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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview with Mamoun Fandy

Aired March 08, 2003 - 07:39   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: There's more buzz about the power of the media in the Arab world. In an opinion piece in "The New York Times" this week, NBC nightly news anchor Tom Brokaw wrote, "As a result of this widespread dissemination of information, the fundamental structure of Middle East politics has been altered, if not overhauled." He added, "Today, political pressure develops quickly and independently from the ground up. Not just from the top down, a dramatic difference from a decade ago."
For more on this makeover, let's talk with Middle East scholar Mamoun Fandy. He is in Washington this morning. Mamoun, thanks again for being with us this morning.

MAMOUN FANDY, MIDDLE EAST SCHOLAR: Good morning, Heidi.

COLLINS: I'd like to point out something that Sheila MacVicar said in her package -- or in her story just moments ago. She said that regimes throughout the region can't stop people from watching, but they have closed Al-Jazeera's bureaus and tried to subject their correspondents to the restrictions faced by many newspaper editors across the nation.

So what does this mean about Al-Jazeera? We have seen it as a type of network that is a lot of propaganda, it really shows a lot of video that is supposed to be sort of a rally cry for the purpose of the government, but yet they're shutting them down. It seems a little confusing.

FANDY: Well, you know I listened with you to Sheila's report. The main thing is that -- I mean the test point for any free press is probably the number of advertisements on them. If you look throughout the Middle East, you'll find probably about at least two main entertainment televisions that are commercial. That's basically Dream TV and Future TV in Egypt and Lebanon.

As far as news, you have two news organizations that are free and commercial. That's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) television. After that, you really have semi-state or state-controlled, where Al- Jazeera comes in and Abu Dhabi. So Al-Jazeera gets all its money thus far until today from the initial $25 million from the Qatar government until today.

So it's not really an independent, as Sheila pointed out. It's also -- the main thing about Al-Jazeera is that Al-Jazeera is -- sometimes the offices are shut down not necessarily because of news and other things, because Al-Jazeera is very much a mix of Fox News and Jerry Springer and other things. Really sort of more raw stuff rather than really sort of professional journalism, as we know here in the United States.

As far as probably the most balanced probably thing there is Abu Dhabi Television, which is very much the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in which it exists is also more moderate, that's the United Arab Emirates.

COLLINS: Now why is it, Mamoun, you think that it's more balanced, this Abu Dhabi?

FANDY: Well, Abu Dhabi is really sort of -- most media follow their governments. And Abu Dhabi, as you've seen probably even in the latest Arab summit, the United Arab Emirates is the only one that came up with the initiative that's very much wanting Saddam Hussein to go. So their television is really sort of moderate in many ways.

Al-Jazeera is -- there is a split personality in Qatar. Al- Jazeera works the Arab street into a frenzy in one way, while the Qatari government has the United States center of command and the Arab bases and all of that. So they are giving something to the Arab street on one hand, and also they are giving the United States what it wants. So it's really a delicate balance.

COLLINS: And, Mamoun, I'm also -- right -- I'm also understanding that these two other networks have some western influences. The producers and writers have been trained in the West, right?

FANDY: Right. That's correct. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is very much sort of very western in its style. Most of the journalists are educated here. And, also, the same goes for Orbit Television. And also (UNINTELLIGIBLE) television. Many of them are western trained.

COLLINS: How much do you think that these networks really affect public opinion? And what does it say that now we're reading that Al- Jazeera is actually the number three most watched for these other networks? Does it say anything about the Arab world and the people that they possibly realize that this is a bit more censored and are now turning to these other networks for possibly a chance to try and get some more fair and balanced news there?

FANDY: Well, I mean the Arabs really are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) early on in terms of their trust with the media. It was in 1967 that the Egyptian radio station most popular, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), told them that the Arabs were defeating Israel. Then they woke up in the morning and then the Arab armies were decimated.

So there is a big gap in trust. And it really takes a long time to build this trust. Most reliable news for the Arabs come from BBC Radio, from non-Arab stations (UNINTELLIGIBLE), although there is a crack in the market. And I think they have to build this trust, they have to win it the hard way. It's not going to be very easy.

COLLINS: All right. Very good. Mamoun Fandy, fascinating. We appreciate you being with us once again this morning.

FANDY: Thank you very much, Heidi.

