدوّنة حبر
تعلّق هذه المقالة على المستوى المنحط و المزري التي وصلت اليه البرامج الإذاعية الصباحية في الأردن، خاصة وانها تقوم بمحاولة تكوين الرأي العام حول كل ما يتعلّق بالمرأة العربية.
الإعلام العراقي.. صوت يستلهم مناخات الحرية
المصدر: موقع موجز العراق
تلقي هذه المقالة الضوء على واقع وسائل الإعلام في العراق وتقوم بمقاربة بين كيفية عمل الاعلام قبل سقوط نظام صدام حسين وبعده.
شوشة: اللغة العربية في الإعلام شرط هوية ودعامة مستقبل
المصدر: موقع عمون
تناقش هذه المقالة اهمية استخدام اللغة العربية الفصيحة، نظراً لما تقدمه لتتطوّر المجتمعات وتوحيد وجهات النظر حول القضايا المتنوعة.
Sexualising occupation: The uses and abuses of Israel`s female soldier
Source: Middle East Eye
Criticizing Vice’s photo-spread of female teenage Israeli soldiers which portrays them as beautiful and peaceful, this article argues that they are still killing machines and that there isn’t anything sexy about state terrorism
في ذكرى 11 سبتمبر.. من هذا الرجل الهابط على رأسه؟
المصدر: العربية نت
بمتاسبة مرور الذكرى الخامسة عشر لأحداث 11 ايلول، تلقي هذه المقالة الضوء على صورة "الرجل الهابط" التي احتلت الصفحات الأولى للعديد من الوسائل الاعلامية في حينها.
From Jadaliyya Media Roundups
Saudi Arabian man is jailed for 10 years and given 2,000 lashes for tweeting that he is an atheist and criticising religion
Source: Arabian Peninsula Media Roundup
The 28-year-old was sentenced after the state`s Islamic police discovered 600 tweets professing his atheism.
[The "Media On Media Roundup" is an initiative to survey published material in the news and broadcast media that deals with journalism, coverage, or mass communication practices about the region. These roundups are produced and curated in collaboration with the American University of Beirut`s Media Studies Program. The items collected here do not reflect the views of Jadaliyya or the editors of the Media Page.]