Local Media and their interaction with NGOs in the community in the West Bank

Dr Emma Heywood  

Local Media• Informing communities

• Representing the local people

• Campaigning

• Watchdog/fourth estate

• Legal framework for media • Political division Hamas-led Gaza / Fatah-led West Bank• Geographical division 

• Palestinian Authority controls on media

"The Palestinian Authority has quietly instructed Internet providers to block access to news websites whose reporting is critical of President Abbas.” Ma’an News Agency (2012)

• Israeli controls

• Raids• Journalists obstructed• e.g Al-Ayyam newspaper and Al Wattan, the independent TV news company

• No 3G

• Commercial pressures 

Aims and objectives

To determine:• the extent to which local media acts as a fourth estate given the complex and volatile environment

• the extent to which they interact with NGOs 

• and the extent to which NGOs have confidence in the local media to support the aims of their projects

Media• al-Quds  -privately-owned but close to the Palestinian Authority

• al-Ayyam -previously part of the Fatah party 

Media• al-Hayat al-Jadidah - a national daily affiliated to, and funded by, the Palestinian Authority.

• Wattan TV – independent

Media• Ma’an News Agency – independent

• Filastiniyat NGO – produces own paper

• WATC Women’s Affairs Technical Committee

Media • Media Development Centre, at Birzeit University, - advisory body 

Muamar Orabi. General Director. Wattan TV

Wattan offices following Israeli raids

“…1000 or so cases currently in court against Ma’an…”

Saleh Masharqa - al-Hayat al-Jadidah  

Media was used for many purposes simultaneously

• Self-promotion of own activities and to target recipients of projects 

• Criticism of authorities

• As the tool itself 

How is media viewed by NGOs?

• powerful and essential tool• clear distinction between private and state-funded media• aware that that the authorities recognise the influence of the media

• however, media influence is limited therefore NGOs exploit social media to the full

Access to media

• Networking essential

• Mailing lists

• Barrier to new and small NGOs

• Groups that are active are advantaged

• Geographic areas situated closed to the media outlets receive higher media attention

Women in media• Stereotypically presented as victims (Women’s Affairs

Technical Committee)

• Women are poorly represented (Filastiniyat, women’s rights NGO)

• Resistance to news items concerning women

Radio

• Local radio was widely “used” by the local community

• Considered by NGOs to be the most useful in encouraging awareness of, and participation in, community projects

Aims and objectives

To determine:• the extent to which local media acts as a fourth estate given the complex and volatile environment

• the extent to which they interact with NGOs 

• and the extent to which NGOs have confidence in the local media to support the aims of their projects

In very broad terms…

• Media are striving to meet challenges of fourth estate

• Media all claim to interact closely with NGOs

• Media recognise influence of NGOs

• Media coverage of specific sectors and minority groups is increasing, albeit very slowly

• Media is vital tool for NGOs