Reality Media Banned: Al-Manar TV to go Off

by Haitham Sabbah on 03/18/2005

If you haven't noticed yet, this is how our media map is getting shaped:

Dear poor Arab viewer,

Please enjoy +100 non "Reality TV" shows and "Music Channels". Not to forget the "Text Messaging Channels". You can meet your future mate over there. If not, at least you can waste your time and money doing something "Peacful" and "Civilised", you know.

Now, waste no more time. Do your shopping early, and bring all what you don't need for a monthly supply of nuts, chips, drinks, etc...

Have a nice evening. Good Night!

What is Reality and what is Not Reality? Please add the term "Reality TV" to your dictionary. Remember "Don't Say � Say Dictionary"?

Reality is not the torture of Abu Gharib. Reality is MBC 4's "Celibrity Survivor Show" and "Joe the Millionaire".

Reality is not the slogans and badges lifted in the Lebanon-Syria conflict. Reality is the "I want to meet a nice looking girl in Jeddah" text messaging on "TXT" and "Tasliya" channels.

Reality it not Aljazeera or Al Manar (with my reservation on both) TV news. Reality is CBS news and "Good Morning America" show!

Reality is not Iqra or Al Hayat channels. Reality is Rotana and Mazzika.

I would not have been so sad if the Internet penetration in the Middle East was good. It could have been an alternative source of media. However facts are pathatic. 11% penetration of Middle East total population, comparing to 31% in Europe and 66% in North America. And M.E. users are no more of 2.1% of world users, comparing to 29% for Europe and 27% for North America.

Welcome Back to The Stone Age!!

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1 MN March 21, 2005 at 4:10 pm

Well said…that’s why it is critical that we support free media in the Middle East. AlJazeera has changed the playing field….while the US and other Arab governments keep on putting pressure on AlJazeera, we (the viewers) should be able to apply counter pressure!

I think the first thing we need to put out there is that AlJazeera is not a terrorist front…we need to shout to the West “We want AlJazeera! We want free speech! Do not deny us what you covet!”

2 Manar Fan April 9, 2005 at 12:02 am

I used to watch Al Manar all the time on Link TV, a satalite channel. I really looked forward to it. That ended when the US stopped the satelite feed. I used to have solice in the Web Broadcast of the channel. Then I started noticing the broadcast updates getting older and older, then the site went down and never came back!

Does anyone know what happend to the net broadcast? Where can I find The Al Manar broadcast online now?

~THanks!

3 mubahela June 30, 2005 at 9:53 pm

Al-Manar video news and programmes now online at http://www.islamicdigest.net

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