UAE | General
Potential conflict in Iran triggering 'waves of alarm among media community'
A potential conflict in Iran is sending waves of alarm in the media community hoping to learn from the mistakes of covering the war in Iraq.
- By Marten Youssef, Staff Reporter
- Published: 12:53 May 5, 2008
Abu Dhabi: A potential conflict in Iran is sending waves of alarm in the media community hoping to learn from the mistakes of covering the war in Iraq.
"The similarities between Iran and Iraq before the war are too great to ignore," Mahmoud Werwari, anchor at Al Arabia and moderator of the Covering Iran session, said on Monday, at the second day of the Arab Broadcast Forum being held in Abu Dhabi.
"There is talk of weapons of mass destruction and threat of war, we cannot ignore these similarities," said Werwari.
This standoff between Washington and Tehran sent Western media into Iran prior to any escalation of the conflict hoping to give the West a real glimpse of the Iranian people.
With major channels like CNN, Fox News and ABC news reporting in Iran, there is hope that this increased coverage will portray a more balanced approach that will ultimately lessen the fear of yet another war.
"There is fear there could be an accidental conflict in the Strait of Harmouz between American vessels and Iranian Revolutionary Guards," Amy Kellog from Fox News told the conference on Monday.
Speaking on the freedom to move through out Iran without being restricted by the government, Kellog said: "They do attach some one to us but that is very common in this region ... there are certain stories they are very happy for us to cover like the drug problem with opium."
Ali Nouri Zedeh, director of the Centre for Arab and Iranian Studies, told the audience: "Contrary to popular belief, Iranians love Americans. They want to know more about them; not everyone shares the views of (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad."
The conference, on its final day, also discussed utilizing television and the reliability of new media, such as YouTube.
Share this article
More from UAE General
More from UAE
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week
Latest news
- Dubai to open seven new parks
- Girl dies in fire started by stepbrother
- Motorists, pedestrians urged to be more careful
- A road that is best avoided
- Security services work round-the-clock
- Tougher policing brings down Dubai road fatalities
- 'I want to show anyone can celebrate'
- Dubai to introduce 900km of cycling lanes
- UAE National Day: Preparations in full swing
- Universities celebrate UAE National Day
- Brothers' triple success
- Reviving age-old craftsmanship
- Youth reconnect with history
- Fatima: UAE's women are exercising full rights
- Emirates Palace gears up for festivities
Community Reports
-
A road that is best avoided
Thoroughfare connecting capital's Hamdan Street and Electra Street poses safety and health hazards
-
Please don't use two parking spaces
Thoughtless drivers means other motorists are losing out in a city where places to leave cars are often hard to find
-
School buses must do safe drop-offs
Some bus drivers let students off at the wrong side of the road
-
Munching on a health hazard
Residents must be careful about consuming snacks and sandwiches prepared along the roadside as they attract dirt and bacteria
