Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT2601
2006-06-30 12:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION DAY COVERAGE - JUNE 30

Tags:  OPRC KMDR KPAO KDEM PGOV KU FREEDOM AGENDA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6087
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #2601/01 1811243
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301243Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5514
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 002601 

SIPDIS

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: KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION DAY COVERAGE - JUNE 30

REF: KUWAIT 2300

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 002601

SIPDIS

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: KUWAIT MEDIA ELECTION DAY COVERAGE - JUNE 30

REF: KUWAIT 2300


1. (U) Summary and comment: International broadcast coverage of
the June 29 Kuwait National Assembly elections ran the gamut from
near full-time coverage on Al-Arabiya to a brief mention late in the
evening on BBC World. CNN, France 2, the New York Times and the
Washington Post were among the major media that covered the
elections on site or from afar. Kuwait public and private TV
coverage was round-the-clock. The disparity of the quality of
reporting between the public KTV1 channel and the private Al-Rai TV
was stark. Kuwait TV presented polished but blandly rosy coverage
of Election Day events. By contrast, private Al-Rai TV reported on
long lines, frustrated voters, and accusations of malfeasance at
polling sites. The disparate coverage highlights the inability of
Kuwait public media to act as an effective public watchdog. There
also was a notable disparity in the amount of election coverage
provided by the Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera satellite channels, with
the latter only offering sporadic reports from Kuwait. This
disparity is a reflection of how Al-Jazeera views itself as a more
broad-based international channel. It could also be viewed as a
manifestation of strained ties between the channel and Kuwait due to
Kuwait's support for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The extensive
coverage provided by Al-Arabiya demonstrated the sharp interest in
Gulf countries on women's participation in the Kuwaiti elections.
On blog sites, Kuwaitis posted their sentiments about the historic
nature of women voting for the first time. They also used this
media to present their own analysis and to call for a continuation
of the fight for political reform in Kuwait after Election Day. End
summary and comment.

Kuwait Enjoys the Media Spotlight
--------------


2. (U) International broadcast coverage of the June 29 Kuwait
National Assembly elections ran the gamut from near full-time
coverage on Al-Arabiya to a brief mention late in the evening on BBC

World. Most international media covering the elections were from
the Middle and Gulf region countries. However, CNN at the last
minute dispatched a correspondent and several U.S. newspapers such
as the Washington Post and the New York Times either used stringers
or covered events from afar. Local broadcast coverage was
round-the-clock and Kuwaiti newspapers, waiting for final results to
come in, issued late editions on the morning after elections. The
following is a round up of the major local and international
entities that covered Election Day.

Kuwait TV
--------------


3. (U) The public television station Kuwait TV (KTV1) began its
special expanded election coverage at 8:00 a.m. and continued
broadcasting into the night as results were made available. KTV1
reporters monitored polling stations in each of the 25 electoral
districts from which live reports were aired throughout the day.
Early coverage focused on voter turnout with an emphasis on women.
By mid-afternoon, the station was reporting voting participation
rates for some districts from the opening of polls at 8:00 a.m. to
noon. Women voters were interviewed live at all the polling
stations, all of whom gave enthusiastic and positive assessments of
the voting process and the meaning of the day. Most comments
acknowledged the historic achievement of women voting for the first
time. Most women also expressed delight in being able to
participate. Few men voters were interviewed. Joining the KTV1
anchor host were two political commentators, a deputy editor of the
pan-Arab daily newspaper Al-Hayat and a professor of politics at
Kuwait University. After the polls closed at 8:00 p.m., the
broadcast ran late into the night reporting returns. The Minister
of Information's much touted "state-of-the-art" coverage (reftel)
was evident with eye-catching graphics and charts that illustrated
up-to-the-minute results for all electoral districts. Notably absent
from public TV were interviews with candidates.

