This week’s Jadaliyya "Media on Media" roundup features a host of articles about the Jordan Arab Media Festival which discussed the hurdles and opportunities facing Arab media as well as counterterrorism efforts.
On social media, there was ado about the recent controversy of banning the burkini on French shores. Arabs went online to either vociferously denounce such human rights violations or to throw their support behind the French government’s decision.
On the other hand, Palestinian Omran Nazzal is yet to be released from his tentative 3-month ‘administrative detention’, his lawyers have predicted that an extension to his detention would likely be issued.
Meanwhile, the Huffington Post reviews the recently published New York Times feature on the Middle East.
All of these stories, and more, are available below in further detail.
Media and Politics
Pokemon And Propaganda: The Way To Help Syrian Kids Is To De-Escalate The War
Source: New Matilda
This article argues that Omran Daqneesh’s iconic image is being used as propaganda, to justify continued military intervention in Syria, and proposes that de-escalating the conflict is the best way forward.
‘Western Propaganda is Paid for in Syrian Blood’
Source: Global Research
Dr Bouthaina Shaaban, political and media advisor to Syrian president Bashar al Assad, further explains the politics and propaganda that revolves around Omran Daqneesh’s image, putting it in a broader context of corporate media practices, Western intervention, and the weaponization of Syrian children.
إسرائيل .. وإستغلال الإعلام الغربي لترويج ديمقراطيتها
المصدر: عين اليوم
تلقي هذه المقالة الضوء على استغلال الكيان الصهيوني وسائل اعلامه و ادواته لنشر افكاره و ثقافته لغسل عقول الشباب العربي.
Culture
The price of photography: Shawkan, 1000+ days behind bars
Source: CPJ-Committee to Protect Journalists
This article aims to shed light on Mahmoud Abou Zeid, an Egyptian photojournalist who has been in detention for 1000 days today, by promoting a photography exhibition which features some of his works that encapsulate the essence of the Egyptian revolution.
Palestinians have no role to play in Israel`s film academy
Source: +972 Mag
This article criticizes discrimination against Palestinians by the Israeli Academy of Film and TV, adopting the perspective of a concerned Israeli filmmaker.
Cinematology 8: In praise of Ramadan series Afrah al-Qobba
Source: Mada Masr
While some find that in sexing up a Naguib Mahfouz novel, the makers of this Ramadan`s "Afrah al-Qobba" distort its evocative appeal, others react by saying that it is rather ‘interesting’.
War Games
Source: The Economist
This article is a direct review of a number of films that directly reflect how Hollywood has managed to stop worrying about the portrayal of war zones in the Middle East, and start having ‘fun’ with them instead: laughs and giggles.
Media Industries
Here’s The Story Behind This Summer’s Incredible NYT Magazine Middle East Issue
Source: The Huffington Post
This article examines how the NYT managed to run their recent special issue `Fractured Lands` ad-free.
I can’t stop looking at these great Gawker posts about the Middle East
Source: Mondoweiss
Gawker, the popular American politics and gossip blog, was recently bankrupted by series of lawsuits supported by a Silicon Valley billionaire. This article examines how the blog has covered the Middle East, focusing on their coverage of Israel/Palestine.
Freedom of Journalists/Expression
Freedom of the press: Palestine`s journalists call for action
Source: Al-Monitor
This article argues that despite Palestine being the first to sign the Declaration on Media Freedom in the Arab World, journalists and media personnel continue to be harassed and oppressed in a clear violation of public freedoms.
IFJ condemns Israel`s failure to release Palestinian journalist
Source: The Guardian
This article examines the circumstances by which Omran Nazzal, a seasoned Palestinian journalist, is still kept under ‘administrative detention’ without a trial – Nazzal has been on a hunger strike since 4 August in protest of the decision of extending his detention.
Liberté, Egalité, Burkini?
Source: BBC
Social media users continue their outrage against the highly controversial decision by French officials to ban the burkini from the shores of Nice.
Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of August 21
Source: CPJ
Reporting on the multiple occasions where the Erdogan-backed Turkish government has deliberately been pressuring and oppressing journalists in echo of the failed July coup attempt, this weekly updated roundup sums up the situation for media that are struggling to operate in such an environment of restriction and clear violation of freedom of speech.
Social Media
Where is Palestine?
Source: Newsweek ME
This article reiterates the case against Google, critically questioning its argument that a ‘bug’ caused the erasure of Palestine from its Maps.
Iran rounds up 450 social network users
Source: Your Middle East
Gherdab, the cyber arm of the highly powerful Revolutionary Guard, has upped its efforts in restricting the internet by arresting 450 internet users who were accused of spreading immoral and un-Islamic values over social media platforms, given the country’s strict rules against accessing these platforms.
Arab social media alarmed by burkini ban in France [Video]
Source: BBC
Besides the wave of uproar among Arab social media users, this article argues that the French government has more urgent things to attend to, rather than tell a woman what she can/can’t wear on the beach.
What about the Burkini-hating Arabs?
Source: AlBawaba
This article reviews social media commentary by Arabs who have voiced criticism of the woman in Nice forced to disrobe for `putting herself in that position.`
Media Practices
The media`s Palestinian disappearing act
Source: Middle East Eye
This article argues that major news outlets and agencies like Reuters, AFP, and AP are twisting the facts while covering the Palestinian struggle.
