Al‐Alam Versus Al‐Arabiya: Iran and Saudi Arabia's Media Propaganda Tools

Nowadays global satellites and television networks are among the important means of disseminating news and information across the globe. The modern media and television networks are also capable of crystallizing and navigating public opinion, as well as framing foreign policy issues. Media outlets,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Asian politics & policy 2018-04, Vol.10 (2), p.388-391
Main Authors: Baghernia, Niloofar, Mahmoodinejad, Elham Hesam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Balance of power
Broadcasting
Foreign policy
Geopolitics
Islam
Mass media
Media coverage
Policy analysis
Propaganda
Public opinion
Satellites
Telecommunications policy
Television networks
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Summary:Nowadays global satellites and television networks are among the important means of disseminating news and information across the globe. The modern media and television networks are also capable of crystallizing and navigating public opinion, as well as framing foreign policy issues. Media outlets, especially state-oriented ones, may find themselves at loggerheads over specific issues. Taking Iran’s nuclear deal which has received different reactions from various media platforms around the world—as an example, this review seeks to analyze how Al-Alam and Al-Arabiya TV channels’ coverage reflected the positions of their respective governments. With their wide audience reach, the Saudi-run Al-Arabiya TV and Iranian-run Al-Alam TV strive to influence public opinion in favor of their respective governments. For example, Al-Arabiya articulates policies based on the Saudi government’s national priorities while Al-Alam TV serves as the mouthpiece of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Insofar as the geopolitical rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia over the nuclear program issue is concerned, Al-Arabiya reported that “Saudi Arabia was worried that the program could increase Iran’s capability to change the balance of power in the Middle East in its favor” (Pasha, 2016,p. 7). In contrast, Al-Alam tried to showcase the success of constructive negotiations between Iran and the West, to demonstrate that Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful.
ISSN:1943-0779
1943-0787
DOI:10.1111/aspp.12386