Feb
Arab media threatened by new code, Part II
PHOTO: Haifa Wehbe, Esam Altuhafi,flickr.
The Arab League is trying to tighten its control on what is broadcast on TVs across the Arab world. Check out my previous post for more details.
Some notable statements in the charter are that satellite broadcast stations should not transmit “erotic or obscene material” nor should they damage “traditional values.”
Many, if not most, homes in Arab cities big and small have satellite dishes thrust out of their roofs. These satellite dishes bring in a range of channels both Arab and non-Arab. I remember during breakfast at my uncle’s home in Amman in 2005 sitting at the kitchen table watching American music videos. None of the cursing was bleeped out; it was all right there for everyone to listen to, clear as day.
What about the wildly popular and equally salacious videos of Arab superstars like Haifa Wehbe (known for such hits as “Kiss the Owie”) and Nancy Ajram? There is a tradition of conservatism in Arab society, as the charter points out, and the Arab League wants to protect it.
