Dubai: Arab and Western media are covering sensitive issues such as extremism in markedly different ways, the Arab Media Forum (AMF) heard.
In general, Arab media don’t show graphic killing footage by Daesh and their ilk, media specialists said on Tuesday.
However, a few Western media outlets broadcast at least parts of the gory videos.
On the other hand, according to AMF panellists, cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) are shown in some instances in Western media, which generally back their publishing or reproduction as “freedom of expression”.
By comparison, Arab media don’t show the cartoons out of respect to Muslim sentiment or to prevent widespread outrage.
“No one is totally objective. The question is, what’s the responsibility of the media?” said Fawaz Gerges, Director, Middle East Centre, London School of Economics.
The observations were made during a panel discussion titled “Perspectives that are changing the world”.
Gerges also said there were a number of news outlets in the Arab region that harboured a sectarian agenda, taking sides during conflicts between various religious and ethnic groups.
On the topic of extremism, Ebtisam Al Ketbi, Chairperson, Emirates Policy Centre, said it was time for Arab media to decide if they are “actors or re-actors” in the “changing world”.
“How can we capitalise on a ‘Storm of Dignity’, not just a ‘Decisive Storm’? The Arab world is depressed… But is it the responsibility of the media to reflect the situation deliberately in a positive or negative way?”
Ebtisam was referring to the ongoing conflict in Yemen between Saudi-led coalition forces and anti-government Al Houti rebels.