The Whining Expats a.k.a. (also known as) 7Days
I have been dying to speak my mind about this but couldn't be bothered to send a letter in to 7days about it. I didn't want to be part of the posse that publicly showed I was pissed off with their paper, and I didn't want to be just another letter.
I remember when 7Days just came out: wow, something free in Dubai? Must be shit, I thought! And so it was! A thin, tabloid-like, "The Sun" wannabe, full of constipated
moaning about this and that. I refer to the Letters to the Editor section, whose content has become as twisted as the former Editor, who was sacked after a series of defamatory articles about the UAE, finally leading Emaar to ban 7Days from being distributed on its properties.
I spoke to "some people" about 7Days and asked them why it is allowed to exist. "We know what they are writing, but we just let them be."
Let them be? I don't need to be a trained historian to imagine what the ramifications of this attitude could be. I'm not criticising. I'm just disappointed. Where's the control in "laissez-faire"?
Free speech: I couldn't care less for its definition. I support free speech, within limitations. The media should be regulated much more. Let the blondes wear short skirts, and their beer boys recover from hangovers, but let them not write in to 7Days complaining about how they are oggled at on the beach. Let the nouveaux riches drive Jaguars, but let them not complain about the price of petrol. Let the self-named mallrats in Jumeira experience teenage boredom, but let them not complain about the lack of facilities when they are much safer here than in their hometown.
This post is not just another case of whining: people who genuinely care do something about it, at least through real-life dialogue. Collective thinking has to translate into action. If the people who needed to care cared, or understood, what the ramifications of 7Days are, it wouldn't be around today.
11 comments:
Spot on. 7Days started out as a shitty publication and then...went all being blunt and 'truthful'. It's an insult to journalism here.
How can you expect 7days to actually know or appreciate what the rules are? Have you read them?
Did you know its actually illegal for 16 year olds to visit the cinema (this is within the publishing laws).
You cannot defame a country, you can only defame a person. And, IIRC, when 7days got in trouble for misquoting Sheikh Khalifa they were reproducing material from WAM (the Emirates News Agency), but they got the blame.
Do you know why 7days is allowed to exist? It cannot be shutdown. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, if anyone had the ability to shut it down it would've been shut down long, long ago. The longer they leave the 'shutdown' the worse the 'shutdown' will become.
people who genuinely care do something about it
Have you ever tried to 'do something' in this country? It is impossible without offending half the populace and without being accused of high treason.
Do you know why nothing gets fixed? Because everyone is waiting for the next handout; no one wants to be honest, so nothing gets fixed, in turn the minor criticism of this country from 10 years ago has been steadily increasing and it isn't going to die off unless things actually change.
I personally learnt of a rising problem that will effect certain people in this country greatly.
I took it to the highest person I know (a person with a red passport) and I was pretty much shrugged off. Keep in mind, this problem will absolutely not effect me. It will effect other people, and I know for a fact that it will become an international problem and once the likes of the World Wildlife Fund get involved it'll be another shit-storm; just like child slavery and the labourer situation.
People completely understand the ramifications of 7days, but it cannot be shutdown easily.
Certain people went about pressuring certain local companies to withdraw advertising, which was filled with international advertising (from what I've heard); since then 7days has become a bit quiter, so no one appears to be bothering anymore.
md - insult to journalism? that paper is an insult to the country!
samuraisam - I value your insight and opinion. You made me think about a couple of things. To clarify what I meant by "people who .. care *do* something about it" means "doing in whichever capacity they can". I fully agree that trying to change things here are difficult, esp. when the folks in charge don't want to make things change, for whatever reason. I have also approached different "people" from causes I care about, offering to give my time to them for free. What did I get? A mobile number and f*ing invite to dinner. So I totally agree with you on that point.
Re: defame...I thought it might be the wrong word to use, I did learn that as a basic of media law! one can only defame a person or make defamatory remarks.. what's the correct term please so I can change it?
1st para: 7Days know what the rules are, whatever they are. Yes, I read from your blog about the 16yr old age restriction - weird this rule is not being followed, but I am sure there are loads of laws which aren't being followed by the book...some laws are more lawful than others I guess ;)
"The longer they leave the 'shutdown' the worse the 'shutdown' will become." I agree - interesting statement - it shows how "they" must think, and explains why 7days is still around!
"It cannot be shutdown." Why do you say this? Pls clarify. Is it because it's partly owned by that huge media company and they wouldn't want it to shut down because it would be a blow to the image of "free speech"?
"so no one appears to be bothering anymore" - as long as that paper exists, loads of people will be bothering: unfortunately only those with opinions as opposed to anyone "else".
I dont believe a single word out of that paper... As part of a ritual my friends of mine and I have... we pick up a 7days when we want to have a drink at starbucks or CBTL... and we just crack up at their titles...
I understand your concern... but honestly... anyone with half a brain would not take them seriously... I realise you are worried about the people who do not actually have half a brain... but I am quite sure they don't even read the paper... :)
It's like UAE's first real tabloid. Who takes tabloids seriously?!
*uae blondie:
"anyone with half a brain would not take them seriously"
and clayfuture:
Anyone reading the paper is influenced by what they read, one way or another. That's the power of the media. If you pick up the paper, you are making the choice to read it and are therefore influenced.
I don't doubt the power of the media. With that kind of power comes immense responsibility. In fact, the only local paper I read seriously is gulf news. I only go through 7days if there's nothing else to read over coffee or tea!
Anyone reading the paper is influenced by what they read... true. However, those who read have no rights, realistically speaking.
I used to loathe 7 days and it still bothers me to read the garbage they publish. Nevertheless, I would not ban its circulation. Nor would I encourage it to alter its tone.
You see, you need to know thine enemy.
If I want to control the enemy within, I have to give the enemy the space he needs to run all the skirmishes he wants. Let me sit back and study all what his playbook has to offer...
I'd rather have shitpats blabbering away on 7days than have them scheming in private.
*uae_rebel:
I agree with you. People who read the paper have no "rights" (? rights?) but it will still give them ideas. Like demonstrations and rubbish like that.
7days - the only reason I read it is to have a good laugh at its commonness and like you, to get to know what shitpats are moaning about: this is the only reason I wouldn't support any ban.
e5asoon!!! demonstrations? over my dead body. I'll pull a William Wallace on them.
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