An anonymous poster went on a rant about the GDN, and who could blame him? But in the interest of contiguity, I have removed that comment and posted it here, as a new article so we can all join in this over-due rant!
The Gulf Daily News. I’d use it as toiletpaper if I ever ran out of some, but then I wouldn’t be treating my ass with respect by shoving crap in the face of my crap. To start with, the Editor is just plain boring. This brown-noser actually uses a tabloid newspaper as his medium to get the dumbest and most meaningless messages across to all of Bahrain. And what are these messages? Nothing! They either start out with “A wise man once said…” or end with “and thats why the PM is never wrong”. Does he really think that after reading his “column”, the readers will stroke their chins and ponder at the ceiling and think to themselves “Yes. . .I see the light. I am enlightened. . .” Seek therapy, Anwar.
Headlines. Need improvement. Why is it that every day they have to use the word “vice”? Its always “Vice Den in Sanabis!” or “Man and Woman found in Vice Den” or “Man attacked by Vice Women”? Last time I checked, Miami Vice was a cool show about cops in Miami. And since when was a story about a guy who lost his wallet headline-worthy? “Man loses wallet in Vice Den!”
Journalists. Their warranties expired in 1985. Find replacements.
Sports. Sheik Nasser being the president of “The Sheikh Nasser Royal Equestrian Horse Club” is not news worthy. What if his hobby was chess?
And don’t get me started on Amira or the british guy’s columns. Bahrain is not England, nor will it ever be, buddy, so start saluting the union jack on your own time. And as far as Amira is concerned, her first real assignment should be to find a real english newspaper in Bahrain.
Everything else just reeks of misinformation. To sum it all up, I think investors should put their money together and give us a real english newspaper with more real news and less BS. Besides, its 2005, so its about time Bahrain provided a real “English” newspaper.
Comments
GDN Should be burned
Awww come on, Mahmood. Don’t you think the [url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=100896&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=272 95]Gun drama at Bahrain hotel[/url] story deserved a large spot on the first page?
I like how they put at the bottom, “The incident happened last Tuesday.”
[Modified by: Sume (Sume) on January 09, 2005 11:11 AM]
Re: GDN Should be burned
hehe.. that by itself was hilarious, what’s even more so is the way that its Editor-in-Chief jumps to the blind support of the Prermier and salivates at the opportunity. I will NEVER forget an interview done with him by one of the Arabic satellite channels (I think MBC) when the king first came to power and he categorically said that “we never had any problems in the ’90s, that’s all fabrications” and other choice stands.
He typifies the saying “if someone tells him to jump, he answers how high?”
What a total waste of space. I wonder what would be his position when the premier retires. He’ll have to find someone else to brown-nose… My advice is for him to start looking!
GDN Should be burned
On the whole I aggree, Although I don’t agree with your comments about Amira and “that brittish guy”. They have raised some good points and created some public discussion…which is a good thing.
The Sheik Nasser thing is right. The day after the GT Racing in Bahrain (an event which is helping to put Bahrain on the map) pushed off the back page by Sheik Nasser winning some endurance race. [i]Aside: I have spoken to some people who have raced with him and they led me to believe, although they did not say it, they most people are afraid to over take him during a race.[/i]
Mahmood, when your done here you should start a rant RE Batelco. The internet seems to be getting slower and slower and slower!
Re: GDN Should be burned
Och I don’t mind Amira. She’s a good lass with a heart as big as a mountain and in the right place. Remember that the article is an entered comment transposed. I just wanted to give it more space, and it seems that I’ve done the right thing!
As to the “Brit”, I don’t mind him either, if he stops talking about his pussy, his wife and his “vast” experience in journalism and how he started as a runner. Oh, and Great Britain. And of course his “advice” to us Bahrainis. Other than that, he’s alright.
Regarding Shaikh Nasser, I don’t know the kid but I wish him luck. As to people being afraid to overtake him, then the blame is surely not on Nasser, but the dipshits who acquiesce. If they had any guts they would have passed him and that would probably make Nasser a better rider. I can guarantee you that if they actually overtake and win, they won’t be shot. At the same time, they will have shown Nasser and the rest of the Royal family in a much better light.
This phenomenon however is not unique to Bahrain, just have a look around the Gulf and let me know if situations much worse than this do not exist. All you have to look at are our friends the Emiratis who go for much more pomp and circumstance than our lads ever do.
Batelco.. you’re right, it needs another topic altogether, but maybe I could publish Tony Hart’s mobile and residence phone numbers and get everyone to really piss him off! I might just do that! 😉
The problem with ADSL access has now been thown at Japan. Their uplinks aparently are down and it’s up to the Japanese to fix it. This direct from the Ineternet helpdesk on 1788 1188.
