Tunisian journalists desert newspapers for the web

03/04/2008

Tunisia journalists are turning towards the cyber world for more freedom of expression, but they lack union credentials or representation.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 03/04/08

[webmanagercenter.com] Tunisian journalists focus their efforts on web-based media for a number of reasons. The challenges and benefits differ significantly from those of traditional print journalism.

Seeking enhanced freedom of expression or more professional flexibility, a growing number of Tunisian reporters have abandoned print journalism in favour of internet news.

Journalist Senda Baccar told Magharebia on March 28th at the launch of her website, Risha, that she headed for the internet to "give Tunisian journalists more space to express themselves and communicate among one another."

Tunisian writers often resort to online journalism "because they are professionally ungratified and financially unsatisfied", Moncef Mahroug told Magharebia.

Mahroug, who established himself working for French-language newspapers and magazines, is currently editor of Web Manager Center, an online news portal. He abandoned print journalism, he said, because of the lack of freedom. His site now attracts some 10,000 visitors per day.

He said Tunisian journalists are unable to strike a balance between financial returns and acknowledgement. "The spread of electronic journalism, however, gives them a chance to send their own work, granting them some liberty along the way."

Obtaining the licenses to launch a newspaper is very complicated compared to launching an online news portal, and the operating cost is far higher. Setting up a news portal does not require any legal or administrative procedures, aside from signing a contract with Tunisia's main ISP, the Tunisian Internet Agency, which readily hosts websites in return for 500 dinars per year.

Mohammed Jaibi, who currently works for government-owned La Presse, said, "When I gave up hope on issuing a license for a print newspaper, I launched my e-journal, Le Journal. A year and a half later, I had to close it despite the resounding success it achieved, merely for financial reasons. I could not continue to pay the professional journalists I hired."

Despite the appealing qualities of internet media, some admit there are still hindrances. In addition to financial problems, freedom of expression is not exactly unrestricted. Although the government generally turns a blind eye to these sites – provided they do not cross certain lines – it does not issue press credentials to internet journalists, claiming Tunisian law has not yet codified electronic journalism.

Online journalists in Tunisia remain deprived of credentials or representation under the Tunisian Syndicate of Journalism. "They are entitled to a press card, since they are by no means different from other professional journalists," syndicate head Neji Bghouri said, promising to defend their rights during the upcoming joint committee meeting.

Nearly two years ago, authorities pledged to submit a draft law regulating e-journalism to the Parliament, but the draft has yet to appear to the public.

According to official stats compiled by the Tunisian Internet Agency, Internet subscribers in Tunisia are well over 1,700,000, as estimated at the end of 2007.