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http://www.metimes.com/Opinion/2009/01/09/al-hurra_locates_the_arab_street/9311/

Al-Hurra Locates the 'Arab Street' By ALVIN SNYDER Published: January 09, 2009

http://www.illumemagazine.org/magazine/publish/in_the_element/al-jazeera_bridging_the_divide.php

Al-Jazeera: Bridging The Divide
Posted in: In The Element
Souheila Al-Jadda Vol. 3, Issue 1 June 1, 2008

Satellite media broadcast regulation is serious challenge : Qatari official

Dr. Hessa Sultan Al-Jaber Satellite media broadcast regulation is a serious and challenging issue facing the Gulf region, and it will require new thinking and the involvement of various stakeholders to tackle the issue effectively, according to Dr. Hessa Al Jaber, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR).

 "Ready access to some ideas and images, especially those broadcast into people's homes, via broadcast satellites can offend social and cultural values. Satellite regulation is an especially complex issue in the Middle East because politics, religion and culture are so intertwined in the region. With the number of satellite channels available in our homes multiplying, an effort must be made to protect our families," said Al Jaber.

 The Secretary General shared her thoughts at a forum held in Doha addressing satellite channels and the ethical challenges they present for the Gulf region. The two-day forum , November 2 and 3, was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al Missned, Chairerson of the Supreme Council of Family Affairs. It included presentations from regional and international experts in the field of media and content regulation and tackled the issue from legal, economic, social and educational perspectives.

 As the head of Qatar's telecommunications regulatory body, Al Jaber felt that government institutions should play a role in the regulation of satellite, but recommended putting a greater emphasis on enabling providers and consumers to better self-regulate content with government restrictions serving as a last resort. She noted that what is considered offensive or inappropriate is subjective, and since satellite crosses international boundaries, it would be nearly impossible to completely regulate content.

 "International best practices towards satellite broadcasting vary in approaches from light-touch, self-regulation, to imposed laws and authority regulation. It is my opinion that viewers must play an important role by being responsible for their own choices in what they watch and what they allow their children to watch. In the end, replacing traditional censorship with a more enabling framework will produce a more sustainable event," said Al Jaber.

 The forum was held in response to H.H. Sheikha Mozah's call to action at the GCC Leader's Conference held last year in Doha to protect children in the region from the variety of harmful materials being communicated over satellite waves and other modern forms of communication. In a letter presented to the leaders at the Summit, Her Highness said "The protection of our youth in the Arab world is the responsibility of us all, whether the government or private institution. Without prejudice to freedom of the media, our nations must adopt clear policies and apply both legal and legislative mans to address this issue (satellite regulation).

http://www.ictqatar.qa/output/NewsPage.aspx?PageID=857

Qatar's ministers warns of indecent channels

‘Indecent TV channels threat to GCC’

