Wednesday, 9 September 2015

AKEED

Social media and electronic sites, as well as public opinion circles, have largely interacted with a video that is taken partly from a 23-minute comedy show titled "Imposed Stations," broadcast by Ro"ya TV Channel a few weeks ago. The episode has been on YouTube since 12 August 2015.

The three-minute excerpt was presented in a satirical format, which resembles programs made for children. It presented parts of presumed stories, which are rife with clear sexual overtones. This was carried on social media networks, along with severe criticism of the channel.

To clarify its position, Ro"ya TV Channel issued a statement, in which it said that the excerpt was part of "a satirical comedy show, which the channel presents to its viewers. It aims at criticizing the content imposed by some media outlets on their viewers." The channel then extended its "apology for any misunderstanding or inconvenience caused by the content of the show." The channel explained that the show targets adults, and not children.

The Jordanian Media Credibility Monitor (AKEED) followed the posting of the video (which YouTube removed, a procedure that can be taken by the channel that owns the original video). AKEED also monitored the interaction of the story on social media and electronic sites, which spoke at length about it.  

Inappropriate Media Content

According to professional media literature, the content broadcast by Ro"ya TV Channel in the satirical video is classified as part of inappropriate content. This usually refers to inappropriate content targeting a specific audience or content broadcast at an inappropriate time. Alternatively, the content might have been presented under certain political or social circumstances, which could allow for employing it for specific purposes and interests. Many ethical principles and professional rules take cultural differences between societies into consideration when determining the nature of inappropriate content.

AKEED ascertained that the show "Imposed Stations," broadcast by the channel, was copied from a British show that was broadcast at the beginning of the 1970s by the British comedy group Monty Python (The Pythons). The excerpt is almost a replica of the British version. In fact, the content of a part of it is almost translated, word for word, besides imitating some of the gestures by the presenter of the clip, with one major difference; namely, the gender of the presenter of the show. In the British version, a male comedian presents it, while a young woman did the same thing on Ro"ya TV Channel.

The British show, which was presented by The Pythons, was broadcast for the first time at the end of the 1960s and early 1970s, during which Europe was the scene of major cultural changes, which had a context that concerned these societies. This necessitates a lot of sensitivity and care when copying this in other cultural and social contexts. This type of comedy was described in its own country later as "pushing the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content."

At the time, Europe had witnessed a protest movement and a large youth rebellion. It started in France and then extended culturally to other West European nations. In some cases, it demanded extreme cultural liberation. This trend reflected on the public sphere, culture, media content, television production, and even arts and singing. However, it did not last long and it faced cultural criticism. AKEED recommends going back to many Western pieces of research that offered scathing criticism of the culture of the image and television production in the 1970s. This includes the series of research of the Glasgow School.   

Professional and ethical media mistakes in relation to inappropriate content occur all the time in the media. On many occasions, their cause is the failure of media outlets to realize the cultural characteristics of society and the lack of appreciation of the cultural sensitivity of the audience. This happens on other occasions when media outlets do not learn from their mistakes.

Countercampaign

The video clip generated a broad debate, which focused on the right to broadcast such content from a social-ethical angle. Activists launched campaigns against the channel. This includes special pages and a number of hashtags. A special page was even created on Facebook under the title "Million-Signature Campaign To Shut Down Ro"ya Channel." The page received 12,000 likes during the first 15 hours. Although the channel removed the video from YouTube, some pages on social media networks and electronic sites republished it. The video had been watched around 250,000 times by midday on the next day of the campaign. Citizens exchanged spontaneous jokes and edited pictures on the subject. Several campaigns were announced against the channel despite the clarification issued by it.   

On Tuesday evening, Ro"ya TV Channel broadcast an episode of its talk show Nabd Al Balad, which it devoted to the implications of the story. It was a bold step as it presented the harsh attitudes toward the channel throughout that day. It also hosted an MP, who was critical of the position of the channel. He defended the petition signed by MPs against the channel. The channel hosted two journalists. One of them adopted the position of the channel, while the other adopted a moderate position.

