It takes only a cursory bit of research to discover that the press systems of virtually all North African countries are less than ideal, in terms of transparency, honesty, and in their ability to portray unbiased views of their regions' current events. Government-run media is the popular practice, and that of course leads to all sorts of problems specific to each nation. None of the countries in North Africa qualify as being "Free," according to the standards of Freedom House's Map of Press Freedom study from 2010, and only Egypt is described as "Partly Free."
It is my hope in the next several posts to bring to your attention the qualities of the press structures of all the individual countries, as well as share some stories related to each.
Sources: http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=251&year=2010
Post 2: Libya's Media Structure
Libyan media is a particularly intriguing one to investigate at this moment, because it is in a state of rapid flux. The press suffered under extremely rigid authoritarian rule for forty-two years ever since head of state Muammar Gaddafi rose to power in a coup d'état in 1969. Since then, Libya has ranked consistently among the lowest rates of press freedom in the world. In only 2010, Freedom House rated them fourth from last of all countries in press freedom.
Even since that data was released, further violations of the media have ensued, including up to eighty acts of violence or detention of Libyan journalists in only the months of March and April of this year. Since Libya has been in a state of civil war since about February, such attacks were regrettably expected. In a further move demonstrating authoritarian structure, Gaddafi's forces shut down the internet for some time in February, a capitalization on previous undermining of the service providers' abilities to function, another move toward an attempted complete news blackout. Quite telling is the fact that the owner of Libya's largest internet provider is Mohamed Gaddafi, one of Muammar Gaddafi's own sons.
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| "Gaddafi Versus Democracy" by Jan-Erik Ander, a Swedish Political Cartoonist |
However, extremely recently--within the past two months, Gaddafi's forces have apparently been deemed unable to resist oppositional forces so it should be very interesting to see what developments take place in the near future.
Sources: http://en.rsf.org/journalists-confined-to-their-04-03-2011,39681.html
http://www.caaglop.com/robbenisland-blog/politics/north-african-press-freedom-under-scrutiny/
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=251&year=2010
Photo: http://www.cartoonmovement.com/cartoon/1513
Post 3: Further Libya Coverage
I just found this video that was put on the internet only yesterday. It provides a pretty intriguing look into what is going on right now with regards to Libya's future in a presumably much freer structure of press. While alternative media had played less of a role during the revolution, it is quickly gathering support among the oppositional forces as its practice becomes safer. It is an extremely popular movement among young people, about the same age as myself. Interviewed is a twenty-three year old CEO of a media outlet, among other new workers in the field who are as young as seventeen. Rebel government leaders are promising a free media, so this is a career path that many Libyans had never been able to consider.
Here's the video:
Post 4: Egypt
One of the things I was supposed to be on the lookout for within these posts was either differences or similarities between countries of the North African region. I think you will notice in my analysis of Egypt's press structure that, especially over the past year or so, it has followed an arc of action very comparable to Libya. But because my posts on each country are done in a fairly random order, it should be said that though Libya's post preceded this one, many of the similar actions I will speak about took place chronologically after Egypt's.
At just a surface glance, Egypt's media structural system of the past many years seemed to be in fairly good shape. Large and widely self sufficient, Egypt is the home to over 550 periodical publications. Also, there is a guarantee of free speech in Egypt's constitution. The problem is that, as revolutionary discourse grew more widespread, Egypt's government enacted Emergency and Press Laws, among others that enable the government to penalize or detain journalists on bases of censorship. Also notable is the fact that the state owns ninety-nine percent of newspaper distributors. Basically, the government was carrying on under the disguise of a free press system when it was truly authoritarian.
In a manner that Libya would somewhat emulate, the Egyptian people arose to force their president, Hosni Mubarak, to resign. Social media played a huge role in this overthrow.
Facebook and Tweeter-user, Wael Ghonim became a symbolic leader of the cause after launching a facebook page called "We Are All Khaled Said," and eventually organizing a public protest gathering. Twitter was also a force in allowing people to know what was going on, as trending topics and video uploads unified not only the Egyptian people's, but the world's views as well, on the revolution.
