Doha: Journalists in Qatar face a number of challenges in dealing freely with local issues, says a former editor-in-chief of Al Sharq.
One of the major obstacles faced by reporters and editors-in-chief of local newspapers is that they are called in by the police if there is a problem with some local coverage and that prevents free reporting, says Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud.
Currently editor-in-chief of Al Jazeeranet, Abdul Aziz told Al Sharq in an interview yesterday that despite censorship having been lifted a decade ago, local newspapers had achieved nothing.
There is no press law, he said, that could force Ministries, for instance, to provide information to newspapers. "There is, therefore, an urgent need for such legislation," he added.
Several other interviewees told Al Sharq that they had little regard for local dailies since they were a mere business and had failed to take up real issues facing society even a decade after the lifting of censorship.
"The only progress Qatari newspapers have made over the past decade is in terms of technology. I don't see any difference in their content," said Faisal Ali.
"They seem to be a lucrative business, just like any other business, a showroom selling commodities, for instance. They are not newspapers taking up issues and interacting lively and closely with society," said Ali. "I am totally disappointed with them".
According to Jaber Al Hamad, the local dailies are for the elite, for celebrities and for the rich and the famous, and not for the common man and the issues that confront him. The print media has dismally failed to achieve what was expected of it and this is very sad, he said. They have totally ignored issues of importance to society and people.
Mohamed Al Jusaiman said the dailies were far more superior in other countries in terms of their coverage of local news and events.
Unfortunately in Qatar, the newspapers have failed to respond to issues that matter.
There was much hope when the censorship was lifted in Qatar a decade ago since this was the only country in the entire region to be taking that revolutionary step. "To what avail, but," lamented Al Jusaiman.
