Media Systems

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This is an over view of Media Systems in Libya and Morocco.

How free is the media in countries within your region?

Libya: Media in Libya is newly free. The people of this region are enjoying the new and unparalleled freedoms that have become available to them.  Up until recently, the control over Libya’s media was one of the harshest and least forgiving.

Morocco: The government of Morocco has control of many of the media outlets in the country which means it is very heavily regulated. The journalists of Morocco practice “self-censorship”

Explain the media systems of each country (e. g., liberal vs. authoritarian)

Libya: Libya has one of the most tightly controlled media systems.  They function under a mostly authoritarian control though the people of Libya along with help from students in the United States are working towards a more liberal and free system.

Morocco: Although Morocco is also a media system which falls under authoritarian rule because its “political entity is characterized by authoritarian structures,”  it is the most liberal out of the authoritarian areas giving it the least restricted media structure.

Government control of media access: Do governments clamp down on media? Or deny media access to the outside world (via satellite or the Internet?)

Libya: Though it has yet to be approved, an Article is being added to the Interim Constitutional Declaration which will guarantee freedom of the press as well as freedom of expression.  The Article, number 14, states “Freedom of opinion for individuals and groups, freedom of scientific research, freedom of communication, liberty of the press, printing, publication and mass media, freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration and freedom of peaceful strike shall be guaranteed by the State in accordance with the law.” Currently in Libya, “The media dutifully reflect state policies and do not allow news or views critical of Qaddafi or the government. Satellite television and the Internet are available, but the government blocks undesirable political Web sites”

Morocco: For the people of Morocco, they actually have a more understanding government than many other places. “The Moroccan government accepts mild forms of political criticism but tolerates no attack on the monarchy or Islam. Journalists and newspaper editors are considered professionals who must report the news, but they are also considered educated, patriotic citizens who should be mindful of their social responsibilities to the public.” This means they must try their hardest to get a point across to the people of Morocco, even if it involves slight criticism of their leaders. It is allowed for the betterment of the country.

Journalistic independence and safety: Are journalists safe in the (two) countries within your region?  Or do they take risks when printing certain information or stories? What happens to journalists in unsafe countries? What information is forbidden to print or broadcast? ** Please provide real examples. **

Libya: Libya is one of the most unsafe places for journalists nowadays, and has been ever since the Gadaffi overthrow in 2011.  A specific incident of the harm of journalists comes from Reporters without Borders where they posted, “the murder of Al-Tayeb Issa, one of the founders of privately-owned satellite TV station Tuareg Tumsat, in southwestern Libya on 5 October and radio presenter Motassem Al-Warfalli’s murder three days later in the eastern city of Benghazi. Issa’s bullet-riddled body was found on the road between Ghat and Obari, where he was from. His car had been set on fire. A colleague said that Issa, who was the TV station’s financial director, was a respected and discreet person who had never received threats.”  This is a disgusting showing of how easily you can anger the Libyan people and government by what is posted in the news.

Morocco:  Journalists in Morocco are not safe, like in many other nations of this world.  The people must chose to fight for what they believe in and accept the consequences or they must stay silent and not write about things they truly believe in.  Though there aren’t many reported deaths of the journalists of Morocco, often times they receive jail fines with highly priced bails. For example, “One editor of an investigative weekly was convicted of defamation in relation to an article he wrote that said a government minister had drunk alcohol. The editor was fined and handed a two-month suspended prison sentence.”

Conclusion: How do these aspects influence the issues presented in the introduction?

The introduction did an excellent job in defining media systems. It clearly outlines points that I will go into more detail about, specifically government control and journalist safety. Libya and Morocco are both similar and different which will bring up important points for both countries.

 

http://en.rsf.org/libya-libya-still-extremely-dangerous-14-10-2014,47108.html

http://www.pressreference.com/Ma-No/Morocco.html#ixzz3KgCs9ad0

https://cpj.org/2014/02/attacks-on-the-press-in-2013-morocco.php

http://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php

http://www.academia.edu/8319752/North_Africa_Media_Systems

 

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