Note: It’s never Batelco’s problem!
Re(1): GDN Should be burned
(the anonymous post above was by me btw)
I take your point about the brit, he is rather self involve when I think about it.
About Sheik Nasser, your right…good luck to him. If people can overtake him then they should.
When I said “your comments” above, I should have said “the comments”. I understand that your are quoting someone else.
GDN Should be burned
(I’m the anonymous guy who started this rant)
Don’t get me wrong about Amira’s columns. I usually skim her articles more than read the actual content because of a bunch of things:
1. They’re too long.
2. Content skims the surface.
3. Doesn’t use real numbers or figures to justify her position.
4. Generalizes more than she should.
5. I don’t think her sources are reputable (her stuff seems to be partially made up)
And she needs a new picture. I always fear that she’s watching me because the picture has been imbedded in my head. Mickey mouse? But I stand behind my beliefs on the brown noser. As far as Les (?) is concerned, he’s a little too critical on all human beings except for himself. He’s the type of expat that if he would sell his car, he’d include “expat owned” becasue he thinks that a value of a car increases if the previous owner was not a savage native. Don’t get me wrong, but I wouldn’t go to London and tell the brits how to eat their crumpets.
And that Khoonji guy. It doesn’t bother me that he really has no clue what he’s saying, but the guy’s writing style stinks. When Bush won the election in November, he wrote the lamest aricle, and was speaking directly to Condi Rice in a supposed black-accent, like “yeah, yo go, girl”. I’m not defending Bush in any way. I just think that if I see someone attempting any sort of comedy that’s plain lame, I should inform them. I think he’s troubled because the whole ‘gothic’ look isn’t working out too well for him.
Gulf Daily News is still miniscule as an organization and a news provider. Besides, if they had a better web site, maybe I wouldn’t be so hard on them.
GDN Should be burned
i heard a rumor that al wasat might be printing in english one day ….
GDN Should be burned
I am not a big fan of most of our local media, (present blog excluded) – however – I will say that the GDN has done more about reporting domestic abuse and abuse agasint women than most of the arabic dailies. And, if my memory serves me corectly – it was our dear Brits’ daughter sarah who wrote on the subject.
As far as I am concerned – the GDN is worth the 100 fils .. and if Les produced Sarah – more power to him …
JJ
Re: GDN Should be burned
[quote]i heard a rumor that al wasat might be printing in english one day ….[/quote]
I was told in October by a good source and Bahraini friend that this was in the works.
GDN Should be burned
Right on Mahmood. I work with a guy who came here the same time as les horton and he knows him well tells me the only reason he has a job is george williams wife “Babs” felt sorry for him and told george keep this poor teaboy. I mean isn’t nepetism wrong all he he does is write articles and talk about his wife. New blood there would be good yes les does talk about important points sometimes but it is a continous cycle to keep up his employment going and going, have been here many years and see it in many expats people like will not say anything counter to popular thought trust me his position would not allow it. I like my job I have heated arguments with my Bahraini co-workers at least once a week they respect me for giving them my honest opinion not what is expected.
keep on truckin baby
To Tariq Khonji
Hey TK!
(I’m the guy who started this rant. And now I’m going to mop the floor with you)
Please don’t take this as a personal attack, but its about time somebody showed you a few “pointers”. Considering that I don’t save your article clippings, can you please please please post that “article” you did on George W (I’m begging). I’m sure you saved it somewhere, whether at home or at work, but we must get to the bottom of this issue. Oh, and I’m not a journalist. I can “misquote” any one any time. You can’t. Journalists don’t do that. Until they work for the GDN. Now run along and post that article. please. I need a laugh.
Re: To Tariq Khonji
let’s not descend into a flame war please. let’s just move along into more serious and constructive areas. thanks for your cooperation.
Re: ad hominem/feminam
An ad hominem argument is one of the fallacious forms of argument identified by Aristotle and classified as rhetoric, rather than reason. “Ad hominem” means “to the person.” Its flaw is to avoid addressing the substance of the issue and attack the source in an unrelated way. For example, “A homosexual like Mike Stevens can not possibly give us good tax advice!”; or “We can not have a guy building our house who cheats on his wife!” The favorite ad hominem arguments of the Middle East are to accuse anyone who disagrees with you of being a Zionist or imperialist or an infidel.
You’re Welcome,
Steve
Re(1): To Tariq Khonji
This IS constructive. . .lets just say that its constructive criticism. But I really do want to read that article again. If Tairq doesn’t want to post it, then its up to him, but thats just a perfect example of the writing style that gives the GDN a less reputable name.
