New Tunisian journalists' union issues first report on press freedom
2008-05-05
In its first annual report on press freedoms since reorganisation, the new National Union of Tunisian Journalists made numerous claims of harassment and censorship by the government. Critics say the union lacks factual support for its arguments.
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 05/05/08
 [worldpressfreedomday.org] Tunisia's new National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) released a report on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd. The report called for a review of media regulations. |
The National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) is calling for legal immunity for journalists and a review of media regulations in accordance with international standards of press freedom and independence.
In a report issued Saturday (May 3rd) on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the union revealed numerous violations of journalists' rights throughout the previous year and criticised the government's track record on the media, saying it reproduced "a backward, dogmatic and one-sided media discourse".
In a Friday address commemorating World Press Freedom Day, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali said the government is "renewing the call to double efforts and endeavour to diversify and enrich areas of dialogue in order to build a lofty and dauntless national press".
Most journalists place the impetus for change back on the government. A group of employees at state-run newspaper La Presse sent out an SOS message on March 26th, claiming the publication – one of Tunisia's oldest and most widely-read – was losing readers due to censorship and the "pale, stale and unprofessional media it offered".
SNJT Secretary-General Soukiena Abdessamad believes Tunisian media still lags behind and needs a freer environment in order to perform its job properly. "We cannot talk about free press in the absence of a free democratic environment," she said.
The SNJT report has come under its own criticism, however.
Ziad El Heni of the SNJT Executive Office attacked the report for its lack of substance and coherent ideas. "I took part in compiling reports on press freedoms in Tunisia since such reports were first launched back in 2002. This latest one is the weakest of them all, as it contained no statistics or documented data. Nor did it present clear and coherent ideas," he said. "We intended this report to reflect the aspirations and the beat of the profession. But, unfortunately, it came across as contrived and a scam. "
Media critic Khemais Khayati said that while the release of the report is significant, the document itself lacks evidence to support the group's claims of government wrongdoing. "When we talk about violations," he said, "we need to submit evidence and proof. This is the job of every report that monitors the conditions of freedoms."
Khayati also complained that the report ignored internet media, calling it the "press of the future".
The report accused private-owned newspapers of libel and other forms of defamation, including accusations of treason and working to the benefit of foreign powers. It also complained that coverage of the recent kidnapping of Austrian tourists and unemployment demonstrations in the Gafsa town of Redeyef was stifled.
Tunisian readers seem to blame the media itself for most of the problems cited.
Amina al-Qesemi, a worker in a private institute, accused all mass media, without exception, of misleading public opinion and collaborating with the regime. "We know nothing about what is going on in Tunisia," she said. "If we try to dig up a piece of information of interest to us, we often seek foreign channels. The media and the authorities have joined hands to mislead us, each throwing the ball in the other’s court, with the citizen ultimately the biggest loser."
Munzir al-Sharni accused the media of serving their own personal agenda at the expense of their profession which, as he describes, calls for boldness and dauntlessness. "They hesitate when it comes to shouldering responsibility. Therefore, you are unlikely to find a single article or comment to answer your questions. Anyway, I do not buy Tunisian newspapers or watch local TV channels, since I find what I want on the internet."
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Fathi Posted 2008-05-06
In order to be credible, you need either to be more honest or to take some French and Arabic language courses. In any case, translating “reporting numerous complaints” into Arabic as “making numerous complaints”, raises a question that you need to clear up: are you taking part in manipulating these expressions or is this actually a lack of mastery in one, if not both, of the two languages? During Nasser’s time in Egypt, Haikal spoke in two different languages as a form of communication: in Arabic for the domestic audience not to mention the foreign Arab audience, and English for the international opinion. I report this to you without any pretensions. Should I also highlight your exaggerated insistence on terrorism in the Maghreb as if all other subjects were exhausted? Let us hope that after President Bush, who publicly disclosed the US’ official intention to manipulate the media in order to lead public opinion to err and confound lies and truth, a more intelligent media policy will restore Magharebia’s credibility so that it can overcome the media deficiencies it purports to cover. I challenge you to publish this reaction, as you have already gotten to the point where you have directed other more or less similar reactions to the trash can, which must be of a pretty respectable size. (That is: unless its size is not proportional to the interests of the readers in your news.) That said, best regards, because I have only noted this in complete calmness.