These repercussions resulted in the creation of public opinion opposed to the channel despite the existence of voices that justified what it did. Having reviewed all these repercussions, and emanating from professional and ethical responsibility, AKEED maintains that Ro"ya TV committed a professional mistake, which media outlets make, in relation to inappropriate media content. However, this mistake does not reach the extent of criminalizing the channel or trying it socially in the manner taking place on social media and some electronic sites. This could set a precedent to intimidate media outlets and curb media freedoms.

Public Debate

While it was announced that there was a case against the channel filed by the prosecutor general, Mohammed Qtaishat, a lawyer, said in a telephone call with AKEED that what the channel broadcast did not contain a legal violation and that the aim was not to convey sexual overtones, but to criticize media conduct. He added that the method of satire and sarcasm is a recognized form of expression. 

Husni Ayesh, a researcher specialized in educational affairs, told AKEED that the media must be careful when approaching issues that have to do with sexual matters. It is not allowable to take ideas and positions from a certain cultural context, including the Western context, and place them in another culture. The right thing to do is to adapt ideas to fit the receiving culture.

Adnan Ramahi, TV director and expert, told AKEED after watching the video that the material does not fit the description of criticism or showing something "bad" to criticize it. He said that one must be very sensitive when it comes to comic content. He noted that our communities are not homogenous, which means that media content is directed at diverse groups. This should be taken into consideration.

Series of Flaws

The professional mistake committed by Ro"ya by broadcasting inappropriate content led to a series of professional and ethical mistakes in the performance of some electronic sites and in the community rhetoric that spread on social media networks.

First, in terms of form:

1. Neither electronic sites nor social media sites observed accuracy in publishing the video. They published it as targeting children, and not as a comedy show for adults. Thus, the excerpt was taken out of its original context and was placed in a separate context as a children show.

2. The fact that the channel made a public apology is a correct professional practice, but it needed greater clarity.

3. The critical dimension that the channel referred to in its statement was not clear in the material that was broadcast. It presented the material in a framework that aims at appeal, or at least pure comedy that seeks to elicit laughter, without any critical reference.

4. Posts on social media networks became a reference, without being checked, for many media outlets that handled the case. While acknowledging the need for paying attention to what is published on social media sites, a professional press must not reproduce these posts, except in special cases after subjecting them to its standards. The media should have tackled some extremism that prevailed in the debate of social media, pushing the debate toward some personal or sectarian dimensions, in order to keep the story within the context of socially positive debate and differences.

Second, in terms of content:

1. When presenting culturally controversial issues, such as sexual meanings and suggestions, the said excerpt did not heed the relevant cultural values. Assuming that there are positive critical intentions, the show missed the target. The channel did not broadcast what supports the position it presented in its clarification.

2. The channel stated that it aimed at criticizing a media practice broadcast on other channels. However, there is nothing to justify this as there are no stories that have such sexual content on other TV channels. This excerpt was copied verbatim from a similar excerpt in a foreign show. This is something that should have received attention and checking.

3. The channel did not heed the cultural, as well as age, characteristics of its audience. It is common knowledge that the audience of this television comedy, which is flourishing on Arab screens, such as Ro"ya TV, is mostly teenagers (12-16 years), who are largely drawn to this kind of comedy. They are most susceptible to such type of visual media content.

What To Do?

From the perspective of professional and ethical practice, broadcasting inappropriate content raises a number of professional and ethical questions, which require practical actions and measures. Therefore, the AKEED Monitor calls for the following:

• Apologizing to the public is a commendable professional practice and an acceptable professional response. However, the outlet that makes such mistakes must clarify its professional and ethical positions away from justifications and attempts to find excuses. It should learn from the lessons offered by such mistakes. This requires internal measures to convince society that the outlet cares about its audience, such as:

1. Conducting an internal investigation into the causes of this mistake and informing the public of the results of this investigation.
2. Repeating such mistakes means that there are flaws in managing media content, which requires that the outlet develop its capacities in the domain of content management.
3. Managing media content, in light of the outcome of such mistakes, requires that the media outlet give priority to professional rules and principles of media work. In other words, accuracy must take precedence over speed and appeal must not be at the expense of professional values.

• The phenomenon of new TV industries, which started to expand recently in Jordan and other Arab countries, largely depends on television comedy. This requires developing professional and ethical standards by TV producers and channels or the Internet channels that deal with them.
• Professional media outlets must abide by the rules and standards that determine the method of handling user-generated content on social media networks.