How Saudis Are Presented in the Television - Coursework Example

Name Tutor Institution Date Introduction How the Saudi are Presented in the Television, using the Negative and Positive Views Many questions and generalizations are more often than not formed in the minds of many through the influence of the media. Throughout the years, the media, especially television has influenced the minds of many regarding the society, and Saudi Arabia is no exception. As Jenkins (3) argues, media audience in the past were composed of passive consumers, however currently consumers are more active in their consumption of all types of medial. As a result the media is a major influence on how people perceive a particular society. The Saudi society has been portrayed through various lenses around the globe. Some of the views portrayed regarding Saudi society on televisions are positive while some negative. This particular essay therefore aims to analyze how the Saudi are presented in the television, using both the negative and positive views. One of the negative views about the Saudis presented in the televisions is that they are a backward society that oppresses their women. According to Antioch (1), an American talk-show hosted by American hostess Oprah Winfrey conducted a TV show on “Women across the Globe, “in which 11 women, each representing a different nation and culture were hosted. In place of Saudi Arabia was a TV hostess Rania Al-Baz who featured on headlines in August 2004 after she was beaten almost to death by her partner. The show brought about criticism within the Saudi press who claimed that the TV show had been bias by portraying Saudi society as a backward society that is violent to their women. They also claimed that the Saudi Arabian TV hostess’ appearance on the TV show damaged the reputation of all Saudi women. In addition, they claimed that the alleged violence against women was not an occurrence exclusive to Saudi Arabia, but it is also a global issue, and that the situation facing the Saudi Arabian women was even better compared to women in America. Other Saudis who are not amused with the views argue that there is no doubt that there are cases of domestic abuse within Saudi society as there are unpleasant elements living within the Saudi society, but that does not define the Saudis as a society (Antioch,1). In addition to portraying Saudi as a backward society that oppresses their women, televisions also portray Saudi society as being under some kind of resistance when it comes to condemnation regarding human rights’ violations. According to the Press TV (1), it is so difficult to have the right of religious practice and education in Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch claim there is official discrimination against Shiites, women and children especially within the Justice department on religion and education. However, those opposed to such depictions argue that that Saudi Arabia is a traditional political system where the decision making process relies on consensus (Press TV, 1). The opponents further argue that perceiving Suadi Arabia as a society that does not accept human rights is a strategy of undermining their society in order to dominate their views. As Said (43) highlights the western style orientalism is used for the purpose of restructuring, dominating and having authority of the orient, Suadi Arabia in this context. Any kind of opposition, or diversion of views are perceived as acts of disloyalty that call for punishment by the system, thus the Saudi system has no room for any kind of protest or expressing disagreement as this would be perceived as a revolt against the ruling elite. According to the Press TV (1), the Saudi system was forced to put into practice the Wahabi doctrine that led to the rise of Saudi Arabia as it is known today. It has, therefore, since 1952 been compelled to put into practice the Wahabi doctrine that allows no room for distraction of views and doesn’t accept plurality including individuals’ rights of expression. According to Zhang & Benoit, (161), Saudi society is also portrayed on televisions as financial backers of terrorism. Israel’s “Operation Defensive Shield” has in the past uncovered new documents from the Palestinian offices directly linking Saudi Arabia with financial supporting of terrorist attack against Israel. The Saudis have however repeatedly refuted such connections (Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs 1). These claims against the Suadi society can be linked to the perception of the English towards the Irish people in the 19th centaury. Curtis (179) highlights that the Irish were perceived as rebellious and out cause war. Acting in response to such allegations, the foreign policy adviser to the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah has in the past enlightened the Fox television arguing that Saudi funding has always been directed towards humanitarian aid of families who had suffered because of the Israeli occupation as well the Israeli attack. According to Fox News (1), Mr. Adel Al-Jubeir, the foreign policy adviser to the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah highlighted that the Saudis do not finance suicide bombers, and that their main objective is to ensure there is food on everybody’s table as well as medicine in their pharmacies. However, according the Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs (1), one of the Saudi document discovered within the Palestinian offices revealed that the Saudis were indeed not providing general humanitarian assistance as they had assured the American government and even explained to the American television audiences. Among the documents discovered in Tulkarm was a table from Saudi Arabia having details of the tenth set of compensation to the martyrs of the Al-Aqsa Intifada. The table detailed how $ 545,000 was paid to 102 families. The logo on top of the table read: "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Committee for Aid to the Al-Quds Intifada". The committee was formed in the fall of 2000 under the Saudi Arabian Minister of the Interior, Prince Nayef bin. Prince Abd al-Aziz was also in charge of bringing together contributions during the April 11, 2002 telethon meant for Palestinian martyrs on Saudi Arabia State television, and which was alleged to be contributions towards the support of suicide bombing activities. Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs (1) highlights that the Riyadh deceived Washington, as the Saudis enumerated their allocations line by line, giving details of the circumstances of the passing away of Palestinians whose families had received the assistance. The Saudis themselves made it clear that the allocations were meant for suicide attacks. Another negative view about the Saudi society portrayed in the televisions is that Islam is tainted by extremism. A big part of the Saudi culture is portrayed as being the by-product of ordinances enforced by fundamentalist view, in addition to extreme tribal laws and public policies. As a result, scores of Saudis are persuaded or at least maintain that their traditions and culture are in harmony with Islam and the teachings of the prophet, and in return say no to any changes to their beliefs, traditions, and way of living, even if it is for the betterment of the Saudi society. As argued by Gray and McGuigan (97) public policies within a state greatly influence the social construction and culture of a state. Televisions therefore portray that it has been fixed in the minds of Saudis that the only common sense is to adhere to the religious ordinance (fatwas) as issued by Imams. For this reason, anyone not an imam who attempts to send a message by fearlessly bringing attention to social or religious matters is viewed either as offensive or threatening, or viewed as working against Islam. Khan (1), for instance, argues that when a popular television program like “Tash Ma Tash”, a Saudi series that has been broadcasting every Ramadan for the last 17 years talks about Saudi cultures responsiveness in the form of humour, and great way send a message regarding extremism and corruption in Saudi Arabia, many extremists assume defensive attitudes and advice against watching such programs, and even at times go as far as sending death threats. According to Khan (1), therefore, televisions portray the Saudis as living on the fantasy world created by fundamentalists that they are living in compliance with the Islamic laws by taking extreme measures on everything, or that any condemnation or alternative views of the Saudi culture is disrespect to Islam. On the other hand, one of the positive views presented in the televisions regarding the Saudis is based on Saudi Arabia’s significant contribution towards global economic growth. Its influences stems mostly from its oil wealth, having more than 25 percent of the globe’s known oil reserves. As an oily country, possessing the largest oil deposits as well as the largest exporter of petrol and crude oil to the rest of the globe, the sovereign independence of Saudi has been of vital interest to the rest of the world. For this reason, the Saudi society receives positive portrayal on televisions owing to its significant contribution to the world economy. Press TV (1), for instance, argues that there is no doubt that Saudi Arabia presently plays an essential global economic role and should an uprising occur there, it would affect the world in a much greater way than the uprisings experienced lately in Libya, Egypt or Tunisia have affected us. Nearly all economies in the world will be affected by unrest in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, should there be a major drop in the amount of oil supply from Saudi Arabia; world food distribution will go down drastically implying that people will begin starving of hunger, especially the net food importing nations. Media has therefore a great interest on Saudi Arabia, as a result, keeping an eye on the Saudi Arabia as a strategic and major oil producing country. The Saudi society is also portrayed in televisions as being one of the most religious and insular nations within the Middle East. The Press TV (1), for instance, highlights that a strict fundamentalist interpretation of Islam (Wahhabism) governs every aspect in Saudi Arabia, with the Holy Koran and Prophet Muhammad’s teachings effectively serving as the constitution. Religious police, for example, ensures that these rules are adhered to, arresting and even at times flogging those found to have dishonored them. Another positive aspect of religion aired on televisions is based on the fact that Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam. The region has Islam’s most sanctified sites. Its position as the birthplace of Islam and the guardian of its two most sacred sites, in Mecca and Medina gives Saudi society a lot of airing in a number of televisions stations globally. The city of Mecca, Mohammed’s birthplace, for instance, hosts Islam’s most sacred mosque, Al-Masjid al-Haram, and is also the destination of pilgrimage for all Muslims all over the world.Ka’ba,a small, black, cubic structure within the mosque’s courtyard contains the Blackstone, one of Islam’s most valued artifacts. This stone, which was holy during the pre-Islamic times, is as well viewed by a large number of Muslims as a righteous marker-a well-situated way of keeping track of the number of times they have been able to walk around the Ka’ba during their time in Mecca, a ritual that requires seven revolutions. Other Muslims attach more supernatural power to this particular stone as well as trusting that it has the power to wash away the sins of those who would kiss it. When Muslims stand facing Mecca in order to pray five times in each day, they are actually facing the Ka’ba, and hence the Blackstone(Slackman, p 1 ). Conclusion The above analysis clearly reveals that televisions portray the Saudi society more negatively than it is doing positively. The negative views portrayed in televisions include the Saudis connection to the backing of terrorism, the negative portrayal of Saudi as a backward society that oppresses their women and having high levels of human rights violation, and that their Islam belief is tainted by extremism. On the other hand, the positive views portrayed by televisions include the Saudi society’s significant contribution towards global economic growth and their strict religious practice that governs most aspects in Saudi Arabia. In general, Saudi society appears to be portrayed negatively in the televisions. References Antioch, Saudi Women Flame Oprah: "We were portrayed as a Backward Society that is Violent towards Women, 2005, Pp1.” Curtis, Liz.“Echoes of the present: the Victorian press and Ireland” from Studying Culture reader. 1979. Fox News, April 28, 2002, Pp1. Gray, Anne & McGuigan, Jim, Studying Culture: An Introductory Reader, 2nd Edition, New York: Oxford University Press, 2002, Pp97. Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs, Washington Misled: Saudi Arabia's Financial Backing of Terrorism, 2002, Vol. 1, No. 23. Jenkins, H. “Introduction: Worship at the altar of convergence: a new paradigm for understanding media change” from Convergence culture: Where old and new media collide, 2006 Slackman, Michael. ‘’Growing up Suadi’’. The New York Times. 2011. p 1. Said, Edward “Orientalism”. Routledge 1979 Khan, Soha, Taboo topics in Saudi Arabia: My take on The Danger Triangle, 2010, Pp1, Retrieved on June 13, 2011 from http://sohablog.com/?p=115 Press TV, An Interview with Hilal Khashan, a Professor at the American University of Beirut, 2011,Pp 1, Retrieved on June 13, 2011 from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/178516.html Zhang, Juyan & Benoit, William, Message Strategies of Saudi Arabia’s Image Restoration Campaign after 9/11, 2004, Public Relations Review, 30 (2004) 161-167. Read More