Al Jazeera stands up for free speech
Yesterday’s Media Guardian had this article:
The head of al-Jazeera has launched a scathing attack on Middle East governments, accusing them of framing new laws giving them powers to close down the Arabic-language news channel and other broadcasters. Wadah Khanfar, al-Jazeera’s director general, said a charter published last week by the Arab League, which represents 22 states in the Middle East, is the most serious threat to media freedom in the region for more than a decade.
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“Who is going to decide if a leader in a particular country has been ‘insulted’? In this region, regimes have never been in favour of a free press or freedom of expression, so to hand over to them the right to decide [who broadcasts what] is very dangerous,” Khanfar added.Most seriously, al-Jazeera believes the charter could give Middle East governments the power to switch off satellite signals and force broadcasters off air. All satellite broadcasters rely on just two groups; Arabsat, based in Saudi Arabia, and Egypt’s NileSat.
All kudos to them in my view. The Middle East won’t get anywhere without more freedom and democracy.
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Filed in: Current affairs,Media,Middle East

The Chinese seem to have done alright with zero democracy. Why is it so hard to understand that entire civilizations exist without democracy. Do you think it’d make a massive difference if we stopped having elections in Britain? Nobody listens to us anyway!
Oh btw i feel freedom of speech for the Media, is very important, especially in the middle east.
The Middle East won’t get anywhere without more freedom and democracy.
Neocon!
100% agree with Wadah Khanfar, that charter is a joke.
They have to “conform with the religious and ethical values of Arab society” gime me a break…