ELECTION COUNTDOWN: KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION COVERAGE JUNE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002590

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SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/P, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO KDEM PGOV KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: ELECTION COUNTDOWN: KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION COVERAGE JUNE
22-28

Sensitive but unclassified. Not for internet distribution.


1. (SBU) Summary: Some 100 foreign media, mostly from the Middle
East and the Gulf Region, will be in Kuwait to cover the June 29
elections. Few U.S. or major international media outlets are
present; however a CNN reporter is planning to arrive June 28. The
Ministry of Information opened a foreign media center at a downtown
hotel for use by the international press. Embassy Public Affairs
(PA) is tracking the presence of U.S. and major international media
in Kuwait. Public Affairs organized for wire services and foreign
media representatives a deep background discussion with PolChief on
the Kuwaiti elections. A focus of the meeting was to provide context
for two key anticipated results -- that a woman will not win a seat
in the new Parliament and that Islamist candidates will pick up
additional seats. PolChief stressed the historic achievement of
Kuwaiti women voting and running for office for the first time and
pointed out that Kuwaiti Islamists represent a broad spectrum,
including both those aligned with liberal groups and conservatives,
and in general are supportive of U.S. efforts to promote security
and stability in the region. Public and private media will offer
expanded coverage on Election Day. End summary.

Foreign Press Arrive
--------------


2. (U) As of June 27 some 70 foreign media had registered their
presence in Kuwait with the Ministry of Information. The Ministry
established a Foreign Media Center at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown
Kuwait City. International media in town to cover the June 29
elections may use the facility as a base and filing center.
Approximately 15 computer terminals as well as telephones and
televisions are available and Ministry personnel are on hand to
answer questions, recommend appointments and explain the elections
process. The Ministry said 100 foreign media are expected to make
use of the facility, most of them from the Middle East and Gulf
regions. According to the Ministry official managing the site, the
foreign press is showing keen interest in women candidates and the
logistics for women voters on Election Day.

Tracking the Media
--------------


3. (U) Embassy Public Affairs is tracking the presence of U.S. and
major international and regional media, but none are confirmed
present as of June 28. A New York Times correspondent visited Kuwait
this week, but will be covering Election Day from Saudi Arabia.
Regional pan-Arab satellite channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya
already have correspondents in Kuwait as do the major wire services,
including Associated Press (AP),Reuters and Agence France Presse
(AFP). The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) and France2 have
dispatched correspondents in Kuwait, but no American broadcast
entities are confirmed in Kuwait, although Post has reports that a
CNN reporter will arrive the evening of June 28.

Putting Elections into Context
--------------


4. (SBU) Embassy Public Affairs staff and PolChief provided a
background briefing for the major wire services and several members
of the European press. The deep background, not-for-attribution,
meeting addressed the elections process, anticipated results and
what they mean for the Freedom Agenda. PolChief provided context of
two key anticipated results: that a woman will not be elected to the
new Parliament and that Islamic candidates will pick up additional
seats. If these results transpire and if they are reported at face
value by the media it could be interpreted as a setback for the
Freedom Agenda. The briefing stressed that the victory of a woman
candidate is only half the story. Even if a female does not make it
to Parliament, Kuwaiti women still will have voted in large numbers,
run for office and had an impact on campaign issues. The election
represents grassroots activism and an historic expansion of
political rights in Kuwait, which merits recognition. With regard
to Islamists potentially picking up additional seats in the new
Parliament, PolChief emphasized to the media that Kuwaiti Islamists
have long played a role in Kuwaiti society represent both liberal
and conservative opinion. In general they are supportive of U.S.
policy toward Kuwait and efforts to promote security and stability
in the Gulf region. Moreover, they are still not expected to
constitute a majority in the new Parliament. Embassy will offer to
provide similar background briefings on Election Day to the CNN and
other U.S. media that may be present.

Expanded TV and Print Coverage for Elections
--------------


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5. (U) Kuwait TV is touting its "state-of-the-art" coverage
planned for Election Day. The Ministry of Information announced
plans for continuous election coverage starting in the morning of
June 29 and going into the night as results come in. According to
Ministry officials, election tallies from each polling station will
be sent directly to the TV station for immediate broadcast. In
addition, Kuwait TV will make use of graphics and other visual aids
so that viewers will be able to follow election developments
"minute-by-minute" throughout the day. Speaking to reporters at a
June 27 press conference at the Kuwaiti Journalists Association, the
Minister of Information commented that Kuwait TV will be the "main
source of information for election news for all media outlets." He
went on say that election coverage will be "unprecedented" for this
important event. Newspaper editors report that they will announce
results in editions the morning after the polls close. Special
arrangements are being made to hold the presses until the final
tallies are available.

Prologue to the Polls
--------------


6. (U) The buildup to elections this week saw the media continue
to focus on issues of corruption and redistricting. Private TV and
the pan-Arab channels provided more in-depth coverage of election
issues and events than public TV or radio. Blogs of all types
continue to provide insight into public opinion and how Kuwaitis
view issues and candidates. Both the serious and the trivial can be
found. Commenting on election choice, one observer wrote on the blog
"Whether the candidate is a family
friend or a cousin, the concept of this relationship must be
eliminated. Consider Kuwait and its future, and judge how good is
that candidate for Kuwait and not for your own personal interests."
Less upright comments on candidates also abound on the blogs. At
one blogger wrote, "As for
[candidate] Rola Dashti, my husband was at the same university as
she in the United States. I also have feedback on her from some of
my friends who already met her; and they say the same thing as my
husband. She is shallow and full of nothing."

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s

Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
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