Dubai: The pan-Arab news channel, Al Arabiya TV, must pay Dh100,000 in compensation to a Saudi prince for failing to air an interview with the royal, the Dubai Appeals Court ruled.
Presiding Judge Ahmad Eisa of the Appeals Court, on Sunday, confirmed the primary judgment, and ordered Al Arabiya TV to pay Dh100,000 in civil compensation to Prince Dr Saif Al Islam Bin Saud Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.
The Dubai Civil Court earlier termed the compensatory amount as "symbolic compensation" and said in its verdict sheet that the channel had 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 prince in to Dubai, recorded the interview, advertised that the interview would be broadcast, but that did not happen for unidentified 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."
Presiding Judge Eisa ordered the defendant and the plaintiff to pay court fees and Dh1,000 towards lawyers' fees. The primary judgment was appealed by both Al Arabiya and the prince, before the Appeals Court upheld it.
‘Compensation'
The prince's advocate said in his lawsuit: "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 had sought Dh500,000 in moral and financial compensation.
The court-assigned media expert reported that Al Arabiya was at fault by promoting and advertising the interview and chosing not to air it later.
The channel's lawyer countered the media expert's report in court and argued that Al Arabiya is the interview's producer and copyright owner and as such had the full right as to the date of airing its own production works.
The verdict sheet said: "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 verdict is still subject to appeal before the Court of Cassation.
