The fatigue factor
It's no wonder Dubai authorities are feeling a little irritated. Used to the local press swallowing down whole their endless glowing promises and visions, it must be very trying when international media refuse to play ball.
And it must be even more galling when local papers reprint this "bad and wrong propaganda", as Labour Minister Dr Al Ka'abi describes it.
For the tide has finally, irrevocably turned. The rest of the world is growing as sick of Dubai as it was once fascinated by it. Megaprojects are as likely to draw a yawn as a gasp of wonder. Increasing international awareness of the plight of third world workers draws horror and disgust. As Gulf News (not without a sense of glee, one imagines, if the emails received from GN hacks disillusioned by this are any indication) notes:
Meanwhile, headlines in the international press have been hard hitting.
"Revolt stirs as Dubai aims high", wrote the Guardian; "Tourists become targets as Dubai workers take revolt to the beaches", said The Observer; "In UAE tales of Paradise lost", splashed the Washington Post.
It might be time for Dubai to roll up its ad banners, batten down the hatches and keep a lower profile for a while.
And it must be even more galling when local papers reprint this "bad and wrong propaganda", as Labour Minister Dr Al Ka'abi describes it.
For the tide has finally, irrevocably turned. The rest of the world is growing as sick of Dubai as it was once fascinated by it. Megaprojects are as likely to draw a yawn as a gasp of wonder. Increasing international awareness of the plight of third world workers draws horror and disgust. As Gulf News (not without a sense of glee, one imagines, if the emails received from GN hacks disillusioned by this are any indication) notes:
Meanwhile, headlines in the international press have been hard hitting.
"Revolt stirs as Dubai aims high", wrote the Guardian; "Tourists become targets as Dubai workers take revolt to the beaches", said The Observer; "In UAE tales of Paradise lost", splashed the Washington Post.
It might be time for Dubai to roll up its ad banners, batten down the hatches and keep a lower profile for a while.
Labels: dubai coverage, labourers, media
13 Comments:
Well, if the Dubai press cant give the real picture, someone's gotta!
and about time too...
need sleep now :-)zzz
The tide is high but I'm holding on
I'm gonna be your number one
I'm not the kind of city who gives up just like that
Oh, no
It's not the things you do that tease and wound me bad
But it's the way you do the things you do to me
If only the tide was high, archer, it might wash away a few things...
I am really sick of these lazy workers.... and their sick manipulation of the media in spreading mean and vicious propaganda....
They should either work or leave...
Washington Post - Pardise Lost
Guardian - Dubai Revolt
The Observer - Dubai Revolt
if only they could really leave...
Although workers should be treated better and given better living conditions.. we have to remember that they wernt beaten and shackled when they came to the UAE. They came at their own free will.
As for Dubai press... I only read it coz my work requires that I have to..and enjoy the Non-Sequitor and Garfield cartoons
They came at their own free will.
The opposite is not possible without their passports. Duh.
Dubai Spy ....
I stand by my statement.
Now if I really hated the labourers why link to 3 stories that describe the plight.
If you need to know more about my comment....
Blinging Dubai
earthbound misfit - oh comeon, you're not even trying.
They should also get those hideous workers busses off the road off our beautiful city, and get rid of any car over 3 years old and/or worth less than AED100,000.
Those workers camps in al quoz etc. should go too, move everyone of em to Sharjah or even better RAK, and we wouldn't have to look at them either.
That would clean the place up
The old advertising truth - make sure the product's right before you advertise it.
Dubai wanted to be in the world's spotlight and has done a great job achieving that. The problem is that the product wasn't right...worker expoitation being one obvious thing...and the spotlight searches those things out as well as the good stuff. No-one should be surprised that the media publishes the bad as well as the good.
Maybe the pressure will bring the inevitable changes around a little faster.
The Dubai press is garbage.
It's garbage because all the bloody journalits are expatriates. One spelling mistake and your excommunicated.
This is the learning curve. If you want to play ball with the big boys, you play by their rules. Simple.
Reality has hit Dubai. Now the work really begins.
Based on my above spelling mistake, I plead with you not to excommunicate me...
I know that journalits died out a long time ago. Journalists replaced them because of their ability to copy press releases word for word.
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