GDN Should be burned
Anon… u is funny….
if Les stays for another 50 years expect to read a shitload of articles on the best types of incontinence pads, another 10 of his pussycats getting run over or lost.. get the hint, even ur damn cat can’t stand you!
This is supposed to be a ‘national’ paper, we don’t need George and Les as editors, they can’t even speak Arabic for god’s sake. If anyone from Al-Hilal is reading this, i’m telling you now- you’ve lost it, you’ve lost the plot, ur editors, are waaaaaaaaaaay past it, I suggest you give them early retirement and a one-way BA ticket back to Heathrow for the whole family. They’re not on the pulse, they don’t know what’s happening on the ground, let alone analysing or commenting on it. Who gives a shit about some romping session between an indonesian maid and her neighbour, or the girl who lost her passport!!! If the issue is management, their are a dozen Bahrainis out there who could do the job, Al-jamri over in Alwasat hasn’t done too bad a job in a fraction of the time GDN has been around. Even though brown-nosing is a pre-requisite for the existence of any officially recognised media outlet in Bahrain, it come’s by default, GDN takes it to another level all together.
and TK, yeah we know the press laws stink, that doesn’t mean you need to compromise on your journalism, cos this is the feedback your gonna get! Since you seem to be targeting people with an IQ of a 10-year old, shouldn’t you aim higher and somehow aspire to raise journalistic standards in the country rather than submitting to the status quo? I’m sorry to say but you could be reporting from Nicaragua for all I care, as you fail to cover any real action on the ground unless the Ministry of Information sends you instructions to do so.
I think we should be lobbying Al-hilal on this one, and not scapegoating TK and Amira, they are just employees. GDN needs to be closed down, and re-opened with new managers with a vision, we wana read proper editorials, we wana see a modern layout, we wana see spellchecker being used!!!!
Re: GDN Should be burned
Thanks Scorpio for being a voice of reason in an otherwise crazy world.
Let’s also remind people – who criticise without even understanding what they are reading, eventhough it is in very simple English – the following facts:
1. It is the GDN which dug up Adel Flaifil from his hole in Australia at the time the Ministry of Interior said it could not track him down.
2. It is the GDN which exposed Bahrain’s heroin story, announcing that there was more heroin than needles on the streets, while the Ministry of Interior declines to give information on the situation.
3. It is the GDN which showed the world how the Bahraini prisoners were being abused at Guantanamo Bay, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior kept their lips sealed.
4. It is also the GDN which pools its resources are gives you blanket coverage of events. I don’t want to brag but which newspaper in Bahrain or the Gulf for that matter raised the alarm bell from the minute the tsunami was declared, raising and coordinating funds and putting people in touch with each other? Why didn’t the plight of the Thais, Sri Lankans, Indonesians and Indians touch the hearts of the more “credible” and “objective” papers in Bahrain?
Yes, the GDN could sometimes go over board reporting crime and court cases of things that have actually happened in Bahrain.
Those who are ashamed that these things are REALLY happening here should sit back and think WHY ARE THEY HAPPENING TO BEGIN WITH instead of getting their frustrations out on a paper which is doing its job with a huge sense of responsibility, crossing redlines and going where other papers dare not go.
GDN Should be burned
and since we’re on a roll, how about you try to assort and extend your vocabulary. The following words are repeated so many times, i get cross-eyed when I attempt to read:
vice, success, hailed, probed, top, horror, drive.
I can imagine one of Les’s kids coming back from school, and him saying, can you match each word to the story, son.
GDN Should be burned
No, Anon, YOU are right. I think the problem here is that Tariq’s Editor/Boss allowed that piece on George Dubya to print. So I guess the root of this problem lies within Tariq’s superiors for not proof-reading an article that was not, as taken from a black african-american female that Tariq couldn’t even remotely copy, “all that. uhum.” And thanks for the reminder, that apparently a lot of maids are in jail because they “romped” with the driver, which is considered “national news”. If I could point out all the evident flaws of the GDN, I’d be here all night. And Tariq still hasn’t posted the article. . .I guess I’ll be shifting through the bird cages and removing some bird shit off the old GDN issues to look for that article. Then again, shit on shit makes the article harder to find.
A. Mous
Re(1): GDN Should be burned
Oh come come. These “investigative journalism” pieces although admirable, are miniscule in the history that the GDN occupies. How old is it? 20 – 30 years or something like that and these are the only stories which it exposed?