DOHA, Nov 3, (KUNA): Secretary General of Qatar’s Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Khalifa said in Doha on Sunday that the indecent materials aired by some satellite TV channels undermined the ethical systems of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Addressing the opening session of the international forum of “Satellite TV Channels and Their Impact on the Youth in Gulf States,” Al-Khalifa said the boom and the advanced technologies of satellite channels attract growing numbers of young viewers and impact their morality badly. “The improper products of the entertainment industry aired by such channels pose grave risks to the moral and ethical systems of the Gulf countries,” he underscored. Al-Khalifa accused the companies working in the entertainment sector profiteering as they “seek material gains regardless of any moral considerations.” In statements to the press on the sidelines of the forum, Qatari Minister of Culture Dr Hamad bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Kawari highlighted the role of families in minimizing the impact of improper TV material on the young generation. “Such negative social impact also affects grown-ups,” the minister warned. “New satellite TV channels are emerging every now and then without having a specific aim or positive message,” he noted, asserting the importance of the current forum in controlling the this dangerous phenomenon. For his part, GCC Secretary General Abdul-Rahman Al-Atiyyah urged offering all possible support to the TV channels that provide useful material and programs. “We are in need of TV programs that could direct youths to useful values and noble targets,” the GCC chief underscored. He voiced hope that the forum would yield results conducive to combat the negative impacts of offensive channels, calling on the participants to develop common stances and crystallize a common GCC media strategy. Meanwhile, legal experts, taking part in the forum, suggested international legislation to protect societies against indecent materials of TVs. Secretary General of the Kuwaiti National Anti-Narcotics Commission Dr Ahmad Dha’en Al-Samdan said in a paper tabled to the forum such legislations should serve as a media code of conduct in organizing the operation of satellite TV channels. The Arab world faces the danger of losing its identity amidst the current global revolution of information technology, he warned. The Arab world, which is involved in this revolution wily-nilly, has to cope with the revolution through modern legislation and toughened controls, Al-Samdan underlined. He outlined some suggestions on protection of young generation against the psychological impacts of globalization and negative impact of IT. In a similar paper to the forum Justice of Lebanon’s Juvenile Court and Member of Child Care Association Ghassan Rabah highlighted the role of TVs in spreading juvenile delinquencies. He held mass media, specially the TVs, responsible for the cultural and moral degeneration in the Arab world. For his part, Director of North Africa Studies Center of Cambridge University Dr Saad Jabbar pointed out in his paper that many of the offensive TV channels were broadcasting from Arab countries or financed by Arabs. The Arab region is in need of a penal code that incriminates all infringements on public order and ethics, he asserted. Liberalism and the freedom of the press have not to go counter to ethics or infringe on the morality of the young generation, he said, urging tackling the legal, political, cultural aspects of the problem in an objective way. Dr Patrick Truman, a US legal expert, noted that some TV programs promoted violence, hostility, sex and fierceness among teenagers. He urged for more efforts by governments and parents to control the obscene and offensive broadcasts and minimize their impacts on the young generation. Dr Mohammad Lutfi, professor of law at Bani-Suef University, Egypt, deemed the sponsorship of families as the most effective way for controlling “the flood of broadcasts.”  “Globalization has no mercy on the cultural identity of any community. To the contrary it works against the cultural diversification of world,” Lutfi pointed out. The two-day forum, being held under patronage of Sheikha Mozah Bint-Nasser Al-Missned, wife of Qatari Amir and SCFA Chairperson, seeks to develop a media strategy at the Gulf states-level, raise awareness among the youth and parents about the dangers of some satellite TVs, and highlight the ethical challenges posed by the new wave of the satellite TVs during the last few years. http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=24360&ccid=9

Gulf Film Industry

Middle East film industry faces triple expansion challenge

by Alexandra Dubsky on Sunday, 24 December 2006

 

the recent success of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), the local film industry faces three major challenges if it is to expand, according to Fadi Fahim, managing director and executive producer of Final Cut Productions. “It needs to attract more professionals, increase access to production funding and develop local talent," he said.

“Filmmaking needs an entire crew with runners and assistants besides directors and producers. Those crew members usually work on a freelance basis, so in order for them to move to Dubai — an increasingly expensive city — they need to be sure that they can generate a certain amount of jobs every month.

The industry is however not big enough to grant that at present,” Fahim told Arabian Business on the sidelines of DIFF.

 “There is currently a South African and a Lebanese crew based in Dubai but they are not particularly good and are always booked,” Fahim added. “I estimate it will take another few years before the industry is fully established.” 

Fahim, who produced the film ‘Al Seefara Fil Eemara’ (Arabic for the 'Embassy in the building') last year — a film about an Egyptian worker in Dubai — explained that funding feature films is not an easy task in the UAE: “What usually happens when you produce a feature film is that the respective government of the country co-produces the movie with you.

“They are then also involved in the distribution and normally re-invest the profits to support the local industry, for example, by funding new films or film schools. However, when I produced my film last year, the UAE government did not do this.”

Fahim argued that the authorities need to support the local talent pool more in order to expand the Dubai film industry. “The young locals are very motivated, and three awards were presented for local films at the festival. It’s great that talent is starting to be recognised but I think Dubai needs a more established art scene for filmmaking to progress," Fahim said.

“Filmmaking is an art that descends from other fine arts like painting and photography. I think authorities should set up a film school with a veteran director and producer to assist newcomers, and they could stage short film competitions,” he added.

Fahim believes that Dubai has the potential to become a favoured destination for international filmmakers. “There are many advantages to shooting here — Dubai has sunny weather, the desert, authentic Arabic locations but also modern buildings that resemble Western landscapes. At the present there are no studios, but once Dubai Studio City opens filmmakers will be able to shoot an entire feature film exclusively in Dubai.”

With the Middle East’s current affairs being a heated topic in the US, Fahim believes that Dubai is becoming increasingly attractive for foreign movie backdrops such as the successful ‘Syriana’ released earlier this year. “When US filmmakers want to shoot in the Arab world they realistically have the choice between Morocco and Dubai in terms of a stable political environment, suitable locations, modern equipment and a decent crew.

