Arab Media: Localizing Its Democratic Potential

摘要

The role of the media in society is an important consideration for policymakers and analysts when creating and implementing policies. In the Middle East, the Arab media's role in society has emerged as a crucial concern for U.S. policymakers who examine its potential to aid in social and democratic movements. The media provides the means to connect democratic movements to the both the masses and to the regimes in power; it is an important communication channel. The Middle East, despite the increase in the number of media outlets since 1991, has yet to experience a systemic change towards democracy or generate viable social movement organizations. Why has the media not promoted democracy in the Middle East as it has in other parts of the world. By comparing the relevant aspects of social movement theory and democratic media theory with the issues and events being covered by the Arab media, I demonstrate the Arab media does not provide viable support for sustained social movements or democracy. Specifically, I argue that the media has not aided the critical relationship between social movement organizations and democratic development due to the nature of its audience and subsequent focus on regional and pan-Arab issues. This is not to suggest that Arabs are indifferent towards democracy or local issues; rather, pan-Arabism is a significant consideration for the media due to the audience structure of the non-censored media in the Arab world.