Be reasonable please and answer this question honestly: how much weight would you put in a paper who’s bulk includes advertorials?
Another one for you which is more important: don’t you think it can produce more investigative journalism pieces? Why not one a week like what Al-Wasat does? I suspect that the only reason that the GDN started doing these pieces in the first place is because of Al-Wasat’s pressure.
There is a VAST room for improvement. Let’s start with firing Anwar Abdulrahman and George Williams.
Re: al hilal
Guess who’s back? Strav! transisting in Bahrain for 36 hours, afterwhich i’ll be back in SL. 😀
————————————anywayz————————
To Anon: Just which deaprtment exactly from al-hilal are u ranting about?
And tradearabia doesn’t happen to be in your firing zone does it?
To GDN: a time for the crime watch to have its own page – even a double spread would do, from there ‘normal’ articles like ‘wild romps’ can be filtered out, unless these were ‘forced’ wild romps in which case all power to you for higlighting it! 😉
And to good ole dear Mahmood: You’ve started an excellent topic on here, i believe some of these replies are make a good read, let’s send them to the ‘Letters To The Editor’ page, shall we? 😀
Re(1): al hilal
pls excuse the typo: the following should read as
And to good ole dear Mahmood: You’ve started an excellent topic on here, i believe some of these replies make a good read, let’s send them to the ‘Letters To The Editor’ page, shall we? 😀
And not:
And to good ole dear Mahmood: You’ve started an excellent topic on here, i believe some of these replies are make a good read, let’s send them to the ‘Letters To The Editor’ page, shall we? 😀
thanks for your patience,
strav. (i can’t remeber my password to log in here, i’ll remeber later i guess 🙂
GDN Should be burned
Yes, GDN’s journalistic standards are worse than those local freebie newspapers you get in the UK or elsewhere in the West, but look at the competition! Has anyone ever bought a Bahrain Tribune? Kuwait papers are worse – you have the Arab Times or the Kuwait Times which seem to rely on english translations of the arabic news or have internationally syndicated trash that isn’t worth reading. Then you have the International Tribune or Herald or whatever, which has a Kuwait and Lebanon version but is predominantly American propoganda. If I come across it I read the Gulf News from Dubai as even though it’s a cut & paste job from Western papers it ususally has a bit of content worth reading.
What the region really needs is a quality english newspaper, but given the poor journalistic standards (and the threat of being muzzled if the truth is too painful) it ain’t going to happen. Better to bypass the traditional media altogether and use the web for news, and blogs, particularly this one for informed comment!
Re: GDN Should be burned
Oh man did you get this one right. I
detest
the word
hailed
and I promise you that I have considered several times to count the number of times they used it. Unfortunately their site sucks eggs big time that the only way to read their articles over a month old is to go to an archiver service, that of course makes it very difficult to google these terms in the GDN only.
How about this for a headline in today’s issue:
Rape claim probed
!!!! 😀 😆
Re(1): GDN Should be burned
Okay Amira,
The GDN won’t print a damn thing if the government didn’t want it to, so get off the Adel Flaifil thing. And we all knew prisoners were being abused in Guantanamo Bay before the GDN printed anything (we do check real news sites).
Re(1): al hilal
welcome back Strav! I hope you will have sufficient rest for 36 hours to continue on with your very admirable efforts.
As to the topics going to the Letters page, I somehow don’t think they’ll print them!
Re: GDN Should be burned
ok, i’m going to be anonymous on this one, but i’m sure M knows me 🙂
I dunno’ why they use the word ‘probed
GDN Should be burned
Ouch!
GDN Should be burned
If there were real men and women in this magical kingdom who stood up for the truth and had any respect for themselves, the situation wouldn’t be like this.
The GDN – or any other newspaper in Bahrain – can never elevate itself to be described as anywhere near what a newspaper should be for as long as we live among hypocrates who survive on kissing asses and rubbing noses.
Instead of pouring out all this vile on newspapers, which are afterall a mirror of the society, why don’t you stop beating around the bush and call a spade a spade. Admit it: the state of affairs in this country is what is really making you tick and not the trash in a daily newspaper.
All of those people who are critical of the state of affairs in Bahrain should sit back and have a long chat with themselves and see what choices they have: they will realise that they have only two: either to shut up or to pack up.
There is nothing wrong with admiting the truth.
Also, when and if you don’t agree with a person’s opinion, cheap sleazy shots at the person’s character or looks or background, don’t help in addressing the issue.
Grown ups argue point against point. I don’t like Tariq’s election piece, I describe him as “troubled”! I don’t agree with Amira’s “shallow” articles, I say she has “unreputable” sources!! Where is the common sense in this?
