Free to Praise The Regime, or Free to Leave The Country.

Faten Bushehri

Nothing is more frustrating for a journalist on a mission than to be torn between compromising their journalistic values for the sake of a stable, well-paid job and living on the bare minimum in a fight for freedom of the press and truth telling. Especially for political journalists, you’re either a journalist because you believe in the power of the press and want to make a difference, or you’re using it as a tool for personal gain; be it compensation, access to privileges or the pursuit of fame. When you have turned the first into the latter, you have hit the ultimate jackpot of the media industry. But that is hardly the case in Bahrain, where freedoms of press and speech are almost non-existent. In Bahrain it is rather easy to use journalism as a tool for personal gain by dedicating your mission to serve that of the government.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise given that back in 2007, studying journalism (not communications, or media studies) was limited to the University of Bahrain, and it was taught only in Arabic. Other universities offered English degrees in more general areas related to communications. As an aspiring journalist with the ambition to go beyond Bahrain and the Arab world, having to choose between public relations and communication studies forced me to leave the country to pursue journalism in the United States.

Fast-forward eight years later; I am not sure whether leaving Bahrain to pursue a better education was a blessing or a curse. New journalism graduates return home to no real platforms to practice their profession.

Traditional media in Bahrain could be easily separated into two categories: those espousing the ideals and opinions of the government, and those criticizing the regime. This is not incorporated in any law, as Bahrain claims to implement freedom of press and speech; however that does not translate into reality. Media either promotes a positively reconstructed false image of the regime like ‘Akhbar Al Khaleej’, or criticizes the government and faces harassment and possible shut down like ‘Al Wasat’.

New journalism graduates who aspire to build bridges beyond the Arabic language have only two options: the “Gulf Daily News” and “The Daily Tribune.” The first is the sister paper of ‘Akhbar Al Khaleej,’ known to be a pro-government paper, and the second is the sister paper of ‘Al Ayam,’ whose original editor was former Minister of Information Nabeel Al-Hamar, and is staffed by ministry of information employees.

In a study conducted by Omran Salman, a former employee of both papers and current director of Arab Reformists Project, AAFAQ (Horizons) in Washington D.C., he says even though the private sector controls most of the publications in Bahrain, the government still retains control over publishing policies, and it appoints top officials to the publications who in turn make staffing decisions.

When Bahrain witnessed the popular uprising in 2011, the limitations of editorial freedom were confirmed as journalists were harassed, detained, and even tortured. Bahraini authorities also harassed and deported foreign journalists who reported on events on the ground, including correspondents from CNN, Al Jazeera English and several others. Even citizen journalists on social media were not free from retaliation. Anybody who found a platform to speak his or her mind and criticize the government was punished.

Nothing has changed in Bahrain in the four years since the uprising; if anything the situation has worsened. In addition to the emerging journalist’s difficult decision to be pro- or anti-government and the consequences that come with that choice, the limited numbers of platforms are reserved for veteran journalists who are already established in the community.

Even if you try to practice so-called balanced and objective journalism by reporting both sides of the story, it’s impossible. Government officials are careful about their interactions, and any attempts to reach out to them are faced with background checks and dozens of inquiry questions. Before you know it, the tables have turned and the journalists are the ones being interviewed.

Today, there is still no degree in journalism offered in English, and neither is it evident there are plans to establish one in the near future.

Bahrain is slowly becoming a brain drain for journalists and writers, chaining their voice under a blanket of a distorted democracy. You are free to praise the regime, or free to leave the country.

Faten Bushehri

Bahraini freelance journalist and rights advocate. Current Master’s student in Journalism, Media and Globalization with focus on media and politics at the University of Amsterdam