Fifty Years of Syrian TV Leave Audiences Disappointed

SMN No. 7, Augsut 16, 2010

Syria’s state television, on its fiftieth anniversary, has been severely criticised by Syrian bloggers. While the Syrian minister of information, Mohsen Bilal, praised state broadcaster during an official celebration as  “resistance TV” that for five decades has been “concerned about the Arab issues”, audiences have been less impressed.

The Al-Yabos al-Arabia blog stated that while the station had recently undergone a makeover and invested in new equipment, news production and presentation remained “ stiff and clunky”. It said the broadcaster only aired local news if it emanated from conference halls or ministry offices. “There is nothing from real life or the street,” the blogger wrote.

Mohammad Basher al-Nuaimi wrote in his blog of the same name that Syrians had got used to the “poor and dull performance of Syrian TV”. He blamed producers for putting on shows “which put off viewers”.

The blogger said what he called the secular orientation of Syrian TV had little in common with “the original social and religious values” of Syrian society. He also criticised the way the female presenters dress.

One blogger, Syrian citizen, wrote that Syrians feel little connection with  state TV whose shows to him seem very traditional, lacking “innovation and creativity. He suggested that the broadcaster needs young minds and fresh ideas and should stop hiring employees based on “wasta” (connections).

Syria has five official channels: an Arabic, English and three satellite channels. There are plans to launch a new channel specialising in news.