Al-Rai TV
--------------


4. (U) Differing markedly from public TV was Election Day coverage
by the private Al-Rai television. Candidates from across the
political spectrum were regularly interviewed. During one segment,
two ended up in a shouting match over election issues, which was
broadcast live. Whereas Kuwait TV aired only positive comments of
women voters, Al-Rai broadcast complaints from voters that the
polling stations were unorganized, that the lines were too long.
Some voters complained on air that they had witnessed vote-buying
taking place at the polls. Al-Rai also broadcast discussions with
Kuwaiti political activists whereas public TV featured academicians

KUWAIT 00002601 002 OF 003


and media specialists.

Al-Arabiya
--------------


5. (U) The Al-Arabiya pan-Arab satellite news channel devoted
extensive coverage to the Kuwaiti elections throughout the day.
Approximately 70 percent of morning and afternoon airtime focused
exclusively on events in Kuwait. The channel broadcast regular live
reports from correspondents who were dispatched to polling stations
throughout the country to interview voters and poll officials. The
channel also featured discussions with political leaders and
commentators, including a former Minister of Planning, the
editor-in-chief of a large daily newspaper as well as candidates of
all political persuasions. The guests discussed women voters,
analyzed the campaign and commented on key election issues such as
corruption, vote-buying, redistricting and others, including women,
marriage and stateless persons living in Kuwait. On a segment about
the unprecedented alignment of liberal and conservative candidates
on the issue of corruption, the commentator Dr. Ali Al-Moussa, a
former Minister of Planning, described this truce as "nothing more
than temporary" and for the sake of convenience in order to get
elected. After the polls closed, coverage lessened to about 30
percent of airtime and featured still more commentators addressing
the day's events and predicting results. The channel's Election Day
reporting also included a piece on the composition of Kuwait's
different parliaments starting with 1992. The day's coverage
wrapped up at 12:45 a.m. on June 30.

Al-Jazeera
--------------


6. (U) In sharp contrast to Al-Arabiya, the pan-Arab satellite news
channel Al-Jazeera provided only sporadic coverage of the Kuwaiti
elections. Reporting and footage emphasized women's participation
and stressed the slim likelihood of a female candidate being
elected. Also stressed was voter turnout, which was described "as
heated as the hot summer weather," a reference to the 117 degree
temperature in Kuwait. The report noted that the emphasis in the
election campaign fixated on rooting out corruption. The early a.m.
coverage on June 30 began reporting district returns and featured
comments by candidates and political commentators in Kuwait. A 1:00
a.m. report featured a comment by Dr. Abdullah Al-Shayji who said,
"This election is an important message from the people to the
government. The government should clean up its act and listen to
what the people want. This election can be considered a
referendum."

International Satellite Media
--------------


7. (U) Several major international news channels, including CNN, BBC
World, and France2, dispatched correspondents to Kuwait to report on
Election Day. CNN began broadcasting reports in the late afternoon
after its correspondent had visited several polling sites and spoke
with candidates, voters and polling officials. The visuals aired
showed busy polling stations with long lines and also featured shots
from afar of voters depositing ballots. The channel aired clips of a
Kuwaiti official who commented how good it is to have sisters,
mothers and daughters voting in this bastion of male-dominated
politics. The Kuwait's first appointed female minister, Planning
Minister Masouma Mubarak, praised women's participation and noted
that this is the culmination of a 40-year fight for by Kuwaiti women
for full political rights. "Today is a great victory," she said,
and one that was "not given to women, but rather won." The BBC was
late to report on elections in this former British protectorate.
The first report aired after 11:00 p.m. using CNN's footage.

