Satellite TV Broadcasting in the Arab World Andrea J. Lawn Professor Carey CMGB 7554

Transcription

1 Satellite TV Broadcasting in the Arab World Andrea J. Lawn Professor Carey CMGB 7554

2 Satellite TV Broadcasting in the Arab World The availability and popularity of satellite television is changing the way Arabs see themselves and the rest of the world. The Arab world consists of 22 nations united by language but divided by political borders. There has been a strong interest in television as a media medium in the region. Programming is created to unite the market in an Arab-world-versus-the-rest point of view rather than stressing conflicts between Arab states. Television has worked to broaden the scale of Arab cross-boarder interaction and increase freedom of information. People are taking a growing interest in civil societal issues and are demanding more information from the domestic press. Satellite networks have changed from state-run programming to independent news channels that reflect public opinions. Television is becoming a vital media outlet because the region suffers from low literacy rates (see Table I). The first information distributed by satellite in the Middle East began in the eighties. Owned by private Saudi interests, it was transmitted from London to major population centers throughout the Arab world. In the mid eighties, an Arab-states satellite system, Arabsat, was created. All Arab television was stateowned and was really an extension of the ministries of information. The ministries of information often reacted to acted restrict freedom of expression and press. Censorship, legal harassment, intimidation and imprisonment of journalists were common tools of control and repression. The information ministers would often censor all media, embellish images and mobilize the

3 masses to serve the ends of regimes. Subjects censored by the information ministers included: graphic descriptions of sex, Islamic opposition, materials unfavorable to the Arab cause in the Israeli conflict, allegations of involvement of officials in drug-trafficking and the government s human rights record. Even though the network had the ability to transmit signals via direct broadcast service to cable, wireless cable and direct-to-home dish customers, Arabstat was used only for local news and exchanges between existing Arab state-owned television stations. Broadcasts of local news and public affairs were mostly of informational or PR value instead of intrinsically journalistic values. The exchange program between the different stations of the Arab countries was extremely limited due to shifting political alliances and sensitivities. Local news programs could include subjects like footage of a minister inaugurating a local chicken farm or live coverage of annual pilgrimages to Mecca. Since there was nothing else to watch, the population would watch these programs. In the late eighties, CNN began broadcasting on a shaky Soviet satellite, which happened to have a footprint that covered the Arab world. Many Arab countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq tried to restrict or ban the use of satellite dishes and imposed fines up to $133,000 to any people that were caught importing or manufacturing them. However, the high-ranking government officials in the Arab world who had satellite dishes began to watch CNN. In 1990, CNN and Egypt partnered to terrestrially rebroadcast CNN as CNE (Cable Network Egypt) as a pay-tv (encrypted) operation. CNE would be an uncensored, unrestricted 24-hour-a-day news channel produced by an

4 international news organization. At the same time, the Egyptian government became the first country to legalize the import and ownership of satellite dishes. With the start of the first Gulf War crisis, the US began using psychological warfare on Radio Baghdad as well as Egypt TV by leasing a powerful direct broadcasting transponder to broadcast 13 hours of daily programming on the Egyptian Space Net (ESN). Dishes and transmitters were installed in the forward areas of Saudi Arabia, where Egyptian forces serving in the US Alliance could view the anti-iraqi news and public affairs programming. CNN continued broadcasting 24 hour coverage of the war in Egypt. By the time the air war in the Gulf began, Saudi TV began to broadcast a censored version of pre-taped CNN directly to their country. At first, satellite viewing was only for the privileged because the cost of a basic dish cost around US $9,000. But now, satellite television has broken out of its narrow elite audience and is the primary TV distribution platform used to reach broad segments of the region s populations. Dish ownership began to grow due to a decrease in price (currently at $20 for a fixed dish), the increase in power and range of satellites, an increase in the amount of international programming and an increase in the number of companies servicing, manufacturing and marketing dishes (See Table II). Satellite penetration ranges from 10% to as high as 50% in the 22 Arab nations. The Gulf states were the first to utilize satellite broadcasting since they did not have any problems financing these projects. Today, every Arab country has a satellite television service that is seen throughout the Arab world, and parts of Europe and Africa. Arab consumers are