Follow this link to learn more from a short video if you like:
http://youtu.be/dqHPRHOHcN8
Post 5: President Obama's take on the "Arab Spring" of 2011
As this is a course dedicated to international communications, I began to grow curious as to how all of these aforementioned uprisings and fights for freedom of speech were being around the world so amidst several articles and videos, I came across this snippet of President Obama's speech about what has come to be known as the "Arab Spring," referring to the almost domino-like effect of North African and Middle Eastern countries overthrowing oppressive government. I had, as many, heard of the various activities in Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, and Syria. With two wars already to attempt to keep track of in my mind though, I think they bounced off my brain with only the concept that "something's going on over there" really sticking. I had missed this speech but it really gives a sense of coherence to the uprisings from a world, and United States, perspective. Until now, I had only read of the events in a country-by-country manner, but this helped me realize this is really a larger pattern of movement than might originally meet the eye.
I'll post the shorter version, but if you're interested, definitely check out the full speech:
Post 6: Thoughts
So I've now been immersed in all this research on these countries and have had to think about how I want to portray them on this site for several days now. It is sort of a given that, in my subconscious, I'm looking for ideas to possibly post here at all times. Now, since North Africa does not come in conversation extremely often (or just normally often, or for some, at all), I have had to sort of dig deep to draw any sort of connection between these topics and anything that has to do with me.
Then this concept hit me, and the more I think about it, the more intriguing I think it is. It has to do with the actual format of project my group chose to do, the weblog. It occurred to me that if I was completing this exact same project in most of the countries we are reporting on, I could probably be arrested or worse. Commenting on the government's role in reducing its citizens' freedom is punishable in each country, even though each country has mention of a free press in its constituation.
Here are some of the bloggers who are much braver than me:
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| Maikel Nabil Sanad |
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| Mohamed Nabous |
Sources: http://www.cpj.org/2011/04/more-journalists-held-in-libya-blogger-jailed-in-e.php
http://www.euronews.net/2011/03/19/libyan-rebel-blogger-killed-by-sniper/
Photos: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=maikel+nabil+sanad&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1395&bih=724&tbm=isch&tbnid=5TwBNWJh9Idz7M:&imgrefurl=http://middleeast.about.com/b/2011/04/23/so-much-for-egypts-spring-the-jailing-of-maikel-nabil-sanad.htm&docid=hP00dNT25RmAZM&w=500&h=379&ei=f_4oTp-TL8jIgQeWob2FCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=422&vpy=93&dur=2816&hovh=195&hovw=258&tx=113&ty=107&page=1&tbnh=138&tbnw=189&start=0&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=maikel+nabil+sanad&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1395&bih=724&tbm=isch&tbnid=5TwBNWJh9Idz7M:&imgrefurl=http://middleeast.about.com/b/2011/04/23/so-much-for-egypts-spring-the-jailing-of-maikel-nabil-sanad.htm&docid=hP00dNT25RmAZM&w=500&h=379&ei=f_4oTp-TL8jIgQeWob2FCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=422&vpy=93&dur=2816&hovh=195&hovw=258&tx=113&ty=107&page=1&tbnh=138&tbnw=189&start=0&ndsp=31&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0
Post 7: Tunisia
You will find that the structure of Tunisia's press system has followed a very recognizable pattern, much like those of Libya and Egypt. It had and, to a degree, still has a censored press, rating at an eighty-five out of one hundred on Freedom House. Though its constitution supports freedom of speech, reporters knew not to write about touchy subjects, or else face jail time. By December of 2010, rather than carry on under such conditions, among various other human rights issues, an opposition movement began a revolution. To clarify though, Tunisia was the first of the three countries to actually revolt against its media-suppressing government, sort of providing an idea of what the other countries could achieve given their own variable situations.
Tunisia is still very much in the midst of its revolution. The new government elections are not until October, and with over sixty political parties running for positions, the media's future relative freedom is very much a mystery at this point. While internet usage is becoming more available, even provisional government officials are concerned about a wide range of issues reaching citizens, from political speech to pornography. This is still a developing event that will be interesting to observe.
