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Wednesday, 13 Feb 2008
The information Ministers of 22 arab nations have finally got together and took decisive action against..freedom of speech, the broadcasted by satellite kind. They even formed a…CHARTER! OOooohhhhhhhhh:
Arab governments adopted on Tuesday a satellite broadcasting charter
which will entrench state control over broadcasts and curtail political
expression.The document, which echoes the language found in press laws used by
some Arab countries to prosecute journalists critical of their
governments, was endorsed at a meeting of Arab information ministers in
Cairo.Analysts say the charter is the Arab governments' response to the
relative freedom enjoyed by Arab satellite broadcasters, many of which
are privately financed and which encourage open political discussion of
sensitive matters."This is clearly an effort to try to stem (the) influence from
satellite television on a political level," said Lawrence Pintak,
director of the Center for Electronic Journalism at the American
University in Cairo.
And they are banning, I don't know, everything…
The charter bans broadcasting material seen as undermining "social
peace, national unity, public order and general propriety" –
accusations which Arab governments often throw at their opponents.Broadcasters can not criticise religions or defame political, national and religious leaders, it says.
"Freedom (of expression) is to be exercised with awareness and
responsibility to protect the supreme interests of the Arab states and
the Arab nation," one clause says.If a broadcaster violates the charter, the host government could suspend or revoke its broadcasting licence, it said.
But don't fret, there are some good news:
But the charter does make one gesture toward public opinion, saying
that Arabs have a right to watch international sporting events in which
their national teams are competing, regardless of who owns the
broadcast rights.
Because really, who needs political debate, transparency, or freedom of speech and expression as long as you have Football Games?
I LOVE IT!
February 13th, 2008 at 10:53 am
They’re right - there is way too much freedom of speech in Arab dictatorships. Finally somebody is doing something about this terrible situation.
I bet you people are so relieved. I mean, freedom is such a hassle!
February 13th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
i am raising my middle thumb !!!
February 13th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
its 2008. They are delusional if they think they can not control the information. These antiques better get with it or just go and die.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Consider yourself screwed! That charter is so loosely formulated, it can cover anything they see fit; read: anything they don’t like.
But truthfully, as mentioned by AF, they haven’t got a chance in hell of controlling the flow of information in these days. People will find ways!
February 13th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
pathetic and sad COWARDS!
February 14th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Hmm, yes.
Too much freedom is bad for you. Definitely.
Censorship is good.
And
Black is white.
Shades of Orwell “Nineteen eighty four”
February 14th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
“Broadcasters can not criticize religions”
Does that mean an end to Ramadan TV specials dramatizing the Protocols of the Elders of Zion? Somehow I suspect not.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
“Broadcasters can not criticise religions…”
Really? Since When? Does that mean that they will stop referring to the Jooooos as pigs and monkeys? They might want to pull old Ahmanutajob aside and tell him ixnay on that whole “We’re going to wipe Israel off the map” thing if that’s the policy.
February 15th, 2008 at 6:26 am
[...] Trying to stop the signal The information Ministers of 22 arab nations have finally got together and took decisive action against..freedom of speech, the broadcasted by satellite kind. They even formed a…CHARTER! OOooohhhhhhhhh: Arab governments adopted on Tuesday a satellite broadcasting charter which will entrench st… [...]
February 15th, 2008 at 9:42 am
is this FOR REAL? i mean did 22 “Information” Ministers ACTUALLY get together & as a result came up with this massive load of crap???
DAMN IT!! i knew all that freedom would bite us in the ass someday!
lol
SO…ummmmmmmm…..ehhhhhhhhhh……hmmmmmmmmmm WTF is TV supposed to be good for now then???!!
February 15th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Information Ministers??? Excuse me, having lived in the Middle East for 3 years, all I can say is that 22 rich and corrupt Princes got together because they saw a chance to have a party paid for by the Governments they own. 22 Ministers of Information who wouldn’t know information if it came up and bit them on the arse. The only information they know from their childhoods, and schoolings, and so-called university educations is the archaic, psychotic ramblings of a jumped-up camel driver from 1400 years ago who was also a practicing pedophile. And they want to block satellite tv just in case all the citizens of the dictatorships realize that there are good things in this world! Ha, it’ll never happen.
February 15th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
[...] Original post by National Finance Center » Blog Archive » Trying to stop the signal [...]
February 17th, 2008 at 1:00 am
[...] SANDMONKEY– “Trying to stop the signal– The information Ministers of 22 arab nations have [...]