5 used to having at least free-to-air Arabic language services through cheap receivers. Government media has been rendered less relevant by the new satellite channels. The subscription to pay-tv services has been low at 400,000 households, even when disposable incomes are high. The dominant broadcasters in the satellite television industry are Saudi private interests who have very close ties with the Saudi royal family. The main broadcasting channels are detailed below. ART/1 st Net (Arab Radio and Television) - enjoys the largest reach and volume of Arabic programming and provides considerable religious and Arab heritage programming. It was transmitted from Italy via Arabstat when it started to avoid censorship and provides four channels of movies and music, sports, variety and children s programming. ART avoids news bulletins because they are expensive to produce and touch on sensitive issues that may enrage governments. MBC (Middle East Broadcasting) mix of news, public affairs, sports, fashion, movies and other entertainment with a professional, sophisticated and fast paced style. It was mostly produced in London for censorship reasons and has a mixed staff of British and Arab talent. Orbit offers over 40 channels of TV and radio including ESPN, Disney, America Plus (with Seinfeld and Friends), NBC, FOX, ABC, Super Movies, Orbit news, CNN international, Hollywood channel, a children s channel and an Arabic language general channel with successful entertainment and public affairs

6 programming. This is one of the more expensive networks. Also a version of the BBC news channel was broadcast with Arabic voice-over. Viewers in satellite TV households tend to watch specialized channels of news, music and sports. News channels represent the highest percent of the favorite channels because most viewers are interested in understanding what is going on in the world. Most dish owners try to receive as many signals as possible. There is a wide use of pirated access cards for about $2 a month that helps spread satellite television. In some countries, movable dishes are pointed North towards Europe, where satellites show soft-core pornography in addition to other programming. Large sums of money are spent acquiring the latest technology, but programming does not receive high priority. Low cost game shows, local affairs programs, light interviews and a very popular exercise program of leotard-clad women exercising on location in Lebanon are among the original programs created. Anywhere from 40% to 60% of daily TV programs are Islamically oriented. In addition mostly cheap non-threatening imports from Europe and the States, Mexican soap operas and old Egyptian movies are aired. The flow of the imported foreign programs has caused much debate. The Arab governments have complained that it exposes the public to too many new ideas and opinions: they fear that the morally flawed Western culture can have negative effects on traditional Arab values especially for the youth and women. Another concern was government sensitivity to unfavorable news topics which were previously censored. The final fear has been the concern that hostile countries or groups,

7 such as Islamic fundamentalists, may broadcast programs to undermine moderate Arab governments. Several methods of censorship are still being utilized by the Arab governments in an attempt to control satellite television. These include the banning of dishes, taxation and licensing and the adoption of an MMDS wireless cable system which allows the governments to censor directly the programs via tape delay system. However, some politicians in the region are finally understanding that satellite TV cannot be stopped and is a major driving force behind modernization of the regions economies and are sponsoring its development. Top reasons for viewing include the variety of channels, for excitement and entertainment value, the 24-hour nature of programming and passing time. Other reasons include obtaining world news and events and gaining useful daily information (See Table IV). There is equal male and female viewer-ship. The current information-rich media environment is demand and not supply driven. Viewers switch the channel to a variety of different choices if they are bored with the government s fare. Al Jazeera, which translates as the Peninsula, Satellite Channel was introduced in 1995 and now runs a 24-hour all-news, business and public affairs channel. It offers free, live, uncensored, world-class professional news and opinions provided by Arabs from various countries targeted at Arabs. No single nation dominates and bureaus are set up in almost all Arab countries including the West Bank. It was begun because Orbit shut down the BBC channel due to a comment made on air that belittled the Saudi judicial system and its application

8 of capital punishment. Set up in Qatar, they permitted the on-air talent to have freedom of speech. They were the first Arab channel to show free-ranging political debates, including interactive debates with live phone-ins, provocative hosts (including opposition leaders, dissidents and intellectuals) and hot topics (such as the roles of women in the workplace, human rights and democracy in the Arab world, political Islam, sanctions on Iraq and female circumcision) (see Table III). The interactive programming allows Arab audiences a way to express their views on the airwaves and has become a forum for all political sides to debate issues. The willingness to discuss sensitive and controversial issues and bravery in breaking taboos have set it apart from any other Arabic program. Although the public seems to enjoy Al Jazeera, many governments including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Morocco, have protested Al Jazeera and have taken punitive actions against it. Today Al Jazeera leads the region as the most credible and respected new source and is gaining popularity every day. Much of this success is due to its creator Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-thani who used his father s $137 million to set up Al Jazeera. Typically Arab channels were created to rival government programming and not foreign channels, but Al Jazeera was created to rival CNN and BBC by copying CNN s satellite technology and hiring BBC s editors and technicians. Al Jazeera quickly became important when they became an exclusive source of news on the Desert Shield/Storm in 1998 and continued when the Taliban allowed Al Jazeera exclusive rights to report on the war in

