BROADCASTING IN SAUDI ARABIA IN THE ERA OF GLOBALIZATION

395 Pages·2008·21.49 MB·English

CONTENTS
Chapter I Introduction

1 Introduction 1

2 Statement of the Problem 1

2 1 The ongm of the problem 4

2 2 Rehance on imports 5

2 3 Views on STy output and performance 8

2 4 Objections to DBS content 16

3 The Context of the Study 20

4 The Objectives of the Study 21

5 The Focus of the Analysis 23
Chapter II Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

1 Introduction 28

2 Global Information Flow 28

3 New Global Order 31

3 1 The New World Information and Commumcation Order debate 32

3 2 An Islamic Global Order 33

4 Commumcation for Development Theones and Paradigms 36

4 1 The Modemisation Paradigm 36

4 2 Cultural impenahsm and dependency theory 40

4 3 The Multiplicity Paradigm 49

5 Electromc Media m the Arab World 54

5 1 The development of electromc media 55

5 2 Penetration and utthsation of transnational broadcastmg 59

5 3 DBS its social and cultural impact 62

5 4 The Islamic Media 65

6 Conclusion 66
1
Chapter ifi Methodology

1 Data Collection Techniques 69

11 Samplmg 70

2 Content Analysis 70

2 1 Quantitative analysis 71

2 2 Qualitative analysis 73

3 Interviews 76

3 1 Difficulties in sohcitmg and obtaining information 77

3 2 Interviewees, topics and conditions 79

3 3 Survey of television production entities 82

4 Research Questions 83
Chapter W Saudi Arabian Society, Culture and Modernity

1 Introduction 85

2 Physical Setting 87

3 Population 89

4 Histoncal Background 89

4 1 The history of the House of Al-Saud 90

4 2 The unification of Saudi Arabia 91

5 The Constitution 93

6 Government Structure 94

6 1 The King 94

6 2 The thama 94

6 3 The Council of Ministers 95

64 The Consultative Council 96

6 5 The Judicial System 96

6 6 Regional government 97

7 The Economy The Development Programmes 98

7 1 The five-year development plans 99

8 Education 102

9 Islamic Tradition, Culture and Modermsation in Saudi Arabia 104
II
9 1 Islam 107

9 2 Tnbal and family values 118

9 3 The role of women 122

9 4 Ethnic and hnguistic homogeneity 125

10 Conclusion 127

11 Implications for Television Broadcastmg 129
Chapter V The Media in Saudi Arabia

1 Introductioi 132

2 The Introduction, Development and Expansion of Broadcasting 132

2 1 The functions of broadcasting 132

2 2 The histoncal background 134

3 Social Reaction to the Establishment of Broadcasting 139

4 Television 142

4 1 The structure of television affairs 142

4 2 Television programming 144

5 The Ministry of Information 146

5 1 The Ministry of Information personnel 148

5 2 The Ministry of Information and audience research 149

6 Media Regulation and Information Policy 150

6 1 Censorship 153

7 The Arnval of Satellite Services in Saudi Arabia 158

7 1 ARABSAT 158

7 2 The development of the DBS market 163

7 3 DBS offermgs The scale of the competition faced by STV 166

8 Conclusion 170
Chapter VI STY: Quantitative and Qualitative Content Analysis

1 Introduction 174

2 Content Analysis Quantitative Presentation 174

2 1 Programme format 177
in
2 2 Programme genre 179

3 Content Analysis Qualitative Presentation 189

3 1 Introduction 189

3 2 Children's Programmes 189

3 3 News Programmes 200

3 4 Entertainment 214

3 5 General summary of SlY output 218

4 Conclusion Discussion and Cntical Comments on SlY 220

4 1 Programming, relevance, tasks and accessibthty 226

4 2 Dissemination of knowledge and information 233

4 3 Access and participation 235

4 4 The illiteracy problem 238

5 Implications for Dependency 240
Chapter VII Political and Cultural Constraints

1 Introduction 244

11 The establishment of local production 245

2 Censorship 247

2 1 Background and principles 247

2 2 The role of the censoring committee 249

2 3 The religious line 252

2 4 The political/moral line 253

2 5 Censorship targets 258

2 6 The effect of media censorship on Saudi society 265

3 Bureaucracy 268

4 Conclusion 271
Chapter VIII Professional Constraints

1 Introduction 275

2 Training 275

3 Recruitment and Payment Schemes 279
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4 DBS Channels 283

5 Cultural Organisations 285

5 1 SASCA 285

52 Cmma 286

5 3 Theatre 287

6 Conclusion 289
Chapter IX Economic Constraints

1 Introductiop 293

2 Economic Constramts on Artistic and Technological Capacity 293

3 STy Funding 295

3 1 Sponsorship 296

3 2 Pre-advertismg 297

3 3 Advertismg 298

4 Subsidy of Independent Local Production 305

5 Pricmg Pohcy 305

6 Dependency 310

7 Conclusion 310
Chapter X Conclusion and Recommendations

1 A Summary of the Overall Problem 314

11 Involvement m cultural life 315

1 2 Dependency 317

1 3 Bureaucracy 317

1 4 Fmance 318

1 5 Management and recruitment 319

1 6 Local mdependent production companies 319

2 Recommendations for the Ministry of Information 320

3 A Fmal Word 325
V
Bibliography 328
Appendices i
Appendix A DBS Services n
Appendix B Mass Communication Pohcy m Saudi Arabia xii
Appendix C Programme Cycle Autumn 1997 xxi
Appendix D Television Programme Pnces xxiv
Appendix E BBC News Release xxxii
Appendix F Pictures and Cartoons
XXXIII
Appendix G Pictures of the latest fashion m pnnted clothing xli
vi
List of Figures and Tables
Figures
88
1 Saudi Arabia and Surrounding Countnes
147
2 The Saudi Ministry of Information
Tables
161
la-c ARABSAT Users
175
2 Ongm of all Saudi Television output
176
3 Source of drama by country of ongm
177
4 Saudi Television programme format
180
5 Daily programme percentage by genre
188
6 Weekly programme percentage by genre
192
7 Children's programmes on STV Channel 1
244
8 Local production constraints as perceived by 20 local producers
9 Training workshops in the theatre, organised by the Saudi

