LOC17:41
14:41 GMT
KUWAIT, March 30 (KUNA) -- Visiting foreign media experts affirmed here
Sunday that the September 11, 2001 events had brought negative reflections on
mass media.
They made the affirmation during a two-day forum organized by the
Foundation of Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain's Prize for Poetic Creativity under
the rubric "The Role of Media in Arab-Western Dialogue", which kicked off here
earlier in the day.
The ideal way to fight thoughts prepared in advance, which are delivered to
the public opinion through mass media, is to enable the public to form a
special and free perception over events, according to Virginie Sandrock, a
French media and international relations expert.
The September 11, 2001 events have contributed to forming a public opinion
towards the Middle East and to triggering off further tensions, she said.
Since the incidents, the US has been using mass media to prevail on the
public opinion that terrorist acts constitute forms of wars, she added.
Restrictions have been imposed on the press freedom and the Internet due to
the US-led fight against terrorism.
For his part, Michael Binyon, a journalist with the British newspaper "The
Times", dismissed possible control by some governments over mass media, saying
that journalists are not judges, politicians or UN staff whose jobs are to
seek solutions to political problems or to develop inter-state relations.
He added that journalists' job is only to cover events worldwide far from
control which some world governments seek to impose on mass media.
But, he rejected charges accusing western media of bias against Islam and
Muslims and of distorting facts.
He also dismissed as untrue and illogical accusations that western mass
media are supportive of Zionism. (end)
saq.ao.mt
KUNA 301741 Mar 08NNNN