Sources: http://www.caaglop.com/robbenisland-blog/politics/updates-from-tunsia/
http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=251&year=2010
Photo:http://www.kdp-syria.de/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65%3Atunisian-crowds-demand-eradication-of-ruling-party&catid=39%3Apolitics-news&Itemid=62
Post 8: Algeria
The situation that is easily visible in North Africa is one of a uniform lack of press freedom. The reasons reporters experience so many obstacles vary between the different nations, but a very common aspect between them structurally is a constitutional promise of freedom of the press, but evidential hypocrisy in its practice.
Algeria is yet another case of this. While the government does not necessarily control what actually gets written in Algeria's roughly forty-five independent newspapers, jail time is a well-understood consequence of defamation of either the president or other high ranking officials. The state also controls all printing outlets as well as all of the advertising for the newspapers, so their respective survival depends on keeping the government satisfied with the content of their coverage.
Al Qaeda also maintains a distinct presence in the Islamic Maghreb region--which includes Algeria, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia--and reporters have been known to be threatened for negatively toned articles about the organization. In the 1990's, seventy journalists were killed by this and other terrorist groups. Violence lessened after the decade but has been noted to be rising slightly again.
Satellite television is fairly common in Algeria, and European channels are among the most popular of its options, so this provides a certain amount of transcultural communication; however, Algeria still ties for the 133rd position out of 178 countries included in Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index of 2010.
Sources:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/world/africa/28algeria.html
http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2010,1034.html
Photo: http://www.sat7usa.org/
Post 9: Morocco and Western Sahara
(While Western Sahara is internationally recognized as not being a part of Morocco, independent studies at a national level are not conducted for it, and its media situation is most closely linked to Morocco's.)
Keeping right on with the look at Reporters Without Borders' Press Freedom Index, Morocco places directly after Algeria, in the 135th position. The nations' immediate proximity is quite readily understood with some research of the normal structures of Morocco's media, as the two are almost exactly the same with respect to the role that the state plays in newspaper and television media's freedom. Advertising is dominated by the government, and again for that reason, journalists must practice cautious self-censorship.
Prison sentences were not the norm for a long time, however, just this June, a criminal case seems to have opened the door for many future arrests on the grounds of attacking the government, politicians, or casting Morocco or its people in a negative light. Rachid Nini, editor of one of Morocco's most widely-read papers, was sentenced to a year in prison with no bail, along with a fine, for what normally would have been an incident addressed by the country's press law.
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| Rachid Nini |
Sources:http://en.rsf.org/morocco-casablanca-court-sentences-09-06-2011,40433.html
http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2010,1034.html
Photo: http://economicsnewspaper.com/economics/morocco-rachid-nini-or-the-extraordinary-story-of-an-immigrant-smuggling-became-the-first-journalist-in-the-country-24772.html
Post 10: Sudan
Sudan has one of the worst media situations in the world. There is literally so much to be reported on domestically, yet reporters are no where near free to do so honestly. By the way, I did not know this until now, but South Sudan has just split from the rest of the country this July, an act that has been decades in the making.
World news is absolutely rife with stories of Sudanese journalists being arrested, imprisoned, tortured and worse. Amidst larger-scope issues of genocide and civil war though, these more singular stories do not always surface.
One man, Abuzar Ali Al-Amin, editor of a newspaper, was imprisoned for a year, during which time, he has been visibly beaten and tortured by various means. Then, two weeks before his release early this month, he was informed he was being retried based on new accounts provided by the national security services. This time he may be facing life imprisonment or possibly the death penalty.
Sources: http://en.rsf.org/sudan-two-weeks-ahead-of-release-jailed-28-06-2011,40541.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14267746
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/sudan/index.html
http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2010,1034.html
Photo: http://en.rsf.org/sudan-two-weeks-ahead-of-release-jailed-28-06-2011,40541.html