“Dubai is more expensive, but has more diverse locations to offer so I would imagine that Dubai will take the lead in attracting international productions,” predicted Fahim.

The annual DIFF event launched in 2005 and Fahim said that this year's festival was an “immense improvement” on last year’s inaugural festival. “The festivals are growing quickly and DIFF’s chairman Abdulhamid Juma is very sharp and PR oriented. He will surely help to promote the local film industry.”

DIFF managing director Shiwani Pandya explained that this year’s festival was successful in putting Dubai’s film scene on the international map. “We had a lot of response from regional and global film makers who were all keen on attending the festival, especially from the US.”

Pandya, however, agreed with Fahim that film funding is a common problem for UAE producers.

“We are aware of the financial challenges of producing feature films in Dubai, so we are making an effort to get governmental organisations to offer more support. We should have a body set up to provide film funding by next year.”

 

 

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/5245

Middle East Film Industry

Hollywood comes to the Middle East

With stars such as George Clooney and Sharon Stone gracing the red carpet at the Dubai International Film Festival this week, it has put the spotlight on the movie business in the Middle East.

·                     Middle East: Wednesday, December 12 - 2007 at 12:59

Egypt has long led the way in the film making industry in the Middle East, with the highest number of Arabic movies filmed in the country. But things are beginning to change, as other Middle East countries show interest in developing their movie infrastructure for film making. 

Experience shows that developing a movie doesn't have to be mission impossible, but selling tickets can be. And while we hear of new Arabic movies coming from Egypt, the situation is not the same in other Middle Eastern countries. Be it the resources, lack of ideas, or fear, the result is the same: the Arab film industry continues to be underdeveloped. 

Sheila Whitaker, programmer for Cinema of the World and the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), thinks the infrastructure for film making is not well established in the Middle East, but she cites some serious efforts to build it now, as initiatives such as DIFF and the Dubai Studio City (DSC) in Dubailand establish themselves in the heart of the international industry. 

Local talent

Studio City is Dubai's push to establish a film industry in the emirate and it is now creating resources as a first step towards establishing a well recognised film industry. The city will have the infrastructure for filming, radio production and broadcast. 

DSC aims to attract production and broadcast companies, as well as those that provide support services, such as animation, dubbing, makeup, costume design, set design and construction, casting, telnet agencies, telecine (the process of transferring a film into electronic form, or the machine used in the process), and laboratory facilities. 

However, developing infrastructure is not the only key to open the way for a Middle East Hollywood. Developing local talent and supporting good script-writers and directors is equally important and it's one side that needs much work currently. 

This is a challenge the Middle East film industry as a whole is facing, and what makes it harder is the fact that there are currently not enough jobs in the industry to make professionals come and establish a base for the future generation. 

'I think the challenges that any film industry faces in the world are the same. Get finance, infrastructure, a good story and a talented crew and then you will get a movie that will sell,' says Whitaker. 

Academy Award winner

In the recent years, we've seen increasing interest in the region from international film-makers. 'Syriana', the Academy Award winning geopolitical movie, was shot between the UAE, US and Europe, and is one of George Clooney's most celebrated movies. And this year, Abu Dhabi provided the location for 'The Kingdom', another political thriller inspired by the bombings at a Riyadh compound in 2003. 

Arab actors also played roles in international movies such as 'Kingdom of Heaven' and 'Syriana. To Whitaker, this is a sign of a global interest in the Arab region, which wasn't there 10 years ago. And therefore, this represents a chance for the Arab film-makers to speak for themselves and show the world what they have. 

But a look at the movies that were partially filmed in the region, or even just had the region mentioned in them, suggest films here will be trapped in the political and terrorism genre, pushed into it by its instability. 

'This is normal due to the overall situation prevailing here. Take Iraq and its complications or Lebanon or Iran for example. It's natural that people will want to make movies about it and show what's happening in these hot spots. And I think this happens to be the entrance to the region now, but eventually they will move on and start filming other things in the region as well,' argues Whitaker. 

Hollywood invasion

Nonetheless, the advantages the region has are its weather and diversity, and this is driving people to it. Recently, we've seen two giants opening up to the United Arab Emirates and this might just be the starting point for the film-making industry. 

