London Middle East Institute

The introduction and first session of the Arab Media Today conference held at SOAS on March 16th 2009.

The pan-Arab satellite TV ‘revolution’ turned the Arab media into a subject of worldwide interest due to its perceived political importance. But the media scene in the Arab world has continued to change with the emergence and evolution of internet-based media. Websites, on-line forums, blogs and other new media have become an increasingly significant part of it. Traditional outlets, whether print or broadcast, have had to adapt to retain audiences. The audiences have started interacting with the media in new ways. And internet access has exposed them to an unprecedented quantity and diversity of multilingual inputs from outside the region. While the development of on-line media in the Arab world has been slower than elsewhere, its impact is growing and its potential is great – as evidenced by the marked recent rise in efforts by Arab governments to control or constrain Arab cyberspace.