This week’s Jadaliyya “Media on Media” roundup features stories on the manufacturing of media narratives during war, Egypt’s media laws, and a new ISIS radio show for concerned jihadis.
The New York Times has scrutinized Bana Alabed’s Twitter account. A seven-year-old girl from East Aleppo who tweets with the help of her mother and has gained massive popularity online, although some question the authenticity of the account.
Moreover, Jadaliyya has published an article calling for free and open debate on Syria, in reference to the frequently intolerant propaganda war being waged for the dominant media narrative.
In Egypt, the press syndicate continues its struggle against the parliamentary committee commissioned to draft a new media law, which is calling to create a number of laws for different media outlets, instead of a unified law protecting journalists and media personnel.
On the campus of the Lebanese University, students affiliated with Hezbollah banned Lebanese singer Fairouz’s songs during a ceremony organized by university students to commemorate a recently deceased friend. The incident has generated critique on social media, leading some to draw parallels with post-revolution Iran, when all music was banned from media by Khomeini.
ISIS has created its very own radio show, "Fatwas Over the Airwaves," for worried jihadists with sharia-related questions.
All of these stories and more are available below in further detail.
Media and Politics
The left and the Syria debate
Source: Jadaliyya
As`ad Abukhalil discusses the role that international and Western media as well as regional Gulf-funded media play in representing the war in Syria and how the left fit into this scheme. He argues that free and open debate on Syria is vital at a time when an intolerant propaganda war is being waged for the dominant media narrative.
New documentary on Egyptian conscription faces strong criticism
Source: Al-Monitor
Some people are claiming that the Al-Jazeera produced film, which recently led to tensions between Qatar and Egypt, has a pro-Muslim Brotherhood hidden agenda (opposed to Sisi) behind it according to Al-Monitor.
Media in military conflicts: The Syrian case
Source: The Jerusalem Post
The various sides in the Syrian war utilize communication technologies to their benefit, adopting different media strategies to their advantage, either to spread information or to create confusion. “Assad’s regime, the Syrian moderate opposition, and Kurdish and radical religious groups consider the information sphere an important and necessary battle ground.”
British government-funded outlet offered journalist $17,000 a month to produce propaganda for Syrian rebels
Source: Alternet project
Financial support to media activists in Syria could lead to biased reportage of events, while assistance of PR firms in the conflict is a demonstration of what each side will undertake to advance their geopolitical agendas.
Culture
إيران.. والموسيقى
المصدر: ميدل ايست اونلاين
انطلاقاً من حادثة منع موسيقى فيروز في حرم الجامعة اللبنانية في بيروت، تقارن هذه المقالة بين ما حصل في بيروت 2016 وبين إيران 1979 بعيد الثورة الإسلامية والقرار الذي أصدره آية الله الخميني بمنع الموسيقى في الإذاعة والمسرح والتلفزيون، قائلة إن كل الأصوليات تبدأ داعشية"، ولكن الاختلاف يقع في التجربة.
Fairuz vs. Hezbollah: A not so divine victory
Source: Raseef 22
The recent controversy surrounding Hezbollah-affiliated students’ intolerance of Fairouz’s music on the Lebanese University campus has sparked outcry on social media, in light of Hezbollah’s intervention in Syria and its growing regional power.
Dubai International Film Festival announces 2016 line-up
Source: The National
Scheduled on 7-14 December 2016, DIFF attracts global attention as it hosts a number of Hollywood stars as well talents from the region.
Media Industries
YouTube to open YouTube Space in Dubai Studio City
Source: Government of Dubai Media Office
YouTube has announced a partnership with Dubai Studio City to build a 10,000-square-feet studio called YouTube Space Dubai which will be the first facility of this type in the Middle East.
إغلاق صحيفة لبنانية يسلط الضوء على أزمة الصحافة المكتوبة
المصدر: رويترز
تعاني الصحافة المطبوعة من أزمة مادية على صعيد العالم العربي، حيث ان جريدة السفير اللبنانية أعلنت مؤخراُ عدم قدرتها على الاستمرار في العمل نظراً لتراجع عائدات الإعلانات.
"beIN".. إمبراطورية توجت قطر على عرش الإعلام الرياضي بالشرق الأوسط
المصدر: الخليج أونلاين
بمناسبة مرور عشر سنوات على نشوء قنوات "الجزيرة الرياضية" تلقي هذه المقالة الضوء على مسيرتها المهنية وقدرتها على الريادة في مجال الإعلام الرياضي في العالم العربي والمنطقة.
Freedom of Journalists/Expression
Mysterious shutdown plagues popular news site in Qatar
Source: Columbia Journalism Review
The blocking of "Doha News," Qatar’s only independently-owned media outlet, has spawned theories that "a guest piece written by an unnamed Qatari male who described the challenges of being gay in an Islamic state" could be the reason of blockage.
Do Turkey’s police use social media monitoring to crack down on dissent?
Source: The Daily Dot
Turkish authorities are using off-the-shelf social media monitoring solutions in order to apprehend journalists and dissidents, according to the Daily Dot.
Kuwait: Cyber Crimes Law silencing dissent, as Sara Al-Drees remains subject to prosecution in ongoing trial, says coalition trial observation report
Source: Gulf Center for Human Rights
Kuwaiti blogger Sara Al-Drees faces 5 years in prison for a tweet, on accusations of defaming the Kuwaiti emir and violating the "Cyber Crimes Law." An observer has provided a trial observation report which is featured in the article.
