- A pluralist framework within which public, private
and community media are to co-exist
Tomorrow, the first frontiers of Palestinian society will be determined by the reach of Palestinian radio and television broadcasting coverage. The WAFA Press Agency will become an information service. These will be media at the service of a civic and educational project.
- The Conveyor of Palestinian identity
In a media-dominated world, public opinion expects comprehensive and verifiable information from a variety of independent sources. In times of armed conflict, international opinion bore daily witness to events and views concerning the region. The Western mass media covered them extensively.
Communication played a key role in the strategies of each protagonist, but at that time it was geared, first and foremost, to a foreign audience: Middle East leaders, the great powers, the international organisations. In peacetime, the Palestinian citizenry will need to find its voice on the airwaves in Gaza and Jericho, in the West Bank as a whole, and throughout the Middle East - in other words, where the Palestinians live and wish to participate in their country's life. The implementation of a communication policy involves many choices of a legal, technical, budgetary and occupational nature.
By following UNESCO's recommendations on the independence of the media, the Palestinian Authority has decided to organise radio and television on a pluralist basis: public,
private and community media will co-exist. Technically, everything has to be started from scratch. The scarcity of available frequencies, owing to a geopolitical situation marked by intense audio-visual activity in Israel and the main neighbouring countries, hampers the establishment of a broadcasting plan. Modest solutions have been adopted for the immediate future, allowing for coverage of Gaza and Jericho by means of low-power transmitters. Production infra
.structure is non-existent. A first radio centre has been set up in Jericho. 'Television has been given a studio, mobile unit and transmission unit for live broadcasts.
I Even though some Palestinians have already .acquired some professional experience in the in the`` foreign media, it is essential rapidly to train all radio and television staff to make them operational.
The first programme schedule planned for Palestinian television makes provision for eight hours of broadcasting a day, covering news bulletins, educational, cultural and religious programmes as well as material acquired on the intentional market.
All information produced by :
Coordination Unit for Assistance to the Palestinian People
If you have any question, please
Mr Omar Massalha(Director)
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PAPP [Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People]
Page created by Nedal TAKROURI, last updated: 17/09/96
Television Equipment and Training