Syrian Ministry of Information has dispatched letters to a number of Arab and foreign correspondents urging them to observe accuracy and objectivity in their coverage of news in the country, especially regarding certain gatherings of Syrian intellectuals who crusade for democracy, according to the Al Ahram on Monday. Meanwhile, the Lebanese Al Safir reported that the ministry is considering an application to establish a satirical political newspaper.
A senior official told correspondents of the London-based Arabic Al Hayat, Al Safir, the Kuwait Al Ra’y Al Aaam and the BBC radio that “Syria is not against publishing facts, but against exaggeration and sensationalism,” according to the report.
A similar warning might be issued by a security service concerned with publishing, the official was quoted by Al Ahram as saying.
In a related development, Minister of Information Adnan Imran has set the 29th of January as the date for a meeting with all media correspondents in the country to discuss work in the new era, according to the Egyptian daily.
Meanwhile, Al Safir quoted press sources as saying the authorities will license a private political satirical newspaper. The application was submitted to the government last July by the famous cartoonist Ali Farzat under the name Domari to be the first unofficial paper in 38 years of state-dominated press.
The word “domari” refers to the official whose job was to light street kerosene lamps before electricity was used.
The paper quoted Imran as saying that “the principle [of licensing papers] is being studied with a positive spirit.” – Albawaba.com
