Global media race to cover lifting of Saudi women driving ban

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Majdooleen, who is among the first Saudi women allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, drives her car in her neighborhood in Riyadh on June 24, 2018. (REUTERS/Sarah Dadouch)
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In this June 22, 2018 photo, a Saudi journalist interviews a woman as she tests a car driving simulator with her son, at a road safety event for female drivers launched at the Riyadh Park Mall. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
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Saudi national and newly licensed Reem Farahat, an employee of Careem, a chauffeur car booking service, prepares for a customer shuttle using her car in Riyadh, on June 24, 2018. (AFP / FAYEZ NURELDINE)
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In this June 23, 2018 photo, Maha Mohammed practices driving a motorbike at the Bikers Skills Institute in Riyadh. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Updated 26 June 2018
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Global media race to cover lifting of Saudi women driving ban

  • ‘There is a great hunger to know what is changing in Saudi Arabia,’ says Bloomberg editor
  • Time magazine featured interviews with Saudi Arabia’s first female taxi drivers employed by the regional ride-sharing firm Careem. 

LONDON: The sight of Saudi women taking to the roads as the clock struck midnight on June 24 caught the imagination of much of the world’s media. 

The official lifting of the ban on female drivers generated a multitude of headlines around the globe as reporters filmed women jumping into cars and driving around the streets of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The news kept media commentators busily assessing the impact of the decision on Saudi Arabia and wider Arab world. 

“‘I feel free like a bird’ — Saudi women celebrate as driving ban lifted,” read a headline in The Guardian newspaper, which is based in London. 

“‘Everything is an adventure now’: Saudi women celebrate new driving freedoms as ban is lifted,” a headline in the UK’s Independent proclaimed. 

Time magazine featured interviews with Saudi Arabia’s first female taxi drivers employed by the regional ride-sharing firm Careem. 

The New York Times’ coverage included short interviews with Saudi women on their opinions about the lifting of the ban, as well as what other reforms they would like to see in terms of women’s rights. 

While stories of Saudi women driving for the first time filled Twitter feeds and websites alike, there was also much interest about the wider implications on society. 

The Economist timed its “Special Report on Saudi Arabia” to coincide with the the lifting of the ban.

“We have long been interested in the reforms of Saudi Arabia. The Economist was the first international publication to interview (Crown Prince) Mohammed bin Salman on the record, and we broke the story of the planned IPO of Saudi Aramco in 2016,” Anton LaGuardia, author of the report and deputy foreign editor of The Economist, told Arab News.

“We have regularly covered developments in Saudi Arabia and the region. As the reforms gathered pace, we decided last year that we would have a wide-ranging special report on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf in 2018.”

The publication also produced a short video of The Economist Editor-in-Chief Zanny Minton Beddoes driving in Riyadh on Sunday. 

“Women drivers is only one part of a broader process of social and economic liberalization, and of political change in the region, that will affect many aspects of life in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and the Arab and Islamic worlds,” LaGuardia said. 

Bloomberg also published extensive coverage of the lifting of the ban, including an assessment of the economic impact of the decision. According to the agency’s economists, the lifting of the ban could add $90 billion to the country’s economic output by 2030. 

“(Some might think that) Bloomberg, being a business-focused news organization, might not bother with this kind of story, but it is exactly the kind of story we would bother with. It is very much central to what we do — it cuts across everything,” said Riad Hamade, the news service’s Middle East and Africa executive editor.

“Women’s right to drive is not a self-contained issue. It impacts every part of Saudi society and it will have significant repercussions on how Saudis in general live their lives.”

“There is a great hunger to know what is changing — what is happening in Saudi Arabia and this is a pretty major change.

“The issue of women driving is an issue that I think every journalist and international investor that went into the Kingdom would ask authorities about. It is one of the things that a lot of people are wondering about and the fact that it has now changed has quite significant ramifications.”

While the majority of the world’s press perceived the lifting of the ban as a positive development for Saudi women, some publications did question whether there may continue to be some resistance to the ban from more conservative elements of society. 

“Still, many in this nation of 33 million were grappling with anxiety over this new freedom, both within families who never bought into the stereotype that women should be shut up at home, and those who sincerely believed what they had been taught since childhood,” read a New York Times article published June 24. 

Other articles also pointed to bureaucratic delays in some women getting their driving licenses in time for the lifting of the ban, while others pointed out that the end of the ban would not immediately benefit poorer elements of society, where families are still unable to buy a car. 


Saudi, UN bodies sign deal on media training

Updated 26 November 2024
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Saudi, UN bodies sign deal on media training

  • Saudi Media Forum Chairman Mohammed Al-Harthi said that the partnership is the forum’s first strategic initiative and will positively impact Saudi media

RIYADH: The Saudi Media Forum has signed a cooperation agreement with the UN Institute for Training and Research to promote sustainable development and empower individuals as well as media organizations.

