April 17, 2008
The Pope Through Arab Media's Eyes
 -- By CNN's Octavia Nasr How are Middle East news networks and newspapers covering Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to the United States? It is clearly a headline news story on the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera. “The first visit by the pontiff is a way to bridge differences” says the headline. In a suggestion that the visit is meant to paper over the relationship, an anchor uses very similar Arabic words and asks his guest whether the visit aims at "Mussalaha" (reconciliation) or "Mussaraha" (frank dialogue.) The answer from Joseph Greboski, head of the Institute on Religion and Public policy in Washington, D.C. : "a little bit of both. It's a chance to define the role of the Church inside and outside the United States." Al-Jazeera's coverage also included live reporter updates, background and analysis. In sharp contrast with its closest competitor, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya, where the pontiff didn't make it to any spot in the newscast or the website even twenty four hours into his US visit. Salameh Nematt, Washington Bureau Chief of Kuwait’s Awan newspaper: "The pope doesn't mean so much to the people in the Arab and Muslim world because 95% are Muslims and they don't feel he represents anything spiritual as far as they're concerned." That said, the story seems to be a big deal to other media outlets such as Gulf News, one of the leading newspapers in United Arab Emirates. On the Lebanese Muslim Shiite station, NBN, also saw news value to the story. The anchor highlighting that the visit will bring up to the surface issues of religious freedoms, immigration, Middle East extremism and human rights. Others believed the meeting will bridge a divide between the Vatican and the U.S., especially on the issue of the war in Iraq and the child abuse scandal involving Catholic priests. No mention on this Iraqi TV newscast.. Modest coverage on Egypt's Nile TV and many other Arabic publications.. Salameh Nematt: “Because the pope carries a lot of weight among Christians and Americans especially; and that should be of interest in my view to Arab and Muslim audiences anyway, but of course this is an editorial decision." Meantime, Al-Jazeera DC correspondent reporter Wajd Waqfi explains to her audience that while President Bush is Protestant and the Pope Catholic, they share the same conservative agenda when it comes to abortion and same sex marriages. At other media outlets, the story waits. There is always tomorrow.
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Gulf News, the major daily in the United Arab Emirates, is giving generous coverage to the Pope's US tour.
In a country where there is much anti-American sentiment, one article is headed, 'Pope Slams US on Sex Abuse'. A second article suggested that the Pope's visit was overshadowing the English Prime Minister's visit. Gordon Brown's visit was being mocked in some quarters as 'Mr. Bean Goes to America.' Today's article foreshadowed the Pope's address to the UN, again illustrating the way the UAE is following the daily events and responses on the Pope's tour. |
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