PUBLIC MEDIA IN THE ARAB WORLD STUDY IN RADIO AND TELEVISION ORGANIZATIONS

The mutation of the role of the public service television in the Arab World since the outbreak of the Arab Spring proved the need for this service not only to be reviewed, but also to be able to keep place with the transformations and revolutions undermining the existence of the Arab World. It has become clear then, that television, in addition to its leading role in forming the public opinion trends, is considered as one of the determining factors in the process of social integration and a major carrier of culture, and some theories consider it an instrument which defines the choice of individuals in their relation with the others and with their environment. From this point, the effect, mission and role which television can play particularly during the phase of democratic transition have become a central problematic which requires the provision of a set of determinants the most important of which is that television of the democratic transition should be a public and democratic facility. Our study on “the public service television in the Arab World” falls within this context. Circumstances of the post- revolution period have matured more than any time before the necessity to consider the reasons behind the lack of development of the public service television. Any attempt to reform the media in the future cannot be possible without being based on a scientific diagnosis and a critical approach of the way Arab countries deal with the public service television.
To get deeper insights into the problematic and hypotheses of our study, we have opted for a sociological survey using the form as an instrument. The form, which has been addressed to most television and radio management of the member countries of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), is divide into five parts including more than thirty questions. According to the study conclusions, we can say that radio and television corporations in the Arab World do not meet the recognized standards and requirements of the concept of public service. This can be seen through the absence of independent editorial boards in most radio and television corporations in the Arab World. The main authority having the power of decision about the editorial policy of the radio and television corporations is the government, the ministry of information or a designated board of trustees, and the limitation of the role of the media regulatory authorities to a mere consultative role. The Arab citizens do not directly contribute in the funding of the public television in most Arab countries, may be lest becoming a controller. And we have seen that 8 out of 10 corporations are funded by the state treasury in the first place and from advertising secondly.