Oman's Media

[ajmal]

Always we talk about "Freedom of speech" Responsibility of the media, etc., but I am very much disappointed and upset at the media of Oman for recent happenings.

If you remember, Last month end, we had in Muscat an Internationally renowned, very popular public figure, dynamic Orator. I am talking about Dr. Zakir Naik. He delivered TWO lectures in Muscat, one at Grand Masjid and the other at City Amphitheatre. The response was so huge, we have never seen such a crowd before in both Grand masjid and amphithreatre. Two giant screens were put outside the venue for the overflowing crowd to watch his lecture. Next day , a few newspapers reported.
After the event, I made a small summary of event and send to Week, "Y", "HI" with a few photographs requesting them to post in their respective weeklies, but none of them even carried even a sentence. Added to this , WEEK has even conducted an interview of Dr. Zakir Naik, but they didn't publish it in their weekly.

Also, I have forwarded the details of recent listing of Dr. Zakir Naik on No. 3 and 82 by Indian media after their survey and an interview of Dr. Zakir by the editor of Indian Express and I am sorry to say that none of our weekly publications carry anything about it.
WHY??????? Was it wrong to print such news?

Do you call it as "Free and unbiased media?"

I have send a few reminders also to week, y and Hi but no response.

Best regards,
Ajmal

[LastMan]

i think they have better PPL to write about , Maybe Mr IT Brain Of Oman! why they should care about a man trying to show the bath to Allah ?

[siah786]

Well this aint new brother... Dr. Zakir Naik had also proposed to the Pope to have a public talk.. and he just refused to it.. Now thats a big news.. and i dont think any paper in the world reported it...
Further more i'll give my personal experience with "the Week".. If you remember the Flavours restaurant in Ghala.. Initally when it had opened, me and 2 of my friends visited the place for a dinner.. and it was about midnight.. There was this reporter from 'the week'(a non muslim) and he served us and said he had to write an article for the week... He takes a few pics of us also...
Next week, the article is published with a big photograph of my friend... and the guy cuts me out of the photo.. (maybe cause i have beard)..

Further more i was reading the "THURSDAY" the other day, the theme was on laughter or something.. and they joked about beard.. Drawing a person with beard and birds laying eggs in it...
I was a little furious about it.. As keeping beard is an important hadeeth of our prophet.. and the ones charged with power and who fail to follow the hadeeth atleast must try and prevent people from joking about it...

[shimmertje]

Ajmal: I'm not familiar with Dr. Zakir Naik, but if the topic is controversial it is possible that the publications would prefer to 'self-censor' than to carry the news. I do notice that neutral and 'fluffy' items do get relatively higher coverage in local media.

Siah786: That's unfair, to have you cropped out.. though it may also be that there's something in the background behind you that wasn't acceptable. As for jokes about beards.. if this is required religious practice than certainly it should not be made into a joke. Perhaps a complaint letter would help?

Disclaimer: I am not working for any media company in Oman..

[IT_Genius]

Can we send a complaint to them?

[siah786]

Oh yes ..you can send a complain to them, which goes right into their Junk box..lol...

Shimmertje, thanks for the advice...

[IT_Genius]

Why it goes to Junkbox?

[niceguy]

Further more i was reading the "THURSDAY" the other day, the theme was on laughter or something.. and they joked about beard.. Drawing a person with beard and birds laying eggs in it...
I was a little furious about it.. As keeping beard is an important hadeeth of our prophet.. and the ones charged with power and who fail to follow the hadeeth atleast must try and prevent people from joking about it...

Now this is plain absurd!! And to think you were cut out because of your beard... and point out the reporter/waiter was a non muslim... (You're trying to say he/the week is against muslims)
Why do some of you always have to do this and bring religion into every damn thing. *sigh*

:greddy:

[shimmertje]

Oh yes ..you can send a complain to them, which goes right into their Junk box..lol...

Shimmertje, thanks for the advice...
It doesn't have to be actually worded as an obvious complaint..
"I saw with grave disquiet that beards are now a source of humour in your publication.. given the number of bearded men in this country.. could give members of the public the wrong impression..".