Media and Democracy in the Middle East

So this is an issue I've wanted to comment on since reading our piece on "Television, Gender and Democratization in the Middle East." On page two of that article it says:
"We need historical specificity as well as sociological modeling; we need thick description of internal processes as well as analysis of external forces."

I was disturbed reading the article because of the basic assumptions within it (see page 5). Does Media help the Middle East become a democracy? I saw obvious flaws in looking at this assumption and judgment. One implicit assumption made is that in the West we have true democracy, another is that democracy is what everyone needs, and a third is the assertion that Media still controlled by the state though indirectly, is anything but democratic in both Western and Arab Countries (I'll be specific here, since I cannot fairly speak to Turks, or Iranians).

Hence, I question the influence of Media ownership in the Middle East as well as ownership in the West. An article I read recently while researching the US Kill Teams mentioned that CNN refused to air footage given them by a reporter of Soldiers killing innocent civilians. Since the US government does not directly own CNN, I wonder why it would not air such footage? In Reel Bad Arabs the producer states that Hollywood has always been a mouthpiece for the US government and policies. Given this reality, I'm including a link highlighting a much-unknown relationship to most people, but a pretty obvious block to democracy in the Middle East and in the West really. A few very powerful people, with strong governmental ties/interests across the board, own our Western and Arab media. A Saudi Prince will never advocate democracy, as Rupert Murdock will not reform FOX. Neither have any 'true' democratic desires in them. All look out for their own interests (see page 8 and 9 where there is reference made to the Princes and their ownership of media).

Anyway, I just had to reiterate the problematic assumptions the article makes to start. Although I will not denounce the fact that Media has provided a space to speak of unspeakable issues previously in groups in the Middle East. Also, though I do list this link, there are implicit assumptions that I still find questionable with the broadcaster and some that Reel Bad Arabs addressed. I just wanted to share another take on things.

In Joy!

http://article.wn.com/view/2010/10/17/NewsCorp_Chairman_Rupert_Murdoch_Tells_Shareholders_He_Will_/

Attention!!!! This is not a direct link. You must click on the link below it that has the title 'ground zero mosque, prince’ to see the clip.

German multiculturalism has "utterly failed"

With the drama of the French expulsion of thousands of ethnic Roma from its country still playing out, German Prime Minister Angela Merkel recently made remarks about her own country's uncomfortableness with its population changes. In a recent speech, Merkel lamented that "the approach [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live side-by-side and to enjoy each other... has failed, utterly failed." During the speech, she played to both sides of the argument, saying that immigrants are welcome and benefit German society, but also added that they need to do more to integrate, such as learning to speak German.

This article reminds me very starkly of the ongoing immigration debate here in America, specifically the proposed legislation in Arizona. The article also refers to comments made by German officials connecting immigrants with crime and abuses of state welfare programs. The anti-immigrant sentiment seems to be a widespread phenomenon both in Europe and here at home. I wonder what you think about why this is?

I'm disturbed by the effects that the comments Mrs. Merkel made could have. When the leader of a country proclaims that multiculturalism doesn't work, it is bound to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. She has essentially given Germans permission to stop believing that living side-by-side with people from other nations and cultures can end in prosperous coexistence. Like most things in life, positive multiculturalism takes effort to achieve. But you won't put forth enough effort if you truly don't believe what you are working for is possible. If you don't believe you can finish a marathon, then of course, you can't. The same holds true for building a multicultural society. Merkel has just dealt a great blow to her nation's belief in the usefulness of continuing to strive for multiculturalism by making disbelief the official government position. As influential as Germany is in the European sphere, immigrants all over Europe should be chilled by these comments from her and other German officials. Taken together with France's expulsion of the Roma, it seems that Europe is changing direction on how it deals with diversity. I, for one, am deeply disturbed. What are you reactions?

BBC article (better)
CNN article

Premier of China on Freedom of Speech and Creativity

Fareed Zakaria recently interviewed Wen Jiabao, premier of China:

ZAKARIA: You speak in your speeches about how China is not yet a strong and creative nation, in terms of its economy. Can you be as strong and creative a nation with so many restrictions on freedom of expression, with the Internet being censored? Don't you need to open all that up if you want true creativity?