Let GDN be…
…what it is. A tabloid.
For a Tabloid that has a circulation of well below 5,500 – it should never be taken seriously.
Bahrain Tribune is hogwash too.
Imagine the number of trees that are killed to produce these two rubbish.
Burning GDN wouldn’t even produce manure for the plants in your garden. The amount of lead would cause more trouble.
GDN and Tribune is surviving on “substantial funding.”
Print media (English) in Bahrain is just pukeworthy.
I would like to hear what you all think about the ByStander orgasms!
— Sundance Kid.
State of the Kingdom
Princess, I agree completely that it is the sad state of the kingdom that the tabloids reflect. Please don’t tell me these are Newspapers!!!!!
Kid.
Re: GDN Should be burned
Not true. It is the consious choice of the owners of the newspaper to promote envelope-journalism and treat it primarily as a business first and foremost. That’s what led journalism and the GDN in particular to be what it is. The GDN by its own admission is a tabloid, nothing more and nothing less. People won’t turn to it for information, at least not factual ones that have eminated from investigative journalism, although there are occasional diamonds in the rough. Look at your own labour problem editorials and the maid/women abuse pieces. Why not apply those principals on exposing corruption and the various other things that ails us as a society?
So to answer your question, the restriction is not the government alone. It’s the consious choice of the publishers and editors.
What’s stopping you? Be specific.
I am. Many others have as well, it starts (at least with me) with voicing my concerns and criticisms through this and other blogs, but who knows where it will end? You think that people and those in positions are not aware of these blogs and other forms of available expression on the island? Of course they are. But why do they tolerate them? My guess is that they have to because if they touch one of us now the whole world will be in uproar, unlike a few years ago where not a whimper would be heard. Although I don’t agree with Al-Khawajah, his recent run in with the government amply demonstrates this new phenomenon.
So I won’t agree with you to “shut up” and most certainly don’t agree with the “pack up” bit. Although that road is wide open for me, I will never take it as I feel it is my duty to stay and contribute to this country. I still have a lot to give, so do you. Packing up and leaving is just giving up.
So sue me, or them, or whoever!
Doing this little thing of mine I realised a long time ago that I have to have very thick skin indeed. Journalists, media personalities and politicians must have realised this as well, if not, then they soon will.
If what is said about you is not defaming and not lies, let it just go. Why bother getting upset about it?
To ‘anonymous’
To the anonymous that started this: I don’t necessarily disagree with everything you said, but I will say this: You must understand that newspapers, like all entities, must operate within the bounderies that are set for it by law (whether right or wrong). If they don’t, they can be shut down. Its as simple as that. If you are so brave, why don’t you post your name…
As for your comments that concern me directly: “And that Khoonji guy. It doesn’t bother me that he really has no clue what he’s saying, but the guy’s writing style stinks. When Bush won the election in November, he wrote the lamest aricle, and was speaking directly to Condi Rice in a supposed black-accent, like “yeah, yo go, girl”. I’m not defending Bush in any way. I just think that if I see someone attempting any sort of comedy that’s plain lame, I should inform them. I think he’s troubled because the whole ‘gothic’ look isn’t working out too well for him.”
Thank you for misquoting me. Go on, please…tell me about great journalistic standards…
Most of your comments are ad hominem and therefore worthless. Don’t just say I don’t have a clue about what I’m saying, tell me why you think so. And my photo (in a white shirt) looks ‘gothic’ to you? And you say I’m clueless?
And that’s all I have to say on the subject.
ad hominem/feminam
note to self: this is what Tariq (and sometimes Steve) are talking about:
and doesn’t this adverb really typifies the GDN in general and Anwar Abdulrahman in particular?
Re(1): GDN Should be burned
Mahmood,
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not upset.
I am way beyond that stage in my life and career now 😉
GDN Should be burned
When was the last time something about maid abuse or drug addiction was published in Bahrain’s neighbours? Through its focus on the abuse of faceless third world nationals the GDN’s put this issue squarely on the political agenda. The contrast between how quickly the new migrant workers group was given a licence here and the fact the issue’s off the radar screen in the neighbours is to a large extent down to the GDN constantly going on about it.
The fact that the GDN has phoned up Amnesty International and other human rights organisations abroad to ask their officials to comment on what’s going on in Bahrain’s internal affairs – for instance over the petitioners in March last year – when its obvious that they’ll be criticism distinguishes from most other papers in the region I know. Anywhere else this wouldn’t be commented upon, but as the GDN did it in the Middle East it says something about the paper.