صحافيّة تسأل Posted 2008-05-06
I want to ask the dear and respectable colleague who told us once that lighting a candle is better a thousand times than cursing darkness, about the reasons which made him a mere watcher, no more, was he elected for that reason??? Why didn’t he participate in decision-making, what are the causes which prevented him from saying what the report couldn’t say? Tunisian journalists need more than “discourse composition’ and more than sitting on the top of the hill… The caravan of the Tunisian press is moving ahead for the best, certainly. The colleague Ziad El Hani should use his pen, speak, stand up and write instead of commenting on the words of others and be limited to explanatory or analytical critic or say that one person is better than another just because he says so… The issue must go beyond drawing back, as did Lahbib Bourguiba, to ‘the historic breakthrough’, so that it stays to the level of the active programme. What everyone of us prepared especially those who were elected by the base, because the base judges according to the programmes and acts and isn’t just happy with the doctrine of ‘the big militant’ who saved the country and people, without him the crops, cultures and offspring would have been lost…There is no prophet in the Tunisian press and we don’t have among us ‘the learned’ who understands better than others… I suggest to members of the bureau now that they have a site on the internet to exercise serious writing and offer us the juice of their ideas so that we can examine their journalistic competencies, because we forget, and this is the most important, that the matter concerns the people of the pen and not the people of “stamps”.
ziad el ziad Posted 2008-05-07
Mr Ziad El Heni who is a member (non active) certainly doesn’t have the right to comment on the report and must respect his colleagues in an ultimate obligation of reserve. This is called dancing on several cords and take the pleasure to act as the macabre on his blog. He should either keep quiet, settle down or resign.
التونسي Posted 2008-05-08
Everything that was said is an illusion.
kastalli cherif Posted 2008-05-10
The question with regards to journalism and journalists is currently an open wound in the bowels of Tunisia. We should not ask the Tunisians and the media to reconcile, but rather the journalists to reconcile with themselves. Not only are they not on the same wavelength, but they run off at the mouth. They are ruining their profession and putting their dignity into question. My reproach is addressed to the Robin Hoods. You have no reason to hound Zied El Heni. You are just throwing gas on the fire. Even the Ministerial heads can be made good again, as can the Borhane Bsaiess and Boubakr Seghaier you mention. The barracks need some cleaning. We need to calm the electoral fever and renew our constructive dialogues, rescuing the sector that is sinking into this infested pond. The journalists are leading this country into a serious crisis with their perverted politicking of make-ups. First, they explain neither explain public opinion nor that of the government. Second, unlike their counterparts in the North, they do not treat the important subjects. Third, their passivity and their playing follow-the-leader prevents them from circumventing our real problems by realising the ins and outs of the information about the nation’s truly serious subjects. Fourth, their silence only encourages corruption, shock, poor governance, protection of rogue business owners. Their silence is responsible for the society’s complete abyss. Fifth, their silence encourages the administration to leave an ostentation life. This is a paper-laden, budget-eating, limousine-riding, perfumed administration, spending its time promoting shop-clerks to the point of inertia. This has resulted in a complete absence of strategy in circumventing…
kastalli cherif Posted 2008-05-11
Really, with an 1800-character restriction it is impossible for Magharebia to play its role as a forum that allows Internet-goers to make comments on and amply analyse pertinent subjects. It is important to offer freedom to both those who want to write 10 characters and those who want to write more than 1800 characters. -From Tunisia, Kastalli Cherif Beja
SS Posted 2009-08-13
Tunisia doesn't violate freedom of the press. No organization should interfere in its internal affairs. Tunisia makes progress daily and grants freedom for women. In 20 years we have built what countries haven't built in 100 years. Thank you.
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