WEN (through translator): I believe freedom of speech is indispensable, for any country, a country in the course of development and a country that has become strong. Freedom of speech has been incorporated into the Chinese constitution.

I don't think you know all about China on this point. In China, there are about 400 million Internet users and 800 million mobile phone subscribers. They can access the Internet to express their views, including critical views.

I often logon to the Internet and I have read sharp critical comments on the work of the government, on the Internet, and also there are commendable words about the work of the government.

I often say that we should not only let people have the freedom of speech, we more importantly must create conditions to let them criticize the work of the government. It is only when there is the supervision and critical oversight from the people that the government will be in a position to do an even better job, and employees of government departments will be the true public servants of the people.

All these must be conducted within the range allowed by the constitution and the laws. So that the country will have a normal order, and that is all the more necessary for such a large country as China with 1.3 billion people.

ZAKARIA: Premier Wen, since we are being honest, when I come to China and tried to use the Internet, there are many sites that are blocked. It is difficult to get information. Any opinion that seems to challenge the political primacy of the party is not allowed? Hu Yaobang, for example, was not somebody who could be mentioned in "The China Daily" until your own article appeared. It seems like all the restrictions, the vast apparatus that monitors the Internet are going to make it difficult for your people to truly be creative and to truly do what it seems you wish them to do.

WEN (through translator): I believe I and all the Chinese people have such a conviction that China will make continuous progress, and the people's wishes for and needs for democracy and freedom are irresistible. I hope that you will be able to gradually see the continuous progress of China.



I found this interview fascinating when I watched it on TV a few weeks ago and I couldn't seem to get it out of I head, mostly I think because it offers a distincly "de-Westernized" understanding of capitalism and media censorship in China. The Rethinking media studies in China article argues that Western media theories need to be adapted to truly understand and assess media in China specifically, for cultural reasons and also because "no other country is moving from planned socialism to market socialism" (Eric Kit-wai Ma, 32) In this interview, Wen references Adam Smith when describing the Chinese economy. Seeing as Adam Smith has been called the father of capitalism which based on free markets, and the Chinese economy is under strict control of centralized government planning, this seems like a paradox. When it comes to the issue of free speech, I wonder if Wen is honestly convinced of the freedom of expression in China or driving the Chinese agenda by consiously lying. I think this interview might be helpful in understanding the agenda setting of the Chinese government for the knifing group!

Video Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaEEr-Q7fME&feature=related - 7 min
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rsu0L9sdus - Market economy in socialist country
Interview Transcipt: http://archives.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1010/03/fzgps.01.html

Gender Politics in France

In her documentary Marilyn Waring argues that the economic system is largely blind to the benefits of the work that women do in most societies, rendering the entire economic system that the most powerful countries in the world operate under, fundamentally sexist. This article from the New York Times is a report on gender inequality in France, which underlines many of Waring's arguments from the documentary. Legislation in France is ostensibly supportive of women's rights, allowing generous benefits and maternity leave (to a degree unheard of in the US) to French mothers. The French government also provides free nursery schools, family allowances and huge tax breaks for families with children. This pro-domesticity government position seems to indicate a progressive point of view of the French government on the real benefits of the work women and mothers do, but society doesn't follow suit. While 82% of women are employed, they are still evidently doing nearly all of the house work and they lack representation in Parliament where 82% of seats are occupied by men. The expectation that women are meant to continue to accomplish all of the domestic tasks that constitute "not working" while also working full time jobs, indicates a continuing lack of acknowledgment of the genuine value of this kind of productivity. Statistics illustrating this continuing level of inequality show that "forty percent of French mothers undergo a career change within a year of giving birth, compared with 6 percent of men. Both parents have the right to take time off or reduce their hours until the child turns three — but 97 percent of those who do are women." The picture is confusing in this case. Legislation supports women's equality, but society doesn't become essentially less sexist. What has gone wrong in this situation--why are French women essentially doubling their workload and their husbands lives are almost unaffected? This article argues that even though the government in France is acknowledging the value of domestic work, society disagrees in practice.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/world/europe/12iht-fffrance.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hpw

Media and the U.S. Kill Team

Research Question:

How does the media’s reporting on issues and events in Afghanistan affect different audiences?