I’ve got a lot of time for columnists Amira, Les, and Tariq, although I could do without the editor in chief’s brown nosing – definitely 18 rated and not suitable for a ‘family’ newspaper.
Re(2): al hilal
To everyone considering sending a letter to the GDN, do not waste your time.
I sent one about Batelco’s useless service and pathetic helpdesk staff, it was BLATANTLY edited and then put in the GDN under my name! I wrote again asking them to apologise and retract the heavily edited letter printed in my name. NO REPLY! I have heard of so many people this has happened to. The whole paper is a joke, it is purely there because it is heavily subsidised by ‘someone’ who ‘thinks’ ,ost ordinary people are morons and believe the clap trap they write. Who is the moron, I dont pay 100 fils for it and yet some subsidises thousands for a waste of trees!
As to the GDN’s fellow sycophantic cousins, the Bahrain This Month and the Confidential, I consider these junk mail. The same faces pretending to be important in the bystander, articles written about items IF the agents or ownwers have bought an advertisment! Does anyone actually buy it or is it’s circulation solely due to be given away free with the GDN? I used to just bin them immediately until it so P****d me off I cancelled my GDN subscription, which i only had for the TV section until even that became totally wrong. I say burn the GDN in a mass rally! Oh and Les, you seem like a nice enough guy, harmless and kind even BUT come on, we are fed up of your cat and your new house ect.
Re: GDN Should be burned
BATELCO should be BURNED instead!
Damn their bloody servers, and someone needs to screw them inside-out to know how much they mess up other ppl’s schedules! I need to access my email to get contact numbers and a flight confirmation cde and i’m screwed! Batelco really really needs to be F**ked upside-down!
So how come mahmood.tv is working? my only place to rant for now.
Re(1): GDN/Batelco Should be burned
hehehe… We (note the Royal We here) have connections, that’s why m.tv is up and running, even faster than it ever did WE think!
Truth now: I have no bloody clue! But I won’t complain, and that’s for sure!
GDN Should be burned
For your information, I think the GDN – like most newspapers in the world – does not copy and paste from Western media or the Internet.
There are such things as wire services – Associated Press, Reuters, AFP – that your may or may not have heard of.
Newspapers subscribe to such services for a fee. In return, they get a constant supply of stories from around the world that they would never be able to put out by themselves.
This is the case for small local newspapers, as well as huge national and international publications.
That is why some stories are practically identical in different newspapers or on different websites – because they came from the same news agency.
The Doc
GDN Should be burned
You all seem to read your toilet paper quite closely…if you don’t get anything out of it, then why read it? I agree that many of GDN’s headlines are extremely over the top, but they do some good too, like the mainds issue for example. Nothing is perfect. Why do you Mahmood post articles from it otherwise? I even recall you once saying something semi-nice about the PM and trash Al Khawaja at the same time. Was that just to cover your back? If your blog was published as a magazine or daily it would be shut down immediately and then what good would you have done? Its very easy to critisize, but we all know the realities of this country so talk is cheap.
Re(2): GDN/Batelco Should be burned
the net is surely screwed up, but theres something strange about it too, i’m streaming music here from an internet station and suddenly my sites start working i’m able to browse and stuff – slow yet can browse unlike before – where only this site was accessible well i aint gonna complain no more… will do once i get back to bahrain.
cheers!
atrav 🙂
Re(1): GDN Should be burned
Another word they overuse is boom! But as anyone who worked on page designs will tell you, the reason that words like horror, crash, probe, cash, bash are used so often is becasue they are short and snappy. It can be difficult fitting in headlines in the space provided on a newspaper or magazine page, something that isn’t so much an issue on the internet. In fact, with newspapers its even more difficult. The choice of words are very limited.
Re: GDN Should be burned
Talk is cheap indeed. Let me tell you however why I quote the GDN: because there is no alternative! That is why we are all incensed at it not rising and raising its standard. I believe that the GDN is essentially good, they just need to remove those lips permanently affixed to asses and do good journalism like what they have done on various cases as described in this thread. The regime seems to regard it as a “has been” as well, when they were completely sidelined and ignored from the “official leak” of the pending ministerial reshuffle, the result of whis is a small article on the front page, sort of the GDN hitting back! Childish.
I also agree that if this blog were to be published in print, it would certainly be shut down or at least harrassed into shuting it down. But the difference is that this blog is not an accredited newspaper, nor am I a journalist. Blogs are essentially personal and VERY biased. It’s just the nature of the beast. You – as a reader – can take it as you wish, I would advise with a large pinch of salt because almost all blogs do not subscribe to professional journalistic standards, and if you look cursorily at any of them, you would find tremendous fodder for so many lible cases that it would feed a lawyer’s family for several generations.
