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03 May, 2006

Unfair pressure

UAE newspapers. We know they're limp rags compared to their international counterparts, but it's not the journalists' fault:

"Every newspaper and reporter self-censors and any newspaper that says they don't is deluded," said the editor of a local newspaper.

More frustrating than government pressure is corporate meddling:

"They said private advertisers openly pressured and threatened publications by pulling advertising if they saw stories they did not like."

Of course these are often one and the same: government-owned companies strong-arming the local press to withdraw stories or suppress others from ever seeing the light of day. Let's not forget this fascinating but withdrawn article by ITP.

It's currently illegal to publish any story that "harms" the UAE national economy, even the story is true. Not a great situation for investors who need full transparency and disclosure in financial news and information.

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5 Comments:

Blogger Anon said...

Just on the Dubailand stuff (thanks for the pdf btw) after yesterday's announcement of the 11km long hotel development in Dubailand by Sheik Maktoum, was it perhaps a re-branding/re-launch?

Conspiracy theory??

03 May, 2006 08:58  
Blogger archer14 said...

Yeah ugly camel,
"Shawarma Theories"
Brought to you by your #1 Newspaper.

Its not that far away....

03 May, 2006 09:42  
Blogger Earthbound Misfit said...

I have heard rumours that the falcon city of wonders has been shelved....

You know the one where they were going to build the wonders of the world and have shopping malls etc inside

03 May, 2006 12:09  
Blogger LizzieD said...

bloglingo: They are actually in the process of re-writing the UAE press laws. They are horribly outdated. My magazine was able to publish news of the Dubailand slowdown with zero government interference. That's the other problem with the press laws. They are randomly applied.

03 May, 2006 13:50  
Blogger ReginaFilangee said...

having lived there and now no more (thank god), and being able to look on from the outside in, the only media we see about dubai (which is very rare) is negative. Living in dubai, you are exposed to all the self proclaiming BS "the earth has a new centre" or "the most prestigious sq km on the planet" - really?! says who?

04 May, 2006 20:39  

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