Arab Media Review: Anti-Semitism and Other Trends
January 2004
Arab Newspapers
Posted: February 23, 2004
Al-Ahram (Egypt) - an Egyptian daily owned by the Egyptian government: the president appoints the editor. He (as the editor of the other government owned dailies, al-Gumhuriyya and al-Akhbar) is given substantial leeway in his editorial practices, assuming he avoids certain "taboos". Al-Ahram is the largest Arabic paper in the world and has established the Al-Ahram Regional Press Institute.
(From the website: http://www.ijnet.org/Profile/Africa/Egypt/media.html)
Al-Gumhuriyya (Egypt) - a government daily.
Al-Wafd (Egypt) - Al-Wafd is the main opposition paper in Egypt. The paper criticizes the regime on a wide range of issues - from economy to internal and foreign policy. However, it is important to note that the criticism is on subjects that are allowed by the regime. The paper is one of the most acceptable channels of opposition activism, since the Egyptians see themselves as supporters of freedom of the press, and the paper is supposed to be concrete proof to this idea. Al-Wafd expresses extreme anti-Israel and anti-Semitic views, in articles and cartoons.
Ar-Rai (Jordan) - a government daily; expresses the approaches of the Jordanian regime.
As-Safir (Lebanon) - a Lebanese daily, close to Syria.
Al-Ayyam (PA) - a government daily.
Al-Hayat al-Jadida (PA) - the PA daily.
Al-Quds (PA) - an opposition daily, which does not exceed the government policy.
Al-Watan (SA) - a daily owned by the governor of the 'Asir district.
Ar-Riyadh (SA) - A Saudi daily, one of the four principal Saudi papers (the three others are: al-Madina, al-Jazira and al-Watan). The paper presents a relatively conservative attitude, while emphasizing (as most of the Saudi papers) its praise of the Royal family.
Generally, the Saudi government lays severe limitations on the freedom of press and has a strict censorship, even on the foreign press that enters Saudi Arabia. Since the Saudi press is government-oriented, it concentrates on praising the Saudi Royal Family. Of course, opposition or independent newspapers do not exist in Saudi Arabia. However, the London based Saudi press has more independent features
Tishrin (Syria) - a state sponsored and owned newspaper, in which the journalists are appointed and instructed by the government (The English-language Syria Times is publish-ed by Tishrin as well).
Al-Watan (Qatar) - Al-Watan is one of the five Qatari dailies. Al-Watan's chairman is Hamad bin Sahim al Thani, a member of the royal family (All of the papers are owned by different branches of the royal family). The Foreign Minister, Hamed bin Jasem bin Jaber al Thani, owns half of the newspaper.
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