That does not mean of course that information contained in blogs should be completely discounted and discredited. Not at all. Blogs provide the real “pulse of the street” if you like or the segment of society it represents. Reading several of them would give an astute reader a much better feel for a country and its politics than traditional media.
To me, bloggers are rebels.
GDN Should be burned
Newspapers are also biased. It is the nature of this beast also. Look at any national UK newspaper for an example. The Guardian, Independent and Mirror have a left-wing bias while The Times and The Sun are right-wing. You can see the same stories printed in different papers, but one will make it sound positive and the other negative, depending on the slant of the newspaper. The reason for this is becasue of the political views of the owners, like Rupert Mordoch’s ultra right views for example but even more than that its because the newspapers are there to make money at the end of the day, not provide a service to the public. Yes, even the Indipendenta nd the Guardian, who many of you probably think of as unbiased newspapers, are VERY biased. The only reason you don’t notice it is because it reinforces your prejudices if you are left-wing. You think it is unbiased because it tells you what you want to hear. There are some star journalists like Robert Fisk who are really only campaigning for their causes, not being unbiased. Having said that, its good that we have people like Fisk because at least they seem honest in what they want to change, unlike the owners of newspapers like Murdoch who seem to be after political and economic gain. The GDN is the same…the owners clearly think that towing the government line is what will make them the most money at the moment…if things change then they may go the other way. Newspapers are a business, nothing more. Individual journalists make the difference.
Re: GDN Should be burned
This begs the question: What does one believe?
The only way of course is to go out and find the truth yourself, but that’s not a very practical solution. The alternative is to read the story from several sources and take the middle road, which again is very difficult because of personal prejudices.
Logic and reason must come into it then, and that too is a difficult concept to apply, because ultimately what sounds and reads logical and reasonable to one, could be construed as the complete opposite by someone else.
That leads me to the conclusion that you’re right, it is the individual journalist who makes the difference. Why else (in Bahrain) would a journalist accept a job whose pay-scale compares to janitors, and whose career prospects are just slightly better? And all that in the almost complete absense of laws that would protect them in performing their job?
But how would you ensure that that journalist is being honest? How do you help the news media to raise their own level? Honest and constructive criticism is one way, and that’s what we’re doing in this thread.
GDN Should be burned
What a colorful, thought-provoking thread this is turning out to be…
We can all argue for the rest of our lives about the GDN, what it does and what it does not, but that would be worse than actually reading it!
The only solution to this situation is the creation of an independent, political English daily. Leave the GDN doing what it’s been doing for the past three decades (Being pro-government, pro-expat tabloid) and forgot completely about the Bahrain Tribune (which admittedly could have had lots of potential if it weren’t government-owned) and keep hoping and waiting for someone like Al Wasat to bring out a decent replacement for these two that we can rely on when it comes to hard-hitting, political (and professional) journalism.
And let’s be honest with ourselves, the GDN is a good laugh… we all need a good laugh to start off our days, don’t we?
GDN Should be burned
You think that Al Wasat is a good newspaper? Its not at all what people were expecting it to be. True, they were the only ones to cover the Al Khawaja issue properly and also a few other things here and there, but it also has its own political agenda…it tries to be somewhere in between, pleasing both the government and Al Wefaq. The word ‘Al Wasat’ means in the middle…and that’s exactly what they are, although not the way they would like you to believe…most of the Shi’aa population is very disappointed in Al Wasat.
Re: GDN Should be burned
I think it is actually, in as much as infusing new blood into the arena, and they did do some very good reports, especially about drub abuse, maid-marriage, tribulations of local wives, hard-nosed interviews with political (boycotting) figures, temporary marriages and various other pieces far too many to remember which I thought very topical and very local which have not be explored before, other than refreshing takes on the political scene, sometimes laughable mind you and simplistic, but the vast majority quite good.
Al-Wasat has had a good influence on the other two dailies – Al-Ayam and Akhbar Al-Khaleej have pulled up their socks since its inception 2 (and a bit) years ago.
Anyone has any comment on the new Arabic paper Al-Mithaq?
The Ministry of Disinformation Should be Burned
Here is what you need to have an excellent newspaper in any language, let alone English, in Bahrain:
First of all, you will have to do the following:
[b]Close down all the newspapers in Bahrain for at least a year to allow people to “detox” [/b]
Secondly, you will have to fire ALL the officials in government positions across the scale and employ people with the decency to look beyond their bloody nose tips.