Topic Background:

The US’s involvement in the war in Afghanistan has been long and complicated. And in the early months of 2010, it became more complicated when five soldiers stationed in the province of Kandahar, Afghanistan began the practice of indiscriminately targeting and killing innocent Afghan civilians. Led by Staff Sergeant Calvin Gibbs, members of the Stryker brigade are accused of having murdered at least three Afghan civilians without cause between January 15th and May 2nd of 2010. In at least two of the killings, the soldiers detonated one of their own grenades to create the illusion of being under attack, then used the ruse to justify opening fire on the innocent Afghans. Sgt. Gibbs and some of the other soldiers are also believed to have collected body parts including fingers, teeth, and skulls as souvenirs from the murders.
Almost as shocking as the murders themselves is the controversy around how the events finally came to light. An investigation began when the military received word that members of the brigade were smoking hashish and drinking alcohol. The investigation soon turned up evidence of the misdeeds that Sgt. Gibbs’ unit had been engaging in. It was also discovered that Specialist Adam Winfield, a member of the brigade that committed the murders, had tried to sound the alarm about the crimes after he witnessed the first killing carried out. Since the brigade was stationed in a remote section of Afghanistan, Specialist Winfield could not raise his concerns with anyone but the highest ranking officer at his outpost, Sgt. Gibbs, who had already threatened Winfield with violence if he did not keep quiet. Winfield sent Facebook messages to his father shortly after the first incident, telling him what happened and expressing concern that more killings would take place. Despite multiple attempts by Winfield’s father to alert military officials back in the U.S., an investigation was never begun until the allegations of the lesser drug-use charges came about. Specialist Winfield is now is being charged with involvement in the third murder.
As of now, the individuals involved in the killings are under military arrest, and the investigations and trials surrounding the killings are still in progress.

Theoretical Perspectives:
Critical Theory
We first analyzed this issue from a critical theory perspective. Critical theory focuses on the intersection of power, ideology, and hegemony within the media. Media outlets have specific ideologies and varying levels of power that they use to spread these ideologies to the public. We decided to use this perspective to analyze the different stances that could be discerned in the coverage of the Kill Team issue by three different news sources. Critical theory provides a basis from which to evaluate if and how the power and ideology of each news source affected its coverage.
We used discourse analysis to assess how the issue was framed by the U.S, military, the L.A. Times, and Al-Jazeera. We also paid attention to the phrasing and implications in the articles to better understand the different kinds of arguments, values, and attitudes espoused by these three sources to see where differences in coverage could be found.

Spiral of Silence Theory
Our second analysis of this issue was informed by spiral of silence theory, which focuses on the way in which media discourse can affect the public’s perception of what the majority opinion on a given topic is, and how individuals’ willingness to dissent is affected by that perception. The theory focuses on the role of social norms and cohesion, the fear of social rejection or isolation, and how these all interact to discourage individuals from voicing their dissent when they feel their opinion is in the minority.
This theory has a special relation to the Kill Team issue because of the social dynamics at play in the case of the soldiers who were members of the brigade responsible for the murders, but opposed to the practice. We propose a survey to be administered to members of the military that asks about their willingness to speak out against crimes they witnessed, and how or if the media’s portrayal of those incidents or of the military might affect their willingness.

Questions for Discussion:

1. What is the relationship of the power of the U.S. military to the media’s coverage of it?
2. How might the ideologies of the U.S. military, a U.S. newspaper, and an Arab news corporation affect their coverage of the misdeeds of U.S. soldiers?
3. What kind of pressures might make a soldier hesitant to speak out against the actions of his commanding officer? How might the media’s coverage of the military affect such a decision?
4. How does the media’s coverage of an issue affect the public’s opinion on that issue?