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 March 8, 2003 - 07:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: There's more buzz about the power of the media in the Arab world. In an opinion piece in "The New York Times" this week, NBC nightly news anchor Tom Brokaw wrote, "As a result of this widespread dissemination of information, the fundamental structure of Middle East politics has been altered, if not overhauled." He added, "Today, political pressure develops quickly and independently from the ground up. Not just from the top down, a dramatic difference from a decade ago."
For more on this makeover, let's talk with Middle East scholar Mamoun Fandy. He is in Washington this morning. Mamoun, thanks again for being with us this morning.

MAMOUN FANDY, MIDDLE EAST SCHOLAR: Good morning, Heidi.

COLLINS: I'd like to point out something that Sheila MacVicar said in her package -- or in her story just moments ago. She said that regimes throughout the region can't stop people from watching, but they have closed Al-Jazeera's bureaus and tried to subject their correspondents to the restrictions faced by many newspaper editors across the nation.

So what does this mean about Al-Jazeera? We have seen it as a type of network that is a lot of propaganda, it really shows a lot of video that is supposed to be sort of a rally cry for the purpose of the government, but yet they're shutting them down. It seems a little confusing.

FANDY: Well, you know I listened with you to Sheila's report. The main thing is that -- I mean the test point for any free press is probably the number of advertisements on them. If you look throughout the Middle East, you'll find probably about at least two main entertainment televisions that are commercial. That's basically Dream TV and Future TV in Egypt and Lebanon.

As far as news, you have two news organizations that are free and commercial. That's (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) television. After that, you really have semi-state or state-controlled, where Al- Jazeera comes in and Abu Dhabi. So Al-Jazeera gets all its money thus far until today from the initial $25 million from the Qatar government until today.

So it's not really an independent, as Sheila pointed out. It's also -- the main thing about Al-Jazeera is that Al-Jazeera is -- sometimes the offices are shut down not necessarily because of news and other things, because Al-Jazeera is very much a mix of Fox News and Jerry Springer and other things. Really sort of more raw stuff rather than really sort of professional journalism, as we know here in the United States.

As far as probably the most balanced probably thing there is Abu Dhabi Television, which is very much the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in which it exists is also more moderate, that's the United Arab Emirates.

COLLINS: Now why is it, Mamoun, you think that it's more balanced, this Abu Dhabi?

FANDY: Well, Abu Dhabi is really sort of -- most media follow their governments. And Abu Dhabi, as you've seen probably even in the latest Arab summit, the United Arab Emirates is the only one that came up with the initiative that's very much wanting Saddam Hussein to go. So their television is really sort of moderate in many ways.

Al-Jazeera is -- there is a split personality in Qatar. Al- Jazeera works the Arab street into a frenzy in one way, while the Qatari government has the United States center of command and the Arab bases and all of that. So they are giving something to the Arab street on one hand, and also they are giving the United States what it wants. So it's really a delicate balance.

COLLINS: And, Mamoun, I'm also -- right -- I'm also understanding that these two other networks have some western influences. The producers and writers have been trained in the West, right?

FANDY: Right. That's correct. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is very much sort of very western in its style. Most of the journalists are educated here. And, also, the same goes for Orbit Television. And also (UNINTELLIGIBLE) television. Many of them are western trained.

COLLINS: How much do you think that these networks really affect public opinion? And what does it say that now we're reading that Al- Jazeera is actually the number three most watched for these other networks? Does it say anything about the Arab world and the people that they possibly realize that this is a bit more censored and are now turning to these other networks for possibly a chance to try and get some more fair and balanced news there?

FANDY: Well, I mean the Arabs really are (UNINTELLIGIBLE) early on in terms of their trust with the media. It was in 1967 that the Egyptian radio station most popular, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), told them that the Arabs were defeating Israel. Then they woke up in the morning and then the Arab armies were decimated.

So there is a big gap in trust. And it really takes a long time to build this trust. Most reliable news for the Arabs come from BBC Radio, from non-Arab stations (UNINTELLIGIBLE), although there is a crack in the market. And I think they have to build this trust, they have to win it the hard way. It's not going to be very easy.

COLLINS: All right. Very good. Mamoun Fandy, fascinating. We appreciate you being with us once again this morning.

FANDY: Thank you very much, Heidi.

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