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| Africa North |
| Tunisians criticise state-run media |
| 2011-03-03 |
| [Maghrebia] The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) met last week to discuss the state of the nation's media in the post-Ben Ali era. "It's hardly a change," said Soukaina Abd Samad, SNJT executive office member and Tunisian television journalist. "The changes in the media did not keep pace with the democratic changes in the country." "Other practices persist, such as refraining from holding an editors meeting and the absence of a news editing board. Journalists are not involved in anything. Anything aired is only improvised," Abd Samad said at the February 21st meeting. In Tunisian television, the news hound added, "the concept of scapegoating was adopted, as officials are being replaced by their exact copycats". At the Kasbah protest in Tunis, news hounds were prevented by some members of the public from covering the demonstrations. Several news hounds and photographers were also attacked. "I am a blogger and not a news hound. Yet, I know that all opinions must be highlighted," Kasbah protester Mohamed told Magharebia. "Why didn't the Tunisian television address the Revolution Protection Council or the future regime of Tunisia? Why all the ambiguity? I think the purple channel (in reference to the favourite colour of the ousted president) did not change much." Journalists are growing impatient. On February 22nd, they held their own demonstration, saying the media was corrupt and still linked to powers of the previous regime. "Eventually, we will end up with someone like Abdel Wahab Abdullah in charge of the media; I believe Taieb Baccouche is the identical copy of him," said Riadh Kaabi, a director at Tunisian television. Abdel Wahab Abdullah, who is currently under house arrest, engineered the country's media policy for more 20 years under Ben Ali's rule. |
| Posted by:Fred |