Arabian Society for Culture and Arts (SASCA) durmg the 276
penod 1973 - 1988
294
10 Saudi Television studios

11 Rates of commercial advertismg on S1'V Channels 1 and 2 for 301
national mdustnes

12 Rates of commercial advertismg on STy Channels 1 and 2 for 301
international mdustnes
302
13 Saudi Television advertisment revenue (1986 - 1997)

14 Advertismg expenditure by media showing annual changes in 304
percentages
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1. Introduction
Television has gamed a pre-emment position as a cultural medium of global and national
sigmficance It is considered to outrank both print media and radio in terms of scope and
populanty, and possibly in terms of public prestige and credibility (McQuail, 1994) It
is a medium that has the capacity to be a major source of mformation and entertaInment
for viewers, both young and old, and has a potential power which, if wisely channelled,
can be of immense benefit to a society In Saudi Arabia, where there are no other public
entertainment institutions, for example, theatres and cmemas, Saudis perceive television
to be the principal source of domestic entertainment and information According to Al-
Oofy (1990), 82% of Saudis watch television for two to three hours a day
2. Statement of the Problem
The Saudi Arabian broadcastmg media industry is heavily dependent on imported
foreign television programmes The causes of this dependency and its perpetuation can
be assigned to a combination of both external and internal factors, and are also based
in Saudi media policy and practice, all of which have led to a suppressed and
constramed national media production mdustry in the country and an increased reliance
on imports However, the impact of imported foreign programming has been particularly
significant in Saudi Arabia because many Islamists and moralists cannot reconcile foreign
media content with their umque cultural and traditional values they believe that it
contradicts and undermines Islamic doctrine and Saudi national and cultural identity A
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large segment of the viewing population has therefore given foreign programming a
hostile reception On the other hand, a substantial proportion of Saudi Arabians have
grown disillusioned with the poor quality of Saudi television (STy) output, the causes
of which are discussed and analysed m chapters Vll-LX, and have demonstrated a
growing preference for imported programming, thus creatmg a sizeable market
These conflicting interests are represented and defended to varying degrees by segments
of the population referred to in this thesis as Islaniists and culturahsts, and who
persomfy what Nordenstreng and Vans (1973) term 'the nonhomogeneity of the national
state' Islamists can be defined as orators who lean heavily on Islamic teachings and
advocate their full implementation m Muslim societies Most of their rhetonc, however,
is often perceived as radical and zealous For example, Islamists will blame external as
opposed to mternal variables and conditions, as well as parties such as Ziomsts for
conspiring to undermine the Islamic faith Moreover, Islamists, who are by and large
distant from political power but retain a degree of influence on the populace, consider
secularism and its advocates as enemies Culturahsts, on the other hand, compnse the
camp who defend local Arab culture and believe m its potential as a umfymg factor
among Arab states They do not necessarily incorporate Islamic doctnne m their rhetonc,
but do share the Islaimsts' fears of outside intrusion on Arab and Muslim culture In
general, the culturahsts tend to adopt a less hostile and more moderate approach
This author believes in Islam and its workable and applicable teachings which advocate
free-will and call for dialogue This author does not share the Islamists' opinion that
Muslims and the Islamic world are the subjects of conspiratonal plots organised and
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orchestrated by the 'outside world' Moreover, this author believes that internal variables
may hnnt the potential of Saudi Arabia to compete m the international market, as
demonstrated by the current performance of the media industry, and may thus contribute
to a reliance on foreign imports and the subsequent influence of non-Saudi culture At
the same time, the author does not agree with culturahsts in their overemphasis on Arab
nationalism and their treatment of it as an ideology per se This author advocates reform
not only in regard to media policy but on all fronts in Saudi society, and calls for change
without destabthsmg Saudi Arabia's national and cultural identity
The concepts of national and cultural identity are problematic to define and subject to
sociological debate across the world Schlesmger (1991 173) defines the former as a
particular kind of collective identity and distinguishes it from nationalism For cultural
identity, various definitions have been proposed (Schlesmger, 1991 139-150) It can be
perceived as 'the amalgam of elements which distinguish communities (of whatever size)
one from another' (Pragnell, 1985, cited in Schlesmger, 1991 142) Aside from Pasha's
(1993) analysis of Muslim cultural theory of political ideology and mass media, relatively
little has been written about cultural identity in the Arab world In the case of Saudi
Arabia, it can be seen as encompassmg the common sense of Islamic identity and the
defence and preservation of specific historical, religious and cultural qualities, norms and
prmciples which shape and guide modern Saudi society In relation to the management
of audio-visual space, Schlesmger (1991 150) contends that there is a widespread belief
that 'the excessive importation of foreign cultural products, in this mstance television
programmes, can damage or even destroy identities'
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