Journalists should expose terrorism, radical groups
Source: The Jordan Times
A number of commentators at the recent Jordan Festival for Arab Media in Amman urged journalists and media personnel to not adopt `Western` terminology and viewpoints in the work.
بالفيديو.. المتحدث السابق للحكومة: مواجهة الإعلام الغربي ضرورية
المصدر: العربية نيوز
متحدثالسابقللحكومة المصرية يلوم اختلاف وجهات نظر دول "الشرق" و "الغرب" حول ماهيّة الاعلام و دوره في صناعة الخبر، الامر الذي ادّى الى تخلّف وسائل الاعلام العربية من استغلال الطرق المستحدثة في طريقة كتابة الاخبار ووضعها في الاطارات السياسية والاقتصادية و الاجتماعية.
Others
الصحافة اللبنانية تودّع زين الدين
المصدر: جريدة السفير
تقدّم هذه المقالة نبذة موجزة عن حياة الدكتور أحمد زين الدين الذي تتلمذ على يده العديد من الاعلاميين اللبنانيين والعرب.
Disarming a cyber mercenary, patching Apple Zero Days
Source: Deibert Citizen Lab
This article by the University of Toronto`s Citizen Lab uncovers how Ahmed Mansoor, a human rights activist in the UAE, was recently targeted by the country`s security agencies using spyware created by the secretive Israeli firm the NSO Group. Mansoor contacted CItizen Lab, who were then able to figure out how the NSO Group`s software exploited existing flaws in his iPhone.
خاص: مهرجان الاردن للاعلام العربي
«النهضة العربية» في افتتاح مهرجان الأردن للإعلام
المصدر: الحياة
هذه المقالة تلقي الضوء على فعاليات مهرجان الاردن للإعلام مشيدة برسالة الاعلام ومدى قدرته على توعية الشعوب وخلق الروابط الاجتماعية عبر الاقطر العربية.
منتدون يناقشون اخلاقيات الاعلام الالكتروني في الوطن العربي
المصدر: العرب نيوز
تؤكد هذه المقالة على ضرورة وضع ضوابط و قوانين فعّالة لتنظيم العمل الاعلامي الاكتروني، و منع انتشار الفكر المتطرّف في الشبكات العنقودية في ظل غياب اي معايير للمهنية.
ندوة "فلسطين في الإعلام العربي"
المصدر: المدينة نيوز
عقدت ضمن اعمال مهرجان الاعلام العربي، ندوة متخصصة بعنوان "القدس في الإعلام العربي" بمشاركة مجموعة من المتخصصين بالشأن الفلسطيني وعدد ممثلي وسائل الإعلام العربية، الذين تناولوا أبرز ملامح تعاطي وسائل الإعلام العربية المرئية والمسموعة والمقروءة والالكترونية مع قضية فلسطين.
"ندوة حول "مهنية الاعلام في الوطن العربي تحت وطأة التأثير السياسي
المصدر: المدينة نيوز
تقوم هذه المقالة بتلخيص مجريات احداث الندوة التي تناول فيها المشاركون محاور عدة ابرزها : الحياد في الاعلام ، هل هو شعار او واقع؟ والمصطلحات المستخدمة بالاعلام في ظل الوضع والمحددات الدولية ، والتدخل في اليات العمل الصحفي.
انسحاب وفد مصر المشارك بمهرجان الاردن للإعلام العربي
المصدر: بوابة مصر
سوء التنظيم و شعور الوفد بعدم الاحترام و التقدير ادّت الى انسحاب الوفد قبل انتهاء فعاليات المهرجان.
قطر والكويت تحصدان 6 جوائز بمهرجان الأردن للإعلام العربي
المصدر: وكالة انباء الشعر
في ختام مهرجان الاردن للإعلام العربي، تأتي كل من قطر والكويت في صدارة الدول الفائزة بجوائز تقديرية للجهود المبذولة لتحسين اداء الاعلام واطر تطوّره.
From Jadaliyya Media Roundups
Battle for Aleppo: Photo of shocked and bloodied Syrian five-year-old sparks outrage
Source: Jadaliyya Syria Media Roundup
A photo of a dazed and bloodied Syrian boy rescued from a destroyed building in Aleppo after an air strike has caused outrage around the world.
Don`t Panic! Syrian writers and artists are the enemies of extremism
Source: Jadaliyya Syria Media Roundup
Malu Halasa writes that contrary to what the British officials who held a woman for reading it may think, a book on their work is the last place to look for violent intent.
United Nations to feature FRONTLINE’s “Children of Syria” on Aug. 19
Source: Jadaliyya Syria Media Roundup
In the United Nations (U.N.) special event commemorating World Humanitarian Day, FRONTLINE’s 2016 documentary Children of Syria will be featured guests.
From the streets of Kobane to the Berlin Wall
Source: Jadaliyya Syria Media Roundup
The WARonWALL exhibition brings the war in Syria to the heart of Germany`s capital.
The story behind Egyptian photographer`s award-winning image
Source: Jadaliyya Egypt Media Roundup
Abd al-Gawwad’s photo was selected for first place in UNESCO`s Unite for Heritage global competition late last month, out of over 10,000 entries from all over the world.
[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.]