Dubai: A court has charged pan-Arab satellite channel Al Arabiya TV of breaching the media code of ethics and ordered it to compensate a Saudi prince after failing to air an interview with the royal.

On January 12, the Dubai Appeals Court will issue its verdict on Al Arabiya TV's appeal against the Dubai Civil Court's judgment, which ordered the satellite channel to pay Dh100,000 in civil compensation to Prince Dr Saif Al Islam Bin Saud Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Gulf News obtained a copy of the primary judgment sheet, which said: "The channel failed to adhere to the media code of ethics and breached the nobility and morality of journalism, which is perceived as the public's conscience and voice… the defendant flew the claimant [the prince] in to Dubai, recorded the interview, advertised that the interview would be broadcast, but that did not happen for unknown reasons. The channel also disregarded a letter sent by the claimant in which he enquired the reasons behind not airing the televised interview, despite promoting and advertising it. In the letter, the plaintiff also asked the channel to air the interview sometime later, but that also did not happen."

‘Symbolic'

The Dubai Civil Court ordered Al Arabiya TV to pay Dh100,000 in what the verdict sheet termed as "symbolic compensation". The defendant was also ordered to pay court fees and Dh1,000 in lawyers' fees.

However, the satellite channel appealed the primary judgment before the higher court (Appeals Court), which is scheduled to hand its ruling next month.

The claimant's lawsuit said: "The defendant's failure to broadcast the televised interview inflicted emotional, moral and social damage on the prince's status as a royal and academician. His fame was affected before his family, students and the social circles to which he belongs. According to article 293 of the Civil Procedures Law, the claimant is entitled compensation because the defendant damaged his reputation and social status."

Prince Dr Saif Al Islam was seeking Dh500,000 in moral and financial compensation.

The Dubai Civil Court assigned a media expert, who looked into the case and reported that Al Arabiya was at fault by promoting and advertising the interview and then later withholding it.

The channel's advocate countered the media expert's report in court and argued that Al Arabiya is the interview's producer and copyright owner.

Al Arabiya's lawyer contended that the channel had the full right as to the date of airing its own production works.

Message

The primary verdict sheet read: "The court intended to convey a message to the channel to abide to and respect the media code of ethics, to fulfil its promises and commitments and to recognise and appreciate its interviewees and guests. The channel should also respect its audience by standing by whatever it promotes in its programmes, otherwise, it should apologise to maintain its integrity before its audience. That's why the court assessed a symbolic compensatory amount of Dh100,000 to be paid for the claimant as soon as the verdict becomes irrevocable."

Al Arabiya appealed the initial verdict and asked for its cancellation before the Appeals Court, which will issue its verdict on January 12.