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CNN Live Today

Arab Voices: War Coverage

Aired April 01, 2003 - 10:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're now in the second week of watching those skies over Baghdad, second week of this war in Iraq, and the world is getting an unprecedented look now at what is happening on the battlefield.
And many of the images that we've seen have come from Arab satellite stations that have a different perspective on the war.

Joining us now to talk more about that different perspective coming from the Arab world media is Octavia Nasr, who's been watching the Arab networks over the past couple of weeks.

OCTAVIA NASR, SR. ASSIGNMENT EDITOR: That's right, Leon. It is very easy to use the phrase Arab media and assume they're all alike. But times are changing. Arab states are allowing more competition and freedom. And the networks in the region are rushing to carve out their own identity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NASR (voice-over): Al Jazeera began in the hour in a briefing in Iraq by an Iraqi official. They stayed with the briefing for sometime. In this case, he was denying reports that a large number of Iraqi soldiers had been killed.

On Lebanese broadcasting, the same briefing, but it lasts only a few minutes. They took the top of the briefing, left early, and moved to a news update, quick reports on a series of stories.

CNN viewers never saw the Iraqi briefing. Mostly they saw the reports from our reporters embedded with U.S. troops.

But CNN's viewers did see scenes from Baghdad, both smoke from recent bombings and scenes of damage from another bombing, one in dispute. U.S. officials say they believe this bombing at a Baghdad market may have been an Iraqi missile.

But much more video and much more gruesome video from Al Arabia on the market bombing, and this story dominated the first half of the newscast.

Same for Abu Dhabi TV, more video from Baghdad, a greater focus on the market attack.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NASR: See, Leon, everything looks different when you compare and contrast, when you put them next to each other, the image all of a sudden, the whole picture is a different one.

HARRIS: So it's not like there is a model, and everybody looks at things the same way, because we look at that here in the states in the various media outlets here, and we notice differences between this network and other networks are also doing news, and we make comparisons, but you're saying the same thing happens over in the Arab world as well.

NASR: Right. And unless you can watch 24-7, you really shouldn't pass judgment. You have to watch them 24-7 just like we're doing, and watch them all, compare them all, and of a sudden you'll notice they're going after the big story, they're going after the breaking story, just like we do.

HARRIS: What I'm wondering, you and I have been talking about this for the past week or so now. And we've been talking about how all of a sudden, there has been this explosion in the number of Arab media outlets, and basically, what is it, there are seven of them or so that have come up in the last few years, and almost all of them are news. Maybe one entertainment channel. That strikes me as so different than what we see happening on the landscape here in the West, where you may have 10 or 15 entertainment channels coming up for every one news channel. What does that say about the different parts of the world here?

NASR: One thing that says is that all of a sudden, the political leaders and the entrepreneurs realize the importance of the media, so they're all putting all their money into establishing these media outlets, because they figure it's the power of the media, and I think this war now, and the crisis that we're going through right now, is the perfect proof that their investment is in the right place. So this is more a reflection of the political landscape rather than the cultural appetite.

HARRIS: So culturally, there may be more similarities than differences between these two parts of the world, do you think?

NASR: Right. Culturally, the culture is more geared toward entertainment. They still like everything American. The movies, the music, the fashion and so forth. But I think this is more a reflection on the political landscape.

HARRIS: And you think that as evidence of this probably I would guess, is the fact that we've been talking about this in recent days, how their networks are now looking and sounding like we do over here.

NASR: Absolutely.

HARRIS: Octavia Nasr, thank you. Appreciate that.

NASR: Appreciate the honor.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired April 1, 2003 - 10:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're now in the second week of watching those skies over Baghdad, second week of this war in Iraq, and the world is getting an unprecedented look now at what is happening on the battlefield.
And many of the images that we've seen have come from Arab satellite stations that have a different perspective on the war.

Joining us now to talk more about that different perspective coming from the Arab world media is Octavia Nasr, who's been watching the Arab networks over the past couple of weeks.

OCTAVIA NASR, SR. ASSIGNMENT EDITOR: That's right, Leon. It is very easy to use the phrase Arab media and assume they're all alike. But times are changing. Arab states are allowing more competition and freedom. And the networks in the region are rushing to carve out their own identity.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NASR (voice-over): Al Jazeera began in the hour in a briefing in Iraq by an Iraqi official. They stayed with the briefing for sometime. In this case, he was denying reports that a large number of Iraqi soldiers had been killed.

On Lebanese broadcasting, the same briefing, but it lasts only a few minutes. They took the top of the briefing, left early, and moved to a news update, quick reports on a series of stories.

CNN viewers never saw the Iraqi briefing. Mostly they saw the reports from our reporters embedded with U.S. troops.

But CNN's viewers did see scenes from Baghdad, both smoke from recent bombings and scenes of damage from another bombing, one in dispute. U.S. officials say they believe this bombing at a Baghdad market may have been an Iraqi missile.

But much more video and much more gruesome video from Al Arabia on the market bombing, and this story dominated the first half of the newscast.

Same for Abu Dhabi TV, more video from Baghdad, a greater focus on the market attack.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NASR: See, Leon, everything looks different when you compare and contrast, when you put them next to each other, the image all of a sudden, the whole picture is a different one.

HARRIS: So it's not like there is a model, and everybody looks at things the same way, because we look at that here in the states in the various media outlets here, and we notice differences between this network and other networks are also doing news, and we make comparisons, but you're saying the same thing happens over in the Arab world as well.

NASR: Right. And unless you can watch 24-7, you really shouldn't pass judgment. You have to watch them 24-7 just like we're doing, and watch them all, compare them all, and of a sudden you'll notice they're going after the big story, they're going after the breaking story, just like we do.

HARRIS: What I'm wondering, you and I have been talking about this for the past week or so now. And we've been talking about how all of a sudden, there has been this explosion in the number of Arab media outlets, and basically, what is it, there are seven of them or so that have come up in the last few years, and almost all of them are news. Maybe one entertainment channel. That strikes me as so different than what we see happening on the landscape here in the West, where you may have 10 or 15 entertainment channels coming up for every one news channel. What does that say about the different parts of the world here?

NASR: One thing that says is that all of a sudden, the political leaders and the entrepreneurs realize the importance of the media, so they're all putting all their money into establishing these media outlets, because they figure it's the power of the media, and I think this war now, and the crisis that we're going through right now, is the perfect proof that their investment is in the right place. So this is more a reflection of the political landscape rather than the cultural appetite.

HARRIS: So culturally, there may be more similarities than differences between these two parts of the world, do you think?

NASR: Right. Culturally, the culture is more geared toward entertainment. They still like everything American. The movies, the music, the fashion and so forth. But I think this is more a reflection on the political landscape.

HARRIS: And you think that as evidence of this probably I would guess, is the fact that we've been talking about this in recent days, how their networks are now looking and sounding like we do over here.

NASR: Absolutely.

HARRIS: Octavia Nasr, thank you. Appreciate that.

NASR: Appreciate the honor.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com