One major step happened in Dubai, with Paramount pictures partnering with the Ruwaad real estate company to develop a multi-faceted destination which will include a Paramount-branded theme park. It will incorporate a blend of Hollywood, Bollywood and Arabian movie content. So far no details have been released on where this will be located or when it will be completed. 

Another strategic partnership is between Warner Bros, Aldar, and Abu Dhabi Media Company in September. The three will establish a theme park, hotel and multiple cinemas in Abu Dhabi. It will have the facilities to make movies in the region. 

Warner Bros considers it a great opportunity to expand its local language film production business to a new region. To this end, a film production fund was established between Aldar and Warner Bros to develop and produce mutually agreed-upon, broad-appeal films. Also, Warner Bros will work with Abu Dhabi Media Company to develop and produce a slate of Arabic-language films for local and pan-Arabic distribution. 

And with the biggest production companies in Hollywood showing interest in making both international and Arab movies in one of the Middle Eastern countries, the region will not then take long before it opens to a new area of growth.

 

http://www.ameinfo.com/141679.html

Stop being scared of satellite TV and get involved

Muhammad Ayish

Last Updated: November 09. 2008 11:16PM UAE / November 9. 2008 7:16PM GMT

In 1994, during my work at the UAE University, I was involved in organising an international conference on television in the GCC countries. At the time, satellite broadcasting was still in its infancy, with no more than 10 trans-border channels ruling the region’s airwaves.

It was quite alarming at that time to see a surge of public sentiment building up against the potential effects of transnational television on one of the region’s expanding age groups: youth. Back in 1994, it was being argued that the younger generation was being targeted by the “evil” forces of globalisation, and that satellite television was the most harmful influence of them all.

Ever since, the potential impact of satellite television on the youth of the Gulf region has been a topic of heated debates in hundreds of conferences, academic forums, and policy meetings, as well as in the media. The latest of these discussions I recently attended has been in Doha, Qatar with the participation of more than 300 media scholars, Muslim clerics, broadcasters, lawmakers, and civil society representatives.

 Almost 15 years after the UAE University conference, I was amazed to hear the same discourse being floated: that our young men and women are at risk of losing their cultural and national identity due to their exposure to foreign and pan-Arab satellite television content.

 While GCC governments and NGOs are commended for raising public awareness of the potentially negative impact of satellite television on the young, I believe it is high time to go the extra mile and bring this awareness to bear directly on the region’s policymaking process.

 While state regulation has always been touted as the panacea for correcting any problems with “subversive” television content, I believe we need to look for additional methods of empowering the region’s young people – to enable them to harness creatively their cultural heritage and evolve their own visions in the age of globalisation.

 It is clear that public concerns over how satellite television affects young men and women in the region are absolutely legitimate. The demographics of this region are distinctively marked by the large numbers of the young: more than 40 per cent of the population is aged between 12-22.

 Successive reports released by the World Bank and numerous UN agencies suggest that a relatively high birth rate is likely to continue thanks to the region’s economic boom and its political stability.

 Unfortunately, governments are fighting uphill battles to secure more jobs and foster an enduring sense of national identity to match the rise in population levels. Because young men and women in the GCC region share many of the same handicaps as their peers in other Arab communities, they are experiencing the three deficits impeding human development in the region (as outlined in the United Nations Development Programme-published Arab Human Development Reports): freedom, knowledge and women’s empowerment.

 The recent feature series run by The National on the youth in the region was quite revealing, especially about how the young perceive themselves in the midst of political, economic and cultural uncertainties.

 Although there are many claims made about how satellite television shapes our children’s lives, we seem rather apathetic in putting those claims to test. To my knowledge, there are no credible polling operations in the Arab world capable of generating convincing evidence of the nature of such effects. All we have are no more than academic exposure studies that document youth communication habits and perceptions of different channels and shows, something that can never amount to effects investigations.

 I am raising this point here because I believe future discussions of the effects of satellite television on our youth will continue to be little more than hollow rhetoric unless they can be substantiated by solid evidence.

 Satellite television is undoubtedly a source of concern for the region’s communities and each time a new channel is launched, we seem to brace for yet another evil addition in the skies. I was impressed by a proposal at the Doha Forum to establish a satellite television observatory to monitor different types of content aired to GCC audiences and publish periodical reports on the successes and disappointments in the region’s public sphere.

 Another proposal that struck me as extremely worthwhile was the suggestion that the region’s youth should be involved in the production of the very television genres that are causing all the uproar, particularly “reality” shows, Arabic-dubbed soap operas and music videos. If these programmes could be given an indigenous character, I believe many of the criticisms levelled at them would disappear.