"شتم الدولة" ...اعتقال الأمين يثير جدلاً واسعاً
المصدر: عرب 48
#الستاتوس_مش_جريمة انتشرت عبر مواقع التواصل الإجتماعي على إثر توقيف الطالب باسل الأمين على خلفية تغريدة قام بها بسبّ الدولة مناهضاً العنصرية ضد اللاجئين السوريين، ما أثار جدالات حول حرية التعبير وعن كرامة
قيادات صحفية: تجزئة "الإعلام الموحد" للسيطرة عليه وليس لدينا ضمانة لإصدار باقي المواد
المصدر: مصر العربية
الخلاف بين نقابة الإعلاميين واللجنة البرلمانية المكلّفة بتشكيل قانون جديد للإعلام ما زال مستمراً على خلفية أن "هناك نية مبيتة لإصدار قانون مسخ يضمن سيطرة شكلية وموضوعية على الصحافة ووسائل الإعلام في مصر"
كيف يقودك منشور على فيسبوك الى محكمة أمن الدولة
المصدر: مدونة حبر
تبدأ حبر بهذا التقرير سلسلة من خمس حلقات من تقارير صوتية ومكتوبة، تحاول رصد التعديات على الحريات السياسية أو المدنية أو الشخصية في المجتمع الأردني. تقول هذه المقالة أنه في حين يتباهى السياسيين بانتشار الإنترنت إلى 80%، فقد ازدادت نسبة الاعتداء على الحريات الفردية معها.
ارتفاع ملحوظ في انتهاكات الاحتلال للحريات الإعلامية الشهر الماضي
المصدر: القدس العربي
تناقش هذه المقالة عدد الانتهاكات والضغوطات الموجهة ضد الإعلاميين في فلسطين خلال شهر تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر.
بعد الفشل في توجيه الرأي العام البريطاني والأمريكي: الإعلام الأجنبي يبدأ "حفلة" الدفاع عن حرية الصحافة والإعلام في مصر!
المصدر: الأهرام
تعلق هذه المقالة على الإهتمام الزائد لوسائل اعلامية عالمية حول موضوع حريّات وسائل الإعلام المصرية، مناقشة الأطر التي تتناول هذه الوسائل الموضوع ومن أي منحى تلقي الضوء عليه. تقوم المقالة الى حد ما بالدفاع عن التي تقوم بها الدولة نحو الإعلاميين.
Social Media
Girl posting to Twitter from Aleppo gains sympathy, but doubts follow
Source: New York Times
The NYT, among many other outlets, questions the authenticity of seven-year-old Bana Alabed’s tweets from East Aleppo, looking deeper into her language and tweeting habits, implying the possibility of a manufactured account. However, NYT cautions, the manufactured aspects of the account do not discredit the difficult existence of many children in East Aleppo.
How Facebook hurt the Syrian Revolution
Source: Al-Jazeera
This blog post argues that while social media has allowed the revolution to gain global attention, it failed to create real momentum on the ground, and instead exposed activists to the regime’s authority: "social media is helping dictators, while giving the masses an illusion of empowerment and political worthiness," the author writes.
Media Practices
Is Iraqi government censoring media`s military coverage?
Source: Al-Monitor
Al-Monitor sheds light on how the Iraqi government controls international coverage of the ongoing Mosul battle, thereby controlling the media narrative and limiting any "false information" from getting out.
ISIS launches "Agony Uncle" radio show for jihadists
Source: Dhaka Tribune
ISIS chiefs have created their very own radio show for worried Jihadists looking for answers to sharia-related problems, such as the permissibility of women to view YouTube videos.
Fears over biased, inaccurate content dominate spirited debate on future of the media
Source: Zawya
The article covers a panel titled "Media and Making the Future" which happened during the Knowledge Summit in Dubai, dealing with the parallel development of technology and media and their impact on the field of journalism.
Public campaign to increase Arab voices in the media makes its mark
Source: 972 Magazine
972 Magazine continues its coverage of the efforts made to include more Palestinian interviewees on Israeli television, arguing that structural changes are necessary to end discrimination and create an inclusive environment for Arab journalists, interviewees and viewers.
بافلوفية الإعلام والإعلان [رأي]
المصدر: القدس العربي
تعلّق هذه المقالة على نوعية الإعلانات العربية، واصفة اياها بالـ "بافلوفية" بسبب قدرتها تكوين وعي المشاهد والسيطرة عليه عبر بناء البرامج والمحتوى الإعلامي حول هذه الإعلانات التي لا تخضع لنفس الرقابة، أي ان المشاهد يشاهد الإعلانات وليس المحتوى.
كيف غطى الإعلام العربي والعالمي حرب الموصل؟
المصدر: المصدر 7
يرصد في هذا التقرير كيف تناول الإعلام المصري والعربي والعالمي، معركة الموصل منذ اندلاعها وحتى الآن، ملقياً الضوء على الممارسات العملية التي ادت الى هذه التغطية.
From Jadaliyya Media Roundups
Rebel, Rebel: The Protest Songs of Yemen’s War
Source: Jadaliyya DARS Media Roundup
When conflict breaks out in any country, there is also a cultural war, a drumbeat to accompany the fighting on the ground. Yemen is no exception, and much of this soft war has taken the form of revolutionary songs. Bilal al-Aghbari is a singer for the Yemeni Popular Resistance, which has been fighting Houthi rebels and their pro-Saleh allies around Taiz. "I participated in the revolution of 2011,” he said, “and now I am participating in the cultural war by producing inspiring songs for the fighters.” “Artistic resistance is half of the fight, and each person has to make the most of their strengths to resist invaders,” said Aghbari. Their purpose, he believes, is to encourage fighters, console the families of martyrs and encourage civilians to be patient.
[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.]