Arab Media And Political Renewal: Community, Legitimacy And

Description:
People are on the move across the Arab world, organizing politically in new ways. The Arab media have also undergone a transformation and are still in a state of flux. It is therefore crucial to be able to discuss political initiatives in the region in the light of media developments. This authoritative book answers key questions about the connections between media and political change in the Arab world. Using research into, for example, practices of Internet users, journalists, demonstrators and producers of reality TV, it explores the interface between public interaction over the airwaves, at the polls and on the streets. A lively group of contributors explores such issues as whether young people are served well by new media, whether blogging is an influential political tool, whether satellite news helps or hinders diasporic communities politically, and much more. Engaging with debates at the heart of public affairs and popular culture in Arab countries, this book addresses everyone who seeks to grasp the media politics of this central, often misunderstood region.

Review:
'This splendid collection of papers will be indispensable for scholars and non-specialists, Arabs and Westerners alike, who are intrigued by the impact of new Arab media on public and cultural life. Naomi Sakr has compiled a uniformly high-quality set of essays by leading analysts. Not only are the papers rich in empirical data, they also delve critically into the debates on how (or whether) the new media are shaping the public sphere, democratic attitudes, religious mobilization, and cultural redefinition. Arab Media and Political Renewal is a major and welcome contribution to our understanding of contemporary Arab society.' - Michael C. Hudson, Ghobash Professor of Arab Studies, Georgetown University'

Table of Contents:
Contents List of Tables and Figures Note on Sources, Citations and Transliteration Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors 1. Approaches to Exploring Media-Politics Connections in the Arab world Naomi Sakr 2. Cultures of TV News Journalism and Prospects for a Transcultural Public Sphere Oliver Hahn 3. Television and Public Action in the Beirut Spring Lina Khatib 4. Idioms of Contention: Star Academy in Lebanon and Kuwait Marwan M. Kraidy 5. Arab Internet Use: Popular Trends and Public Impact Albrecht Hofheinz 6. Satellite Television: A Breathing Space for Arab Youth? Imad Karam 7. Democracy and the Media in Palestine: A Comparison of Election Coverage by Local and Pan-Arab Media Giovanna Maiola and David Ward 8. Palestinians, News and the Diasporic Condition Dina Matar 9. Crafting the Arab Media for Peacebuilding: Donors, Dialogue and Disasters Bruce Stanley 10. In search of the Arab Present Cultural Tense Tarik Sabry Notes Bibliography Index

Author Biography:
Naomi Sakr is a Senior Lecturer in Communication, School of Media, Arts and Design, University of Westminster. Her books, prize-winning 'Satellite Realms: Transnational Television, Globalization and the Middle East', and the edited collection 'Women and Media in the Middle East: Power through Self-Expression', were both published by Tauris.