Links to more info:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-soldier-crimes-20100928,0,6689411.story

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130026739&sc=17&f=1004

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2010/06/201061701715503570.html

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=59261

The Idol Franchise

Research Question: How are cultures around the world influenced by local versions of American Idol in terms of cultural homogenization?

Background: The Idol series started in Great Britain as Pop Idol in 2001 and due to its extreme success was soon adapted for television in the United States, South Africa and Poland. Since 2001, it has spread to 35 other countries around the world (Dann, 2005). All of these countries have incorporated varying degrees of local culture in their Idol versions, but the overall show format, including logo, the judge’s stereotypical personalities, and the voting process was adapted from the west (Coutas, 2006). According to convergence theory, the differences between national cultures will diminish as international communication increases (Barnett & Rosen, 2007). In regards to the Idol series, this theory suggests that the spread of this western reality show will result in a more homogenized and global culture reflecting western values and ideas.

Theoretical Approaches: Through the process of cultural synchronization, this reality television series managed to transcend national borders and become a global phenomenon. Using cultural imperialism in the critical theory approach and the uses and gratifications theory in the social sciences approach, we will analyze the cultural implications and implicit meanings and influences of the American Idol series in a few of the countries where it has been adapted. We will look specifically at Idol in India, Poland, and Latin America. All shows have a similar motif while simultaneously incorporating some of the home culture’s values and interests. In this way, the Idol series is an example of glocalization, in which the foreign reality television show enters a new country and becomes localized so that it appeals to the general public of the country (Mody & Lee, 2003). This glocalized version of the show represents a cultural hybrid that reflects the overall western format and ideology, but also incorporates local culture and values in order to gain popular appeal in the new country.

In terms of cultural imperialism, the Idol series is an example of western corporation, Freemantle Media, exporting a reality television structure to countries around the world. Although each version of Idol has a certain degree of autonomy incorporating local flair, the overall format of the show is dictated by the hegemony of Freemantle Media. The uses and gratifications theory analyzes how media is used by the audience to gratify certain needs. Across national and cultural boundaries, people identify with the show. Idol consumers find it appealing because they are part of the action (Hicks, 2009). Through the voting process, audience members enjoy the ability to influence the fate of the contestants. The show also appeals to its audience because contestants are regular, ordinary people attaining celebrity status, thus increasing the perception that anyone can be famous (Hicks, 2009). The Idol series experiences worldwide appeal because it gratifies the needs of a wide range of consumers, not only through entertainment, but also through involving the audience in the show and inciting feelings of ambition and potential among audience members.

Links for additional information:

http://popcultural.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/global-television-why-we-love-pop-idol/ (Why we love Idol)

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1606692-2,00.html (Uses and gratifications, why people watch Idol)

http://www.fims.uwo.ca/mit/mediations/essays.html (American Idol, power and money)

Discussion Questions:

1.) Is the process of globalization detrimental to the receiving culture?

2.) Does the spread of reality television and other forms of media result in the loss of national cultures and the convergence into one global culture?

3.) Does the uses and gratification theory cause a separation from reality for the viewer by placing so much emotion on the idol television show?

4.) Is this another example of how the expansion of media is causing the public to lose grasps on personal experience as well as reality?

Danielle, Lynn, Jennifer, Dhvani, Brittany

Cutting Out the Story: China's Kindergarten Slashings

School knifings Janghuai newspaper front page.

Research Question:

How does media censorship affect what the audience perceives as important?

Case Background

Second school stabbing newspaper illustration

On May 15, 2010 a man wandered into a kindergarten in Shaanxi province, China and stabbed 29 children and three teachers with a knife.  Seven children were killed and another 20 were seriously injured.  This was not an isolated incident.  Since March there have been four other unrelated stabbings in kindergartens across the country.  China had previously been regarded as a relatively safe country with low rates of violent crime, but the attacks have created concerns about how the country deals with the mental health and the social welfare of its citizens.