Then, without even having to mention it, you will have to dismantle and close down the Ministry of Disinformation
Afterwards, people need to grow up a little bit and leave newspapers to manage their own affairs without the meddling of half-wits (all non-journalists, including ministers, officials, businessmen, morons and publishers)
You should remember: Journalism is a vocation and not just a job. Only people with the “correct” skills and ethics and who are able to shoulder the responsibility should be employed in this profession and not every Tom, Dick and Harry
Have a good day 😉
GDN Should be burned
[quote]You should remember: Journalism is a vocation and not just a job. Only people with the “correct” skills and [b]ethics[/b] and who are able to shoulder the responsibility should be employed in this profession and not every Tom, Dick and Harry [/quote]
I think Dan Rather and CBS should read this.
Gulf Haily News
Mahmood,
I know someone who is obsessed with the whole “Hail” thing too!! He actually searches for “hails” in the subheadings as well..and scores points depending on the prominence! He informs me that he has been cutting them out and is making a collage of some sort hehehehe!
A close secong comes “Praise” which scores fewer points. The other ones he looks out for are “Boom” and “Boost”. But he assures me the jewel in the crown is most definately……(cue drumroll)…………BONANZA! which they only use once per year according to him!!
It’s so funny and yet sad that the only way to deal with it is to lighten it up with such humour.
GDN Should be burned
[url=http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=103027&Sn=COMM&IssueID=27315]URL Typical Bullshit Les “Editorial”[/url]
GDN Should be burned
This is so funny.
Why are you so obsessed with it (the GDN) then ?
American World University Degrees
I refer to all the advts appearing in the Arabic and English language news papers about the Gulf Academy and American World University.
How the Gulf Academy is promoting such a university in Bharin. Did the Ministry of Edu give them permission. This University is not approved in USA . Theere is no exam , only assignments and at the end you get Bacclarate, Majistrate and Doctorate.
This is cheating. All those reading this should not join the course.
I wrote Email to Us Dept of Edu and they said it is not recognised. No campus and no teachers, only one room university , and laser printer and fax machine.
I hope that the concerned people will take the right action and stop this.
Re: American World University Degrees
Hi Anon,
We’ve been followed up on this, and yes, the American World University is in fact a bogus one. Apparently, when we contacted the people in charge of the bachelor degree programs at Gulf Academy they claim that they no longer offer the program or have anything to do with the American World University.
Seems like the MoE (Ministry of Education) has been looking into this as well. However, the lady that talked to us from the Gulf Academy did say that from next week onwards they would be offering degrees from London University. She failed to mention if Gulf Academy was affiliated or just offering degrees from [url=http://www.lon.ac.uk]London University[/url] or [url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk]London’s Global University [/url]. We were requested to contact them for more details next week or email them (gulfacad[at]batelco.com.bh).
Hope that helps and do keep us informed of any changes you may become aware of. It is interesting that the revelation of Gulf Academy’s offer of degree programs from a bogus university comes just less than a week after [url=http://nbrb.blogspot.com/2005/08/bahrains-private-varsities-flayed-over.html]the presidents of 2 Bahraini universities blasted the corruption within private universities in the Kingdom[/url].
Re: The Ministry of Disinformation Should be Burned
[quote]Afterwards, people need to grow up a little bit and leave newspapers to manage their own affairs without the meddling of half-wits (all non-journalists, including ministers, officials, businessmen, morons and publishers) [/quote]
Hmmm. So you think there should be no checks on journalism? That it should be unaccountable and above criticism? You’re in good company. Many journalists agree. They prefer to hurl their thunderbolts down from the mountain tops on the damned people below. They don’t much care for criticism, which they take to like cats to scalding water.
And by the way, most journalists are not exactly geniuses or even competent to understand most of the topics they cover. That’s why there is so much editorializing masquerading as journalism. Writing your opinion is easy. Research is hard.
[quote]You should remember: Journalism is a vocation and not just a job. Only people with the “correct” skills and ethics and who are able to shoulder the responsibility should be employed in this profession and not every Tom, Dick and Harry[/quote]
The skills required to be a journalist are the lowest common denominater skills found in all serious professions. Quite frankly, most other professions are more ethical than journalists, who most often are pursuing a political agenda rather than reporting the facts. The responsibility shouldered by a journalist is considerably lighter than that shouldered by other professions, like pilots or doctors or police. Journalists screw up all the time and not much harm is done.
The explosion of blogs and their ongoing feast on mainstream media mistakes demonstrates rather convincingly that Tom, Dick, and Harry know a lot more than the average journalist and are more dedicated to getting it right. I put my trust in Tom, Dick, and Harry.
Steve