9 Afghanistan: this allowed Al Jazeera to tell the world s top story thought their footage and reports to billion of people around the planet. Viewers overwhelmingly watch Al Jazeera for hours on end or at least keep the network on in the background while doing other things for nearly half their waking hours. It is estimated that Al Jazeera has an audience of over 45 million individuals or 70% of Arabs with access to satellite TV. Satellite news is mostly viewed by middle-aged viewers while elderly viewers watched the least. Those with little education watched most and lower income individuals watched more than those who made more money. Liberal viewers watched more Al Jazeera than conservative viewers and Muslims and Christians watched approximately the same amount of Al Jazeera, but Jews and viewers of other faiths watched significantly less. Al Jazeera relied on government subsides for the first five years of operation. Today the channel claims to operate independently. The channel earns about 40% of their operating revenue from advertising and commercials and is able to raise the rest by renting out equipment, selling programming and videotapes and cable subscription fees. A missing piece of the regional satellite programming is profitability since the advertising market in much of the Arab world is weak. Costs to operate a satellite station are over $40 million a year, and most are not covering their expenses. Core advertising support is approximately $1 billion a year. Governments and wealthy individuals with ties to governments are currently funding the stations. Part of the problem is that there are no demographic

10 studies done and it is unclear who exactly viewers are. This leaves advertisers unsure of how best to target viewers. Problems of gathering demographics include the difficulty of coordinating statistics from 22 countries, a cultural resistance to answering personal questions and the relative poverty levels ($2,050 per capital income for the region) that leave discretionary spending at low or nonexistent levels. Many programs are now targeted for Gulf consumption with hopes to attract advertising dollars that will be able to reach the wealthiest audiences in the region. In spite of their rapid growth, transnational satellite television stations in the Arab world are still in their infancy. Satellite television will be the dominant form of TV distribution in the Arab world. There is considerable room for growth in the number of specialized TV channels. The middle classes of the Middle East include audiences numbering in the millions who are seeking more programming. Competition for ratings and competition for channels will increase. A plentiful supply of satellite capacity keeps down entry costs for private broadcasting in the region. The link between private ownership and political freedom will be rethought as many stations will cease to be controlled by ruling elites and governments. As programming continues, it will keep spreading freedom of information and speech and bringing out a democratization of the Middle East. Ultimately, satellite television is a force towards the integration of the Arab world into the global community.

11 Table I: Literacy Rates in Middle Eastern Countries (US Census Bureau) Table II: Communications Media per 1000 Households (World Bank Indicators)

12 Table III: Al Jazeera Programming Al Jazeera presents a news summary every hour on the half-hour, and four major news hours in the morning, mid-day, evening and night. The following are the main programs shown on Al Jazeera: A. Live Programs: Name of the Program Host Description 1. More Than One Opinion (Akthar min Ra'i) Sami Haddad Three guests debate the most newsworthy issue of the week 2.Opposite Directions (Al- Faisal al-qasimi Two guests take opposing Ittijah al-mu`akis) 3.Without Bounds (Bila Hudud) 4.Open Dialogue (Hewar Maftuh) 5.Shari`a and Life (Al- Sharia wal Hayat) views on an issue Ahmad Mansour Interviews of prominent figures; the host takes a position critical of the guest Ghasan Bin Jiddo Invites Arab intellectuals to discuss a pressing issue Maher Abdullah Discusses contemporary issues from an Islamic perspective. A regular on the show is Sheikh Youseff al-qaradawi 6.The Scene of the Incident (Mawqi' al-hadath) Hussein Abdulghani The host is sent to hot spots to file live reports *All programs except for "Open Dialogue" (monthly) and "The Scene of the Incident" (occasional) are weekly. B. The Most Important Recorded Programs: Program Host Description 1.Under Scrutiny (Taht al- Mijhar) Various Investigates a political or social story 2.Very Confident (Sirri lil Yousri Foudah Reexamines sensational Ghaya) stories 3. Eyewitness to the Era Ahmad Mansour Interviews prominent (Shahid ala al-asr) figures who occupied important roles in the past 4. A Bit of History (Shay Ahmad Taha Examines an event or day in min al-tarikh) history 5. Guest & Issue (Dayf wa Mohamed Kreshan A conversation with a guest Qadiya) about an issue in the news 6. The Weekly File (Al- Malaf al-usbu'i) Jamil `Azar Discusses salient news of the week 7. Al-Jazira's Mohamed al-bourini Daily reports from