 I think the Doha Forum and its likes in the region truly reflect sincere commitments on the part of governments and NGOs to safeguard their communities. However, it is high time to get down to action and constructively engage with satellite television – and what better way than by opening up new windows of opportunity for the young and incorporating the region’s historical and cultural heritage in the programmes produced?

 Muhammad Ayish is a Professor of Communications at the University of Sharjah

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081109/OPINION/447992012/1080?template=opinion

Rasal Khaima Media City after Dubai and Abu Dhabi Media cities

RAK Media City plans Dh80m expansion

 The money will be invested in building 10 studios, 10 dubbing theatres and 20 shooting stages for films and TV productions. (SUPPLIED)

 By Rami Eljundi  on Sunday, November 09, 2008

The Ras Al Khaimah Media City is going on an expansion drive by investing Dh80 million into building 10 studios, 10 dubbing theatres and 20 shooting stages for films and TV productions.

 "The new facilities under construction are expected to be completed in four months and are aimed to offer a more convenient place for media-related companies that are establishing business in the UAE with RAK as their base," said Junaid Shaikh, Chief Executive of RAK Media City.

 "The new facilities will be used by publishing, advertising and media houses as production bases. Media companies from countries such as the UK, India and South Africa have been expanding their business to the UAE and eying RAK Media City as headquarters for their operations," said Shaikh.

 Available space, competitive rental costs, service convenience and an upcoming future with economic growth in RAK are the main reasons why media companies are starting to have a presence in the emirate, added Shaikh.

 In recent months, more than 20 international companies from the publishing, advertising and media sector have established activities in the RAK media free zone.

 "We wanted to start our activities from the Dubai Media City about a year ago, but we were told it was full and we would have to wait," said Asha Mohen, Middle East Business Development Manager of Machinery Market, a UK-based publishing company. "I was told about the new RAK Media Zone and that is where we are now and we have not had any complaint on anything so far."

 Mirage Holdings, a Hollywood-based production company, said it plans to invest $1 billion (Dh3.67bn) on a two million sq m area as part of its international expansion. The project will include a shopping mall, golf course, polo field, filmmaking academy, film museum and residential buildings, Mirage Holdings said earlier this year. The project will produce both local and Hollywood productions.

 The RAK Government has been playing a major role in encouraging local and foreign investors to come into the emirate and use it as a base for their business activities across the UAE and the GCC region.

 The RAK Free Trade Zone Authority, RAK Media City and RAK Investment Authority have been the major contributors in putting Ras Al Khamiah on the regional and international map in industries such as real estate, tourism, media and communications.

  

THE COMPETITION HEATS UP

 The UAE is set to see aggressive competition among media free zones to offer company and individual licensing. Following the track record set by Dubai Media City to become the media hub of the region, emerging "media cities" in other Emirates are bidding the least licensing fees.

 Industry observers do not see that as robbing Dubai Media City of potential opportunity since it is already fully occupied. Freelancers and companies, however, will soon have more choices to get access to the media market in the UAE and the region.

 Licensing fees at the Dubai Media City range between Dh15,000 and Dh20,000 based on the business activity of the company. An advertising agency may have to pay Dh20,000 per annum, while it is Dh15,000 for a new media company. The size of the business or the number of staff it employs does not have any bearing on the fee.

 However, the type of legal entity that a company or individual wishes to incorporate such as a branch, free zone, LLC or freelancer, could have a bearing on the fee.

 The current rent for new entrants is a flat rate of Dh200 per sq

ft annually.

 RAK Media City, on the other hand, offers a licence for a fixed fee of Dh15,000. Rent is equivalent to the dirham per sq ft per annum.

 At Creative City – the Fujairah Media Free Zone – freelancers and companies alike can obtain a licence for Dh12,500.

 The annual lease fee is estimated at Dh90 per sq ft, with a minimum office space of 350 sq ft. The Fujairah free zone offers the service of providing the visa for Dh3,500, with an additional visa security payment of another Dh3,500 that is refundable at the end of the contract.

 A hot desk costs another Dh18,000, call centre package worth Dh2,000 per month and an amendment fee of Dh12,500

http://www.business24-7.ae/articles/2008/11/pages/11092008_2c4b94b7ca9e48eea60c4ef3e0cefaa4.aspx