Local Media and their interaction with NGOs in the community in the West Bank Dr Emma Heywood
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Local Media and their interaction with NGOs in the community in the West Bank
Dr Emma Heywood
Local Media• Informing communities
• Representing the local people
• Campaigning
• Watchdog/fourth estate
• Legal framework for media • Political division Hamas-led Gaza / Fatah-led West Bank• Geographical division
• Palestinian Authority controls on media
"The Palestinian Authority has quietly instructed Internet providers to block access to news websites whose reporting is critical of President Abbas.” Ma’an News Agency (2012)
• Israeli controls
• Raids• Journalists obstructed• e.g Al-Ayyam newspaper and Al Wattan, the independent TV news company
• No 3G
• Commercial pressures
Aims and objectives
To determine:• the extent to which local media acts as a fourth estate given the complex and volatile environment
• the extent to which they interact with NGOs
• and the extent to which NGOs have confidence in the local media to support the aims of their projects
Media• al-Quds -privately-owned but close to the Palestinian Authority
• al-Ayyam -previously part of the Fatah party
Media• al-Hayat al-Jadidah - a national daily affiliated to, and funded by, the Palestinian Authority.
• Wattan TV – independent
Media• Ma’an News Agency – independent
• Filastiniyat NGO – produces own paper
• WATC Women’s Affairs Technical Committee
Media • Media Development Centre, at Birzeit University, - advisory body
Muamar Orabi. General Director. Wattan TV
Wattan offices following Israeli raids
“…1000 or so cases currently in court against Ma’an…”
Saleh Masharqa - al-Hayat al-Jadidah
Media was used for many purposes simultaneously
• Self-promotion of own activities and to target recipients of projects
• Criticism of authorities
• As the tool itself
How is media viewed by NGOs?
• powerful and essential tool• clear distinction between private and state-funded media• aware that that the authorities recognise the influence of the media
• however, media influence is limited therefore NGOs exploit social media to the full
Access to media
• Networking essential
• Mailing lists
• Barrier to new and small NGOs
• Groups that are active are advantaged
• Geographic areas situated closed to the media outlets receive higher media attention
Women in media• Stereotypically presented as victims (Women’s Affairs
Technical Committee)
• Women are poorly represented (Filastiniyat, women’s rights NGO)
• Resistance to news items concerning women
Radio
• Local radio was widely “used” by the local community
• Considered by NGOs to be the most useful in encouraging awareness of, and participation in, community projects
Aims and objectives
To determine:• the extent to which local media acts as a fourth estate given the complex and volatile environment
• the extent to which they interact with NGOs
• and the extent to which NGOs have confidence in the local media to support the aims of their projects
In very broad terms…
• Media are striving to meet challenges of fourth estate
• Media all claim to interact closely with NGOs
• Media recognise influence of NGOs
• Media coverage of specific sectors and minority groups is increasing, albeit very slowly
• Media is vital tool for NGOs
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