Censorship in action

Qatar emir orders release of all Bahrain-based fishermen

Manama: Qatar is freeing all Bahrain-based fishermen it has been holding for allegedly straying into its waters.

http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/bahrain/qatar-emir-orders-release-of-all-bahrain-based-fishermen-1.641003

You find out in the end that they are the same person... :P

Valid points.. However, nowadays, most of the world's news is sourced through Reuters or AP and then edited accordingly .

I agree deepb. As I said, it's pretty obvious they were edited with the intention of keeping certain things quiet. Especially the bit about the Bahraini fisherman.

Yes, it's normal to edit for shortening the article, but not for changing the meaning conveniently.

It's pretty normal to edit Reuter's articles everywhere. I used to have to do it back when I was working for a newspaper. Reuter's articles routinely do but stuff in that's easy to cut out. However I think it's quite obvious that these articles were edited with a bit of a bias. ;)

Britexpat,

One thing is having different newspapers writing articles in line with their own political tendencies, the other is having newspapers copying a Reuter’s article and deleting convenient parts.

It's either a Reuters’ article or it's not. Partially editing is the point here.

Yet another effort to disguise your identity!

Freedom of press? What a nice dream......

Just as an aside, I am always amused by these types of posts because the "postee" assumes that we in The West don't have any form of censorship. This ofcourse is hogwash. For example, where we have disagreements with Israel or USA, have a look at the same story carried by The Guardian, The Mirror and The Daily Mail and you'll see my point.

britexpat,

You could be in Venus and still project a Lunatic's image ;)

I am actually in rainy Blighty, but thanks for the compliment...:O)

britexpat,

I am starting to understand why some people here doubt about you being a brit and label you as a a**-kisser.

You sure were well trained to never bite the hand who feeds you ;)

The official story, in both countries, is that we are like brothers, and we love each-other so much... But it is true brotherhood, and who loves his brother? If you have a problem between brothers, you keep them in the family. (The same as the rules of Fight Club).

brit... why would they selectively edit out the part that sheds a negative image on the country only? The edited story puts out a different image. This is not how you shorten a story.

The answer is simple, the local newspapers had so much other news to focus on that they did not have the space to go into unneccessary detail. They just wanted to get the gist of the story accross...

bleu,

LOL

A comment on majorie's site :

(Anonymous) wrote:

Jun. 9th, 2010 08:09 am (UTC)

Censorship?

I don't see this as "Censorship", it looks like they don't want to publish the idea of "Political Tension" between Qatar and Bahrain in Qatari newspapers...

Drmana,

Not all of us have the luxury to be subjected by QTel's censorship, only. Unfortunately some of us have several layers of control!

Nic, I totally agree :-)

thanks deepb, it sure is a good sample of how news are "treated" (a.k.a. sterilized) and reported here!

The link is working fine.....

Good Article

nicaq.... They quoted Reuters as their source and selectively censored out the required parts to suit their purpose. Thats the whole point.

or they would have made their own interview from the concern people of this project. Yesterday, I was kind of surprised about the news- "project was put on hold" while I read from other source that the "project was on track".

A bit confusing there huh?

Well, QL will not let me keep the font coloring and underlining, and the width, but it's still close to the original article.

Ok here you go, I think this should let it keep the formatting.

Censorship in action

Jun. 8th, 2010 at 12:53 PM

Props to Nigel for pointing out a glorious example of Qatari self-censorship in action. Here, side by side, are a Reuters article and its redactions in the Gulf Times and Peninsula, with significant differences in red:REUTERSGULF TIMESPENINSULA

A long-planned $3 billion bridge linking Bahrain and Qatar has been put on hold and the project team scaled back, sources close to the project said, amid escalating costs and increased political tension.A long-planned $3bn bridge linking Bahrain and Qatar has been put on hold and the project team scaled back, sources close to the project said.A long-planned $3bn bridge linking Bahrain and Qatar has been put on hold and the project team scaled back amid escalating costs, sources close to the project have said.

The 40-kilometre causeway linking gas exporter Qatar to the island kingdom of Bahrain was set to play a key role in improving infrastructure connections between members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), but has been beset by problems.The 40-km causeway linking Qatar to the island kingdom of Bahrain was set to play a key role in improving infrastructure connections between members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), but has been beset by problems.The 40-kilometre causeway linking Qatar to Bahrain was set to play a key role in improving infrastructure connections between members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The project, first announced in 2001, had already been delayed in 2008 to change the project scope to include trains, and late last year the countries said work would start in the first quarter and be completed by 2015.The project, first announced in 2001, had already been delayed in 2008 to change the project scope to include trains, and late last year the countries said work would start in the first quarter and be completed by 2015.The project, first announced in 2001, had already been delayed in 2008 to change the project scope to include trains, and late last year the countries said work would start in the first quarter and would be completed by 2015.

That fresh date came and went, however, and the project prospects were further dampened in May, when Bahrain said Qatar's coast guard shot and wounded a Bahraini fisherman who had entered Qatari waters.

The project has seen many, many problems (and there were) also the political tensions,' a source close to the project told Reuters, adding 'the team has been significantly decreased.' “The project has seen many, many problems..,” a source close to the project told Reuters, adding “the team has been significantly decreased.”

The exact reason for the suspension of the project was not immediately clear, although Jassim Ali, a member of the economic committee of Bahrain's parliament, said 'the project has been on hold for some time, but it is not cancelled,' adding cost increases and financing issues had played a role.The exact reason for the suspension of the project was not immediately clear, although Jassim Ali, a member of the economic committee of Bahrain’s parliament, said “the project has been on hold for some time, but it is not cancelled”, adding cost increases and financing issues had played a role.Jassim Ali, a member of the economic committee of Bahrain's parliament, said “the project has been on hold for some time, but it is not cancelled,” adding cost increases and financing issues had played a role.

Contractors for the project, the latest official cost estimate for which stands at $3 billion, include France's Vinci and Germany's Hochtief , Qatari Diar Real Estate and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC).Contractors for the project, the latest official cost estimate for which stands at $3bn, include France’s Vinci and Germany’s Hochtief AG, Qatari Diar Real Estate and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC).Contractors for the project France’s Vinci and Germany’s Hochtief AG, Qatari Diar Real Estate and Consolidated Contractors Company.

A spokesman for Hochtief confirmed the construction phase had never been reached.A spokesman for Hochtief confirmed the construction phase had never been reached.A spokesman for Hochtief confirmed the construction phase had never been reached.

'We got a contract to do some planning (for the bridge), which we did, but a contract for the actual construction was never commissioned,' he said.“We got a contract to do some planning (for the bridge), which we did, but a contract for the actual construction was never commissioned,” he said.

Member countries of the GCC, a loose political and economic bloc, are trying to integrate their economies, with four of them eyeing a joint currency, but have built up little cross-border infrastructure.

The rail tracks on the causeway were to have been part of a planned train network that would connect the members of the GCC, which also include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the UAE.

deepb,

unfortunately it is censored where i am now.

exiledsaint,

if we keep typing the word, they will probably take similar action with this post ;)

Ha ha, the report on censorship is censored....

Nic, thats kind of odd. The link is not censored for me.. A copy paste would ruin the formatting of the presentation though.

Tallg,

Your link is censored here so I cannot access it. Mind copy-paste a summary of it?

Thanks

Very nicely presented. The shameless truth about freedom of press in this country.