It aims to advance media and training efforts in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and global sustainable development trends, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

The agreement focuses on creating lasting impact through innovative training programs that combine academic knowledge with practical applications.

These programs will empower journalists and organizations, enhance professional awareness in both public and private sectors, and promote media literacy and innovative education.

The partnership will also support media organizations in achieving sustainable development goals through professional training, remote learning and educational resources.

Saudi Media Forum Chairman Mohammed Al-Harthi said that the partnership is the forum’s first strategic initiative and will positively impact Saudi media.

He added that Saudi Arabia, a nation of continuous renewal, must stay ahead of transformations to advance its development.

The forum continues to forge strategic partnerships with local and international entities to elevate Saudi media’s global standing while providing media professionals and organizations with the tools to create world-class content, the SPA reported.

 


Israeli soldiers desecrate church in southern Lebanon in latest religious site incident

Updated 26 November 2024
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Israeli soldiers desecrate church in southern Lebanon in latest religious site incident

  • IDF soldiers are filmed performing a mock wedding inside an Orthodox church
  • Online users question continued support by Western Christians despite rise in attacks toward non-Jewish religious sites

LONDON: Israeli soldiers have come under fire after a video surfaced showing them desecrating a Christian church in southern Lebanon, marking the latest attack on a religious site amid rumors of an imminent truce in Lebanon.

The incident reportedly took place in Deir Mimas, near the border with Israel, and involved soldiers from the Israeli Defense Forces Golani Special Operations Unit.

The video, which began circulating widely online on Monday, depicts the soldiers performing a mock wedding ceremony inside the Orthodox church, sparking outrage across social media platforms.

The footage shows a male soldier, pretending to be a bride, wearing a hood and participating in a staged ritual led by another soldier using a disconnected microphone. The mock priest asked for the bride and groom’s names as the group laughed.

The scene escalates into chaos as another soldier interrupts, kneels before the “bride,” and simulates a dramatic objection, followed by soldiers piling on top of each other.

The timing of the video remains unclear, but its release has drawn condemnation online.

Karim Emile Bitar, professor of international relations at Saint Joseph University in Beirut, called it a blatant act of disrespect, posting on X: “Another video of Israeli soldiers desecrating a Church in South Lebanon and mocking the holy sacraments. Deafening silence of US and European politicians who spent the past 20 years masquerading as defenders of Eastern Christians, only to pander to Western Islamophobes.”

Other users voiced their anger, accusing Western Christians of ignoring Israeli acts of disrespect toward non-Jewish religious sites.

“It is incomprehensible that US Christians continue to blindly defend Israelis who desecrate the Church,” voiced another user.

This incident follows a string of troubling actions targeting cultural and religious landmarks by Israeli forces.

Earlier this month, the same IDF brigade allegedly vandalized two memorials in Hula, south Lebanon, using graffiti that read, “A good Shiite is a dead Shiite.”

In August, footage emerged showing IDF soldiers burning copies of the Qur’an in a Gaza mosque, drawing widespread condemnation and prompting an internal Israeli Military Police investigation.


UK police forces quietly withdraw from X platform amid content concerns

Updated 26 November 2024
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UK police forces quietly withdraw from X platform amid content concerns

  • Several UK police forces cut X usage to a minimum after misinformation on the platform fueled UK’s summer riots
  • X has been a primary communication tool for the British government, public services, institutions and millions of people for over a decade

LONDON: Several British police forces have largely withdrawn from Elon Musk’s X social media platform as concerns over its role in promoting violence and extreme content persist, a Reuters survey of forces’ social media output showed.
X, formerly Twitter, was used to spread misinformation that sparked riots across Britain this summer, and has reinstated British-based accounts that had been banned for extremist content.
Musk’s comment in August that civil war in Britain was “inevitable” drew rebukes from Downing Street and police leaders.
Critics argue that Musk’s approach fosters hate speech, though Musk has said he is defending free speech and has described Britain as a “police state.”
Reuters reported in October that North Wales Police had ceased posting on X. Others are moving in that direction, according to Tuesday’s survey.
Reuters visually monitored posts on X from 44 territorial police and British Transport Police over the three months to Nov. 13 and focused on ones that had noticeably fewer posts, comparing their output to a year previously.
Reuters then contacted those eight forces.
West Midlands Police, one of Britain’s biggest police forces which serves the second city of Birmingham, reduced its X posts by around 95 percent in annual terms in that period.
Lancashire Police in the north of England, cut its usage of X by around three-quarters compared with a year ago.
“We understand that, as the digital landscape changes, so too does our audiences’ channels of choice,” the force said.
And Derbyshire Police, which serves around a million people in central England, made its last original post on Aug. 12 and has responded only to queries since. It said it was reviewing its social media presence.

