Ironic headline: Arab media faces renaissance after years of 'repressive' government

That's a headline in The National, the government-funded newspaper in Abu Dhabi, reporting on the 10th Arab Media Conference in Dubai.

The mainstream media in parts of the Arab world faces change after years of government-sanctioned censorship, according to Egypt's minister of culture.

Emad Abu Ghazi, speaking on the opening day of the Arab Media Forum in Dubai, said that the regional media industry had not witnessed the growth seen in other parts of the world. He attributed this partly to "repressive laws" and government control of media channels.

"Some governments had brought repressive laws and codes against the media," said Mr Abu Ghazi. "With the totalitarian regimes, Arab countries have witnessed years where media were under control of censorship"

While the Arab media may have missed out on development seen in the West over the past century, it is now in line for a transformation, he added.

"The last century has witnessed a backward [step for Arab] media, while the whole world was going through media revolution," said Mr Abu Ghazi. "The Arab media cannot resist some changes."

Mr Abu Ghazi said the media is "a very important tool in the struggle of the people."

Yet, unless I missed something, The National has not asked critical questions of why the UAE government rounded up a guys who petitioned their government for democratic reforms, and held them incommunicado without charges. Petitioning your government is not the same as issuing an insult.

@habibahamidhabiba hamid

DXB's Arab Media Forum is always the pressure valve where everyone lays everything out on table; only to then return to form

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The National - a new paper for the UAE

The Guardian:

Former Daily Telegraph editor Martin Newland's new Abu Dhabi newspaper, The National, will launch within a fortnight.

It will have an editorial staff of about 200 and is designed to give the capital of the United Arab Emirates a national voice.
...
The National is owned by an investment fund controlled by the Abu Dhabi government.

Deputy editor Hassan Fattah, a Californian of Iraqi parentage, worked for the New York Times and launched a newspaper in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. James Langton, Alan Philps, Sue Ryan and Bob Cowan held senior posts at the Telegraph, while Anna Seaman and Tahira Yaqoob came from the Daily Mail. Laura Koot, Brian Kerrigan, Rob McKenzie and Michael Jabri-Pickett previously worked with Newland when he launched the National Post in Canada for Conrad Black.

Newland's Abu Dhabi venture has also appointed Bill Spindle, the former corporate finance editor of the Wall Street Journal, as business editor.

This is a major venture that in financial wherewithall to rival top world papers in depth, and breadth of coverage. The people who have been hired are serious journalists who value their reputations and have put them on the line. In a world in which the internet and other media are cutting into the profitability of newspapers, and newspapers have been cutting staff, it will be interesting to watch.

National Review Online comments,

This is a fascinating and complex project. On the one hand, it's always great to see a new daily launching. On the other, newspapers that are owned even in part by a government are inherently problematic.

Either way, if this brings a dose of independent-minded reporting and commentary to the area, it is to be celebrated.

UPDATE, April 17: The National is up and running.