Jordan Times
Tuesday, September 7, 1999
Queen Noor says line between information and entertainment blurring
AMMAN (J.T.) — Her Majesty Queen Noor on Monday decried the declining standards of international reporting and said the trend could have “worrying social and political ramifications for all.”
“The fundamental issue is the heightened commericalism of the new journalism, especially in the electronic media,” the Queen said in a keynote address to the Third International Newspapers in Education Conference in Paris, organised by the World Association of Newspapers.
“In comparison to 20 years ago, international news is featured less and less on the pages of major Western newspapers, and on television's evening news,” she said. “The dividing line between information and entertainment is becoming ever more blurred with worrying social and political ramifications for all.”
“Today, new programmes and papers compete to run the most `sexy' story — an ironically revealing buzzword for anything that will grab the audience's attention,” she said. “Where the Third World is concerned, compelling copy covers war, natural disasters and political instability. Quiter, more complex stories about new ways to prevent disease that threaten millions of children every year or small steps on the road to peace are buried on the inside pages and never see airtime at all.”
In her address to the newspaper publishers, editors, marketing managers and NIE coordinators and educators attending the conference, the Queen called on the Western press to avoid stereotypes and promote understanding.
“As Arabs and Israelis move towards coexistence rather than strife, one of the main challenges facing us is to tear down barriers between us, erected by decads of stereotypes and hatred,” she said.
“Newspapers can be a vehicle to promote values of tolerance and understanding. But young readers, like older ones, must believe in their newspapers. So the challenge before us is not only to encourage a new generation of leaders but to make sure when they pick up their favourite newspapers, that they read an accurage and insightful portrayal of events. They have to be provoked to think and analyse and not read only what interests them. For a good journalist makes what is important interesting.”
The Jordan News Agency, Petra, quoted Queen Noor as saying that the age of Internet has created other invisible barriers.
The Queen outlined the obstacles hindering the spread of knowledge, including harsh economic conditions and illiteracy which most of the Third World countries live under.
“Media has created some kind of misunderstanding, because of the incapability of the Third World to establish real and effective contact with others,” she said.
The conference continues through Wednesday.
The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry defends and promotes press freedoms worldwide. It represents 15,000 newspapers; its membership includes 61 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 93 countries, 17 new agencies and seven regional and worldwide press groups.