Damascus: a seminar for the Journalists Union demanding the reform of the Syrian media
Syria, Politics, 7/25/2003

Working staff in the Syrian media called for a comprehensive reform operation for this sector in a seminar organized by the Syrian Journalists Union in the presence of the deputy minister of information Taleb Qadi Amin while the minister of information Adnan Omran was absent.

Researcher Hussein al-Odat considered that the current Syrian "printing law" is worse than that put by the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hameed, calling for returning back again to that law, in a cynical remark to the law which was approved by the government since one and a half years.

Al-Odat criticized the state monopoly of the mass media in a way it has become "an advertising means for the government" He called for abrogating bureaucracy and increasing the budget of the media establishments.

For his part, the retired journalist Ibrahim Yakhour said that there is "an allied group that stands against development and embarks on the principle of assessing persons according to their own interests under the pretext of preserving the country's tourist, economic and security reputation."

The female journalist at al-Thawra daily, Diana Jabbour, described the expression "responsible freedom" as a "confiscation for the media" while Teshreen deputy chief editor, Hesham Basheer, called on the dircetors to shoulder the responsibility and giving the young generation due opportunities.

The activist on the civil society committees, Michael Kilo, questioned why there are some who are banned "from publication in the local press" and called for permitting all to publish in the Syrian media so as they will not resort to others. He concluded by questioning "when the promise for freedom launched since more than 40 years. If you have achieved freedom as you say, then open the press to people in order to express their views.

However, in its recent issue, al-Mohawr non- governmental daily strongly criticized the Syrian media considering it as the "media of the stone age in the 21st century." The minister of information Adnan Omran was absent from the seminar and SANA said he is in a tour on the Syrian governorates in the course of the "March of development and modernization" and to "boost media efforts."

Yesterday, the minister of information issued a decision stated to appoint 13 new SANA correspondents in several capitals including the director of public relations and foreign media department at the Ministry Munir al-Ali who was appointed in London.

The decision stated to replace 12 of SANA's correspondents by other 12 new ones. Among the capitals which witnessed the change in SANA's correspondents are Lebanon, Moscow, Tehran, Ankara and Rome.

Previous Stories:
  Mamoun al-Homsi admitted to hospital   (7/24/2003)
  Information minister confers with Turkish press delegation   (7/21/2003)
  Two private Syrian publications criticize the information and foreign ministries   (7/14/2003)
  Syria - German friendship association statement on ME developments   (6/2/2003)

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