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From the IFEX COMMUNIQUE # 5-49, 9 December 1996

International Freedom of Expression eXchange Clearing House
_________________________________________________________________


 MIDDLE EAST: COMMUNITY RADIO SHUT OUT IN MOST ARAB STATES
Community radio is shut out by state media in most Arabic-
speaking countries of the Middle East, reports the new issue
(Vol. 8, No. 10) of "InteRadio", the bulletin of the World
Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC). In
"Community media desert", Jordanian journalist Lamis Andoni
writes that, with the exceptions of Lebanon and Palestine, there
has been hardly any community radio in the region because "most
regulations provide exclusive rights for states to operate all
forms of broadcast media." Community radio has diminished in
Palestine since small radio and television stations were closed
in March. Only recently have some governments considered the
possibility of giving up their monopoly over broadcast media,
says AMARC, since "state control over broadcast media has always
been one of the most potent instruments for asserting the Arab
regimes' control." While a certain amount of press freedom is
tolerated, "the broadcast media are perceived to be inextricably
linked to state sovereignty, authority, and even legitimacy of
the ruling regime."

Control of the radio has been linked to taking power in countries
where military coups have been common, such as Syria and Iraq,
says "InteRadio". In more democratic countries, such as Jordan,
Egypt, Tunis and Morocco, opposition parties may publish
newspapers, but independent radio stations are not acceptable. In
the Palestine autonomous areas, AMARC says, "only radio stations
that exclusively transmit music and love messages are licensed to
broadcast." Officials are concerned that "an issue-oriented radio
station would be used either by Israeli or Palestinian groups
opposed to peace agreements with Israel." Even in Lebanon, where
non-governmental radio thrives, it is not due to community
initiatives, but rather to "support by armed political factions,
`big money,' or both." AMARC says, "Most radio stations were
`sect' rather than community oriented. However, the small radio
stations did weave strong communal relations as they provided
outlets for young people" during the war.


** ** **

The IFEX "Communique" is published weekly in English, French and
Spanish by the IFEX Clearing House, Toronto. The facility is
operated by the Canadian Committee to Protect Journalists (CCPJ)
in partnership with the member organizations of the International
Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX). Material for the
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site: http://www.ifex.org/. Editor: Kristina Stockwood.
Subscriptions are available by e-mail and surface mail. The views
expressed in the "Communique" are the responsibility of the
sources to which they are attributed.

___________________________________________________
Bruce Girard
Agencia Informativa Pulsar
Email: bgirard@pulsar.org.ec
http://www.web.net/amarc/pulsar.html
Tel: +593-2-525521  Fono/Fax: +593-2-542818 o 226648
Fax en Montreal, Canada: +1-514-221-2009
Av. America 3584, Casilla 17-08-8489, Quito, Ecuador