Kuwait Print Media
--------------


9. (U) Editions of Kuwait's five Arab-language and two
English-language newspapers did not hit the streets until late
morning June 30, the day after elections. However, while the hard
copy rolled off the presses, most papers posted polling results on
their websites. The headlines focused on two key results, women's
historic participation, and the makeup of the new Parliament.
Arabic daily Al-Qabas' front-page headlines included, "The
Government Lost, the National and Constitutional Islamic Movement
Won, "Woman Was the Star of Election 2006," "Overall Participation
rate 65%, women 35%," and "Women Chose Reformists and Islamists."
Al-Anbaa Arabic daily chose the following headline, "May God Bless
the Women of This Country; You Did Not Win, But You Did Well."
Another Arabic daily Al-Seyassah announced, "Women Did Not Have Good
Luck, Voters Elected a Male Assembly," "Strong Comeback for the 29

KUWAIT 00002601 003 OF 003


Block and a Resonant Fall for Independents," and "Clear Progress for
the Muslim Brotherhood." Every edition was saturated with election
coverage. Al-Seyassah, for example, devoted 45 of its 46-page
edition to nothing but election coverage. Most outlets printed
tables showing the winners in each district and, on inside pages,
the full tally of each candidate's showing in every district. All
the papers were heavy on photographs highlighting women at polling
stations, Kuwaitis gathered to watch results, and victorious
candidates. Because the papers came out so late, editorials from
the editors-in-chief were not included. Most editors are expected
to print their analysis in the July 1 editions.

Blogs -- Youth and Women Speak
--------------


9. (U) Many Kuwaitis posted on the Internet their analysis and
sentiments about Election Day. The most prolific bloggers are the
younger generation of reformists. One bemoaned the loss of a
reformist candidate and advocated for the continuation of the
movement. On he wrote, "Corruption
forces in Dhayiha have succeeded in eliminating Al-Haroon and
Al-Nibari. But this is not the end of the road. It is just the
beginning." Female bloggers posted their feelings about voting for
the first time. "Waking up early this morning and preparing myself
to go to the polling station I felt like it was Eid (a Muslim
holiday). That is the continuous feeling today, one of joy and
happiness at being able to witness and participate in this important
historical event," one female blogger penned on the site
. At one point during the late
evening, a blogger complained about Internet censorship when a
popular site appeared to be blocked. "Quality Net (an Internet
service provider) has been playing around with Ayya's blog. First
it was blocked and then every time we try to access it we are taken
instead to Sa7atSafat (another blog site). This happened after she
posted a very juicy story about Marzouq Al-Ghanem's crooked ways of
transferring votes to Dahia Abdullah Al-Salem," he wrote. Blog
sites on Election Day were also forums for calls for action. One
site urged Kuwaitis to vote and afterward to gather to a public
square to watch returns together on a large-screen TV. "The war
against corruption will continue regardless of the results . . . the
orange tide will not be stopped," the blogger announced on
. Other sample comments posted
throughout the day were "Vote and save your country," on
and "Vote, vote, vote and stay
hydrated," on .


10. (U) Comment: Local TV coverage of Election Day highlighted the
gap between how the public and private broadcast sectors view their
role in Kuwaiti society. The polished but placid coverage by Kuwait
TV underscored its link to the government and the associated
limitations in serving as a public watchdog. By contrast, Kuwait's
private Al-Rai TV and the pan-Arab satellite channels reported on
controversial issues and presented a wider range of opinion. These
examples are an indication of the capacity of the private Arab media
to function in the public interest.


11. (U) The disparity in the amount of coverage by Al-Jazeera and
Al-Arabiya was a reflection of those stations' differing interest in
and relations with Kuwait. Al-Jazeera on Election Day focused
heavily on events in Gaza and offered only sparse coverage of the
Kuwaiti elections. This underscores Al-Jazeera's view of itself as a
more international or broad-based news channel. It can also be seen
as a manifestation of uneasy ties between Al-Jazeera and Kuwait
stemming from Kuwait's support for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The
Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya's extensive coverage of Election Day revealed
the keen interest on the part of neighboring countries in Kuwaiti
women voting for the first time. The majority of the international
media present to cover the Kuwaiti elections were from the Middle
East and the Gulf region, a further indication of regional interest
in women voters and development of democracy in the region. The
participation of women was certainly the main attraction for the
relatively impressive showing of other Western media in Kuwait for
Election Day. End comment.

********************************************* *
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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