The Syrian Conflict and How its HAs been covered in the recent past by the BBC and Aljazeera (Essay Sample)

Coverage Of The War In Syria By The BBC And Aljazeera
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The Syrian Conflict and How its Hs been covered in the recent past by the BBC and Aljazeera
Libertarian media policies are what rule the western world while Authoritarian media policies are inherent in the Arab world. The representation of the Syrian conflict by the BBC and Aljazeera has been done in different ways. This is very critical because of the different political meanings and constructions that emanate from these representations. Four years since the conflict began the situation is still unpredictable and dangerous.
The Baath Party owned all the media in Syria till 2000 when Bashar Al Assad rose to power and allowed the liberalization of the media sector. However, this was just for economic reforms spear headed by the west to take route since the government still gags the media to date. However, the Syrian conflict has made changes in the media policies. The coverage of the Syrian conflict by western and Arab media reveals that the media tends to manipulate the truth in order to favour their governments’ agendas. The aim of this paper is to analyse the concept of libertarianism, authoritarianism and autoerotism in the Arab and Western media specifically the Al jazeera and BBC coverage of the Syrian conflict in the recent past.
Discussion
The Authoritarian Media Theory
This theory holds that all kinds of communications are controlled by the governing elite. They deem this critical in order to protect and stop people from getting involved in what is perceived as national threats. The media is employed as a tool of enhancing the ruler’s power. The authorities reserve the right to allow the operation of media houses through provision of licences which could be revoked without notice in case a violation of government policies occurs (Callaghan 2011).
The Libertarian Media theory
This theory opposes the authoritarian perceptions. It holds that given that people are rational they should be allowed to choose between what they perceive as good and what they perceive as bad. Consequently, the media should not sieve any of its contents because the masses can still be educated from negative contents (McManus 2014).
The BBC and Al jazeera Coverage of the Syrian conflict
Schollon (2011) holds that news updates are usually not really about events rather they mainly deal with the narration of events. Fowler (2010) adds that there has never been anything like neutral reality representation. Consequently, the world’s reality cannot be understood through language for it is always restructured. In the same breath disseminated news is not a value free reality representation rather it is an ideological construct. Reported events are mirror a certain ideological representation founded under the precipice of specific attitudes and values.
El-Nawaway (2013) holds that when the Syrian conflict began the Syrian government used the army to deal with protesters while the European Union, the Arab League and the US condemned the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians. On the other hand Ayish (2012) points out that Iran and Russia backed the Syrian government turning Syria into a competitive league of the two world superpowers and their coalitions.
According to El Oifi (2015) today’s Arab world is already experiencing political cross roads intra Palestinian rivalry, continuous war in Syria, conflict in Iraq and the Lebanon crisis are threatening to subvert the region. Yet foreign intervention in these conflicts is not decreasing; this is not a surprise given the international nature of Arab politics.
The Qatar based Al jazeera network has intensely covered the Syrian conflict not only feeding the Arab world fury but also fostering anti government behavior. Fandy (2009) adds that this is because the Syrians are divided into two major clans while one clan is supported by Iran the others are supported by the rest of the Arab world. Al Jazeera is thus a counter force to the indifference of the plight of the suffering citizens in Syria.
Iskandar (2015) points out that in covering the first bombings of Russia in Syria the BBC reported that Russia claimed to be targeting the ISIS yet it is common knowledge that they funded and supported their uprising. Kraidy (2009) asserts that they also indicated that US officials were doubtful of Russia’s real intentions in the bombings. The Russian defense ministry went on the media to indicate that those air strikes targeted several ISIS positions which include; control positions, arms, communications and transportation.
However, according to Miles (2015) Ash Carter the US defense secretary countered this claim it is believed that the Bombings targeted the Homs City which is the base of Syrian rebels. The planes in essence hit locations that have anti Assad groups and free Syrian Army officers. Activists in Syria asserted to the BBC that the Russian bombings hit moderate rebels’ positions and a number of civilians.
Randall (2013) postulates that Qatar and Turkey have continued their support for ISIS and the Al Jazeera network which is based in Qatar would lie to the world to support the political ideology of its country. As a matter of fact it showed an airplane hit a building said to be the headquarters of ISIL. However, the US supported militia group released a tape that showed jets hitting a building in Latamna town in central Hama province.
According to the BBC Jameel al-Saleh the commander of the rebel group asserted to a Syrian news channel that their location was hit by Russian jets though the amount of damage was inconceivable. In another development which was first reported by the BBC the US officials trashed Russians official request that they clear the northern Syria airspace to facilitate the conduction of air strikes against the ISIS. However, Sakr (2015) points out that the US which continues with its airstrikes against the ISIS declined to honor that request; The US spokesman indicated that the US will never change its strategy in Syria to demolish the ISIL network.
As a matter of fact Tatham (2015) points out that on the second day of the bombings Iran moved with ground troops on the second day of Russian bombings to claim rebel held territory. As a matter of fact Hezbollah which has assisted Assad in this battle at least for two years was being prepared under the cover of the strikes to fight the rebels. The plan according to the BBC is to isolate and concur all that are not opposed to ISIL so as to ensure ISIL is the only enemy to the Assad regime. This will guarantee support from the west against the terrorist group.
According to Von Eschen (2015) the war on terror has seen a number of satellite television channels arise in the Arab world; apart from Al Jazeera there is also the US sponsored al Hurra which forms part of the global public diplomacy as far as the Arab world is concerned. Weeden (2010) holds that the Arab world’s overlapping power struggles as seen in the Syrian conflict have played a critical role in establishing the political and economic visual landscape of the television in the Arab region. In this context the mushrooming of the satellite television has evolved from a medium employed in political dialogue in this region to a challenger of the same spirit.
The Aljazeera a satellite television channel and its coverage of the Syrian conflict has come out as not just an instrument of communication rather it is also a symptom of the power rankles in this region at the international, domestic and even regional level. The Syrian conflict cannot be fully comprehended without a thorough analysis of the role of the major players including the USA, Russia, Iran, and the Arab League, Turkey, Iraq and a host of other nations.
According to Zayani (2015) it is the overlapping power rankles in the Arab world that are shaping the role that is played by Aljazeera and other satellite television networks in this region. The Al jazeera network is entrenched firmly in this multifaceted structure. In any instances it has tried to counter the official political perspective in the coverage of the Syrian war where it kept on challenging how the US viewed the events. In addition Abdelhay (2012) asserts that it also engaged in political conflict though by proxy where it became a platform for rivalry between nations in the Arab world clashing international and national political agents. It has thus become a mouthpiece for various political factions.
Implications of the Al jazeera and BBC Coverage of the Syrian conflict
Al Jenaibi (2010) asserts that the Baath Party as well as the Al Assad family have held on to power since 1970. Al Assad rose to power in 2000 upon the demise of his father. He began through improving life of the citizens via a number of reforms. But the media is still the government’s mouthpiece while the economic policy has been construed only to benefit those in politics.
Syria since 1963 has always been under a state of emergency and this tool has been employed to suppress and punish all public dissent. Kurdish minorities, Political activists, bloggers and human rights defenders who have criticized his regime have been subjected to torture, arbitrary arrests and unfair trials. Bahry (2011) holds that the religious minority in this country are Christians at 10% and the Alawites at 13% the Sunni Muslims are the majority at 74% but Assad belongs to the minority Alawites and is pitted against the few minority Sunni rebels in this war.
This conflict which began in March 2011 following demonstrations for the release of political prisoners and initiation of political reforms has gathered momentum and now pits a conglomeration of coalitions led by the two world power...