Later newspapers ran headlines about school security

            Also in question is how the state media chose to cover the events.  In the earlier incidents the Chinese news was explicit in its coverage of the knifings after 15 students and one teacher were injured in an attack in a Guangdong school on April 28th.  The story made front-page headlines and included graphic photos and sketches depicting what took place.  The very next day 29 children were injured in a school-stabbing spree in Jiangsu province.  The newspapers wrote very little about the event, but instead filed stories about the measures that China’s schools were taking to beef up their security.  Chinese academics initially argued that this approach would discourage copycat killers who read about the attacks in the news.  However,  the government delivered a notice to reporters instructing them how to write about the knifings.

SIDA Media Notice

 

ATTENTION: 

In regards to the Taixing Kindergarten Injury Incident, notice has been received from higher levels that Xinhua reports are to be uniformly adopted. In light of the World Expo opening, this news shall not be placed on the front page for the time being.

Shanghai World Expo Opening Fireworks

The state authorities don’t seem to want the “sensationalized” kindergarten coverage in the media to overshadow the larger event of the Shanghai World Expo that will run till the end of October.  However, on May 30^th, one day after the Jaingsu incident and one day before the Expo opening, the trend of school violence continued.  A man in Shandong province assaulted five children with a hammer.  Then the fifth and final attack came when seven children were killed in Shaanxi on May 15^th.

Shaanxi Murder Weapon

Theoretical Perspectives

Critical Theory

First we chose to analyze the situation from a critical theoretical perspective. Critical theory is useful when critiquing one group’s use of media and texts to manipulate another group. In the case of the China knifings, we focused on the Chinese government’s censorship of the media, arguing that its suppression of the coverage of knifings was a deliberate move intended to maintain the status quo by stifling public speculation and unrest centered around the possible motives of the knifings (lack of support for the mentally ill, social inequity, poor school security, and the lack of recourse for frustrated citizens being among the most commonly cited issues we read.)

When we performed a content analysis of Chinese and Western news articles, blogs, and propaganda notices we observed that the government had indeed mandated reduced coverage of the school violence, shifting the focus first to improved school security measures (several government officials were quoting touting this) and then to the glory of the approaching Shanghai Expo. We believe that this shift in coverage was designed to reinforce the state-controlled hegemony; the Chinese government wanted its people – and the external world as well – to view to view it as a safe and prosperous nation untroubled by simmering social inequity or any of the other negative issues coverage of the school knifings seemed to have temporarily exposed." 

Saanxi Murder Scene

Agenda Setting 

The other theory we chose was agenda setting, which is used to examine media and the selection of news that are communicated to the public to be important or salient. Saliency, which is defined as relevancy and importance, is depicted through the quantity and the content of news stories. Chinese media is shaped by the country's government.  We identified it as the "agenda setter" in our study.  The state media reported on the knifings indirectly (improvements in school security), rather than giving attention to negative messages (such as social inequity, mental illnesses, societal backlash, and the connectedness of school knifings). When the knifings occurred close to the opening of the Shanghai Expo the Chinese media made security the most salient  issue in its stories.  Direct coverage of the knife violence was believed to have created insecurity and fear in Chinese citizens.  

We also looked at the possible affect that China-based American media, Chinese bloggers, and other Western media had on the Chinese public's perceptions of saliency.  Systemic agenda setting was not as pronounced when the Chinese-based American media covered the stabbings. It is not clear how, to what extent, or if Western media has reached Chinese citizens, nor is it clear what Chinese citizens view as important.

Bloodstains- Taixing Kindergarten

Questions to Consider

• How far is should a state be allowed to exercise its hegemonic power to promote greater ideological or economic interests? 

• Is there ever a time when an agenda is set by a government institution or media organization that is beneficial to society?

• Considering school shootings in America, do you think allowing media coverage about school shootings or knifings might contribute to the copycat effect?

• What factors should be considered when reporting on crimes in relation to the government, culprits, victims, and citizens? 

Chinese kindergartners at the scene of the crime

Carrie, Anna, Jean-Pierre