Role of the media must be acknowledged

The state of affairs of the press in the UAE unfortunately is neither positive in its current status nor promising in the future. In examining all the developments that took place last year, the only conclusion is that unless and until major changes take place with regards to the functioning of the press in the country, the profession will continue to lag behind other areas.

It goes without saying that the press in any given society has a role to play in enabling it to achieve its set goals. In fact, the press plays a critical dual role of being a safeguard as well as a medium for voices from all spectrums of the society.

Hence, the press has a responsibility as much as an obligation to be proactive in the environment where it exists.

Such a perspective, by no means, is theory that is confined to the textbooks or a set of ideas that are being argued about just for the sake of debate.

Rather, such beliefs are regularly exercised in countries that enjoy a free and independent press that plays a major role in being part of the developmental process.

Unfortunately, the press in the UAE could not be regarded as being anywhere close to enjoying such a status. On many counts, the year 2008 was depressing.

The only exception that offered a true ray of hope for the press was the instructions issued by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which stipulated that journalists will not be jailed for carrying out their work. Instead, other measures could be taken if a journalist is found breaking the press and publication law.

This decision undoubtedly came as a victory for the journalistic body in the UAE as it is a step that addresses the profession appropriately and that is with respect and appreciation.

In fact, Shaikh Mohammad encouraged journalists to carry out their duties responsibly and with the full assurance that they have the backing in their pursuit.

Yet beyond this, the outlook remains gloomy. For one thing, there is still an abundance of cases that have been filed against reporters at police stations and journalists were endlessly brought in for questioning.

Almost all of these cases were either baseless or not based on justifiable grounds. Some, in fact, seemed to come across as an occasion for settling scores.

Such a form of action is simply a waste ­- on the time of journalists as much as that of the officials involved, such as the police.

What journalists need most is to be allowed to carry out their duties as per their job requirements. According to the World Press Freedom Index of 2008, the UAE fell to 69th position as compared to 65 in the previous year.

Furthermore, the long-awaited new press law, currently under consideration to be issued soon in its final version, has failed considerably in addressing the needs of the journalistic body and the changes that have taken place so far in the country.

The draft version that was floated has taken one step forward and ten steps backwards when compared to the earlier version that it is supposed to replace.

For example, the simplest requirement of any free press - the freedom to assemble and establish a print media - is not even addressed as it should have been.

The right to publish, communicate and disseminate information has been minimised to being literally non-existent.

If the right to publish is not secured under any press law then such a law becomes a useless exercise. It is true that more newspapers and magazines have been brought out last year, something that could only be seen positively.

But the law still does not offer the right to publish, nor does it clearly address the basis against which such a right is given or taken away.

This brings us to the crux of the matter which is that the state of the press in the UAE today is confusing and in full disarray. The new press law fails to provide an appropriate umbrella of set laws and ethical guidelines that are much needed to govern the journalistic body.

In fact, the lack of such an umbrella has created a vacuum as there is no point of reference against which the press could fall against for guidance and support.

Instead, decisions and positions as to how the press should work and progress are decided as per the individual and the circumstance. The press simply cannot advance under such circumstances.