13 Correspondents (Murasilu correspondents around the al-jazira) world 8.Hot Spot (Nuqta Sakhina) Ahmad Taha A documentary from hot spots around the world 9.Private Chat (Ziyara Sami Kulaib Interviews prominent Khassa) figures in their places of 10. The Cultural Scene (Al- Mashhad al-thaqafi) residence around the world Tawfiq Taha Discusses cultural news from around the Arab world *All programs except for "Very Confident" (monthly), "Al Jazeera's Correspondents" (daily) and "Hot Spot" (monthly) are weekly. Source: Al Jazeera's website <

14 Table IV: Satellite TV Viewing Motivations Based on a 1998 survey of 310 satellite television viewers in Cairo, Egypt who subscribe to satellite guides Affective needs: Agree (no/%) Disagree (no/%) 1. Because it passes the time away % % 4 2. Because it makes me feel less lonely % % 8 3. Because it is exciting and entertaining % 67 22% 2 4. Because it is a pleasant rest % % 6 5. To forget about my problems 69 9% % 9 6. Because no friends are around 28 18% % To escape from realities of everyday life 55 61% % Because it calms me down when I m in temper 43 14% % To watch uncensored programs % % Because national TV is not interesting % % Because it s always on (24 hours a day) % 76 25% Because there is a wide variety of channels % 26 8% 1 Agree Rank Cognitive needs: Agree (no/%) Disagree (no/%) 13. To understand what s going on in the world To learn from things happening in the world To observe foreign traditions and cultures To obtain useful information for daily life Because it is interesting To obtain information about foreign lifestyles To participate in discussions with friends Agree Rank

15 Bibliography Articles: The Arab Satellite Channel and Their Political Implications After the Iraq War, Hisham Sharabi. Al-Hayat: July 18, Contesting The State Media Monopoly: Syria on Al-Jazira Television, Nijib Ghadbian. MERIA: June Arab Satellite Television Between Regionalization and Globalization, Marwan M. Kraidy. Global Media Journal: Fall 2002 Satellite Television and Development in the Middle East, Naomi Sakr. Middle East Report: Spring Mass Media can Battle Mass Destruction, Newton Minow. USA Today: March 19, Inside Al Jazeera, Rick Zednik. Columbia Journalism Review: May/June Technology, Media and the Next Generation in the Middle East, Jon Anderson. NMIT: September 28, The Middle East s Information Revolution, Jon Alterman. Current History: January Algeria enjoys digital Piracy Boom, Marc Pondaven, Algiers: October 3, Arab Satellite Broadcasting: a challenge to the taboos?, Said Essoulami. CMF. Media Explosion in the Arab World: The Pan-Arab Satellite Broadcasters, Abdallah Schleifer. TBS: Fall Uses and Gratifications of Satellite TV in Egypt, Hala Rahman. TBS: Fall Transnational Media and Social Change in the Arab World, Jon Alterman. TBS: Spring The Age of New Media: The Role of Al-Jazeera Satellite TV in Developing Aspects of Civil Society in Qatar, Ali al-hail. TBS: Spring Satellite Broadcasting and Civil Society in the Middle East: The Role of Nilesat, Hussein Amin. TBS: Spring 2000.

16 Who is Al Jazeera s Audience? Deconstructing the Demographics and Psychographics of an Arab Satellite News Network Philip Auter. TBS: Spring The Current Situation of Satellite Broadcasting in the Middle East, Hussein Amin. TBS: Winter The Sweet and Sour Success of Al-Jazeera, Abdallah Schleifer. TBS: Fall Nilesat: Current Challenges and Future Trends, Hussein Amin. TBS: Summer The Future of Al Jazeera, Wadah Khanfar. TBS: Summer Reports: Middle East Satellite Communications and Internet via Satellite, DTT Consulting Ltd: London, England, October Websites: Films: Control Room, Lions Gate Films 2004.