X-COMMUNICATION
Other forces said X remained useful for updates on things like road closures, but platforms like Facebook and Instagram were better for reaching communities.
X did not respond to a request for comment.
X has been a primary communication tool for the British government, public services, institutions and millions of people for over a decade.
It had just over 10 million British app users in October, compared with 4.5 million for Threads and 433,000 for Blue Sky, according to data from digital intelligence platform Similarweb.
But usage is dropping, with X’s British app users down 19 percent on a year ago, Similarweb data showed.
The government still posts to X but does not use it for paid communications. It does, however, advertise on Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, a government source said last month.
Several well-known organizations, including the Guardian and non-profit Center for Countering Digital Hate, have quit X due to concerns over its content.
Cary Cooper, professor of organizational psychology and health at Alliance Manchester Business School, said many institutions were wary of Musk’s power over the platform, as well as his “very substantial views.”
Asked why more police forces had not quit, Cooper told Reuters: “Institutions, just like individuals, get addicted. They invested in it over a period of time.”
North Wales Police is the only force to officially quit X completely.
“As X was no longer an effective communication medium, this change hasn’t affected our abilities to reach our communities,” it said. (Reporting by Andy Bruce Editing by Christina Fincher)


Saudi Media Forum opens registration for annual media awards

Updated 26 November 2024
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Saudi Media Forum opens registration for annual media awards

  • Process open to media professionals, organizations until Dec. 10

RIYADH: The Saudi Media Forum has launched the registration process for its prestigious annual media awards, an event which aims to inspire creativity and recognize excellence across the media sector.

The awards are held in conjunction with the forum’s activities and the Future of Media Exhibition, which is to be held in Riyadh from Feb. 19-21 next year.

Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi, the president of the Saudi Media Forum, stressed the awards’ growing importance in highlighting the role of the media in shaping societal values and fostering innovation, and added the event sought to recognize exceptional efforts in the fields of media and communication.

Last year’s edition saw more than 3,000 submissions locally and regionally, and the SMF said it expected participation to double this year amid growing interest in the sector.

The awards span a wide range of categories, including journalism, television programs, podcasts, academic research, and public relations campaigns. Individual achievements will also be recognized through accolades such as Media Personality of the Year, Best Digital Content, and the Columnist Award.

Al-Harthi also highlighted the introduction of the Tolerance Award, an international track focused on coexistence and dialogue and developed in partnership with the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue.

Registration is open to media professionals and organizations until Dec. 10, with submissions being accepted through the forum’s official platform.

Detailed criteria and submission guidelines can be accessed on the forum’s website at saudimf.sa/ar/awards.


Media watchdogs condemn ‘concerning’ Haaretz boycott by Israeli government

Updated 26 November 2024
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Media watchdogs condemn ‘concerning’ Haaretz boycott by Israeli government

  • Committee to Protect Journalists says tactic is ‘disturbing evidence’ of efforts to prevent coverage of Gaza war
  • Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken critical of Israeli policies, prompting government call for restrictions on left-leaning paper

LONDON: Media watchdogs have strongly criticized the Israeli government’s decision to boycott Haaretz, one of the country’s oldest and most critical newspapers, calling it a troubling blow to media freedom and pluralism.

“We are extremely concerned over Israel’s authoritarian drift that undermines media pluralism and the public’s right to know,” said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger, who called on “the government to review its decision and stop damaging press freedom in the country by boycotting a newspaper.”

Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, labeled the boycott “deplorable” and accused Israel of intensifying its restrictions on critical media. “Israel’s increasing deployment of restrictions on critical media is further disturbing evidence of its efforts to prevent coverage of its actions in Gaza,” she said.

The Israeli government unanimously approved a proposal on Nov. 24 by Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi to halt all government advertising in and communication with Haaretz.

The decision effectively boycotts the left-leaning outlet, citing comments by publisher Amos Schocken, who had earlier called for sanctions against Israel and referred to Palestinian resistance groups as “freedom fighters.”

Schocken, who has led the paper for over three decades, later clarified that he did not include groups like Hamas in his reference to freedom fighters, emphasizing his support for nonviolent resistance.

Despite this, Haaretz faced significant backlash, publishing an editorial distancing itself from his remarks.

Karhi defended the government’s move, saying Israel “cannot fund a newspaper whose publisher calls for sanctions against the state and supports its enemies during wartime.”

He has previously accused Haaretz of propagating “anti-Israel propaganda” and called for financial penalties against the paper.

The boycott comes amid wider concerns over media freedom in Israel.

Critics point to the introduction of laws like the so-called “Al Jazeera law,” which allows temporary bans on foreign media deemed a national security risk, and ongoing attempts to privatize the public broadcaster Kan.

“Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who follows the hardline stances of the Likud party, is leveraging the ongoing war — the longest in the country’s history — to silence voices that criticise the far-right coalition in power,” said Paris-based media watchdog Reporter Without Borders.

The Paris-based watchdog added that such measures will have “lasting, detrimental effects on Israel’s media landscape.”

In response, Haaretz described the government’s actions as an attempt to “silence a critical, independent newspaper,” vowing to continue its reporting despite the restrictions.