Televised Media: Legal Vacuum and Endorsement of the Single Narrative

Television broadcasting in Bahrain dates back to 1973. Bahrain TV was set up in 1975, and the number of official TV channels eventually increased to six: in addition to the main channel, the foreign channel, the Sport Channel 1, the Sport Channel 2, Holy Quran Channel and Bahrain International Channel.

Lulu TV is a channel belonging to the private sector. Its officials classified it as a Bahraini TV channel, though it is based in London. The channel was established in 2011 under authorization of the British communications and broadcasting regulatory authority. The channel’s programs and its coverage focus on Bahraini political events, and its main audience is the Bahraini people, though, it does not have an official office in the country because the Bahraini authorities have refused to authorize one. Since Lulu TV’s launch, its signal was jammed on NileSat so it chose another satellite.

Al-Ittihad TV broadcasts under the auspices of the Bahraini authorities. Launched in June 2012, its main program is “Saeed Al-Hamad,” the series presented by Saeed Al-Hamad that was shown on Bahrain TV during the period of the National Security (emergency law) and stopped in June 2011. Al-Hamad, a supporter and advocate of the government and its policies, follows the policy of defamation of opposition activists. Although Al-Ittihad TV broadcasts from Bahrain, the Information Affairs Authority has not granted it official authorization. This raises the question of who is supporting it, especially because it uses the premises and equipment of the Information Affairs Authority in Bahrain.

In February 2012, the head of the Information Affairs Authority signed two memorandums of understanding with the general director and editor in chief of Al-Arab News Channel, Jamal Khashoggi, and the executive director of Rotana Group, Fahad Al-Sukait. Those memorandums turned Bahrain into the headquarters of the Arab News Channel and the high executive management of Rotana Group, effective Dec. 12, 2012.

The Information Affairs Authority did authorize any other channel except Al-Arab to broadcast from Bahrain, and the minister of information refused to authorize the launch of any TV channels based on the absence of legislation granting such approval. That absence is due to the procrastination of Bahraini authorities to adopt a law organizing the audiovisual media in the state despite the accumulating applications, including one from the Islamic society Al-Wefaq, an opposition party.  It sent a letter in January 2012 to the head of the Information Affairs Authority requesting authorization to launch a satellite channel, but no official response has yet been received.

The legal vacuum

The media in Bahrain is organized only by Law No. 47 of 2002 on the organization of the press, printing and publishing. That regulation has been issued by a decree law without being passed by the legislative authority to abolish Law No. 14 of 1979 on printing and publishing.

The present law recognizes the instruments, devices and programs used to transfer words, figures, photos or films in order to publish or exchange it. However, this same law lacks sufficient articles that organize clearly the radio and television media. Opposition groups say that the authorities procrastinate in organizing that media, intending to dominate broadcasting and direct public opinion. The authorities also aim to prevent any opposition capable of emulating Bahrain TV, the only official state TV channel.

The governmental TV: single opinion and defamation policies

The programs broadcast by Bahrain TV betray a complete bias toward the government view. The channel’s content depends on information from official sources without providing opposition views.

The Information Affairs Authority has fired a number of Bahrainis during the period of the Emergency Law in 2011 for political and sectarian reasons. As of the publication of this report, most of those who were fired have not returned to their jobs, and some were moved to lower positions to force them to resign.

According to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, in its report issued Nov. 23, 2011, Bahrain TV broadcast during the period of emergency insulting language and provocative and defamatory coverage of events.

Among the commission’s recommendations was No. 1724, requesting the following of the Bahraini government:

1. To consider relaxing censorship and allowing the opposition greater access to television broadcasts, radio broadcasts and print media. The continuing failure to provide opposition groups with an adequate voice in the national media risks further polarizing the political and ethnic divide.

 

1. To establish professional standards for the media and other forms of publications that contain an ethical code and an enforcement mechanism, designed to uphold ethical and professional standards in order to avoid incitement to hatred, violence and intolerance, without prejudice to internationally protected rights of freedom of expression.

 

1. To undertake appropriate measures including legislative measures to prevent incitement to violence, hatred, sectarianism and other forms of incitement which lead to the violation of internationally protected human rights, irrespective of whether the source is public or private.

According to a reform plan devised by the Information Affairs Authority in order to follow up on the commission of inquiry recommendations, the Bahraini government suggested a draft law on audiovisual media for passage by the legislative authority. The draft includes the formation of a Higher Media Council with members assigned by the king to monitor the content of audio and visual programs and provide supervision of media.

The governmental plan assumes that the council guarantees the independence and neutrality of all media, ensuring multiple opinions, without inciting hatred or fanaticism because of race, gender, religion or nationality and ensuring pluralism and freedom of opinion and expression in media programs.

However, two years after the commission issued its report and recommendations, the government media policy has not changed regarding biased coverage of events and the exclusion of opposition opinion. The TV channels are still presenting political programs supporting the government and its policies, in addition to songs glorifying the ruling leadership in Bahrain, while violations of human rights, opposition viewpoints and the actions of state security still go unreported by state television.

Opposition TV Media

Al-Arab channel is described as News TV, and concerned with Arabic issues in general and not specific to Bahrain. Al-Ittihad Channel is representative of the view supporting the authorities. Thus, Lulu TV is the only TV channel whose coverage of daily events in Bahrain is not dominated by the government. Although Lulu TV sometimes presents information derived from governmental resources, it rarely allows government views to go unchallenged. The TV channel will report when governmental officials refuse to show up or comment.  It also focuses strongly on the stance of the opposition parties and the religious speeches broadcast are focused on a group of clerics from one sect, which is why it is considered an Opposition TV Channel.

Present Restrictions and Future Ambitions

The main shortcoming of the television media in Bahrain is the absence of a law that organizes the visual media and allows establishment of TV channels that are independent of the government. It is important to open government television channels for all opinions.

The government should facilitate the authorization process for launching non-governmental TV channels. Also, the absence of a law on visual media should not be an obstacle to having multiple opinions, especially since Al-Arab TV has been allowed to operate within existing law.

If the legislative authority approves the formation of a Higher Media Council, it must be formed through a mechanism that ensures its independence from government control. The council’s representatives should include private sector media operators and members of independent trade unions, in order to allow journalists and media professionals to operate without being influenced by either the government or the opposition.