Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KUWAIT89
2009-02-01 06:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION TO PRESIDENT'S JANUARY 26 Al-ARABIYA
how-toVZCZCXRO0128 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHKU #0089 0320601 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 010601Z FEB 09 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2738 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000089
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PA/PRS, NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD
LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER
PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO EINO OPRC KMDR XF KU MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION TO PRESIDENT'S JANUARY 26 Al-ARABIYA
INTERVIEW: A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT
REF: SECSTATE 07500
-------
SUMMARY
-------
Thursday, January 29, 2009
UNCLAS KUWAIT 000089
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PA/PRS, NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD
LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER
PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO EINO OPRC KMDR XF KU MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION TO PRESIDENT'S JANUARY 26 Al-ARABIYA
INTERVIEW: A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT
REF: SECSTATE 07500
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
Thursday, January 29, 2009
1. (U) Summary and Comment. As of Thursday, January 29, no Kuwaiti
dailies offered commentaries on President Obama's January 26
television interview with Al-Arabiya. The interview was covered in
an extremely positive light by the State-run Kuwaiti News Agency
(KUNA) on January 27, and picked up by all Kuwaiti English and
Arabic dailies on the same day. However, all dailies lacked
commentaries on the interview, a reflection which should be
attributed to the viewing habits of Kuwaitis as well as the local
press, the latter of whom are notoriously lazy about reacting to a
breaking story in a timely manner and are mainly driven to cover
local news. Alerting the local media to a potential interview 24
hours prior to its taking place would maximize already good
coverage, in addition to encouraging commentaries in Kuwaiti print
dailies. End Summary and Comment.
2. (U) The positive response to the interview in part reflects the
television viewing habits of the Kuwaiti public. It is of note that
most Kuwaitis who view Al-Arabiya television are already
pro-American and generally supportive of U.S. policy. Kuwaitis
harboring anti-American sentiments or who vehemently oppose U.S.
policy tend to choose Al-Jazeera as their main source of news, and
are not likely to have viewed the interview. This observation is
supported by a special report that appeared on January 29 in the
liberal Arabic language daily, Al-Rai. In the report, Al-Rai's
Washington correspondent, Hussein Abdul Hussein writes (01/29),
"According to internal reports from the Inter-Media Organization,
Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya news satellite stations had the largest
viewership in 15 Arab countries. The viewership numbers of
Al-Jazeera in one week were estimated to be at 71.5 million.
Al-Jazeera maintains its position as the number one news station and
source of news, while Al-Arabiya ranked second with 48,300,000
viewers. The same study revealed that Al-Arabiya had particularly
fierce competition from Al-Jazeera in four Arab countries --
Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. However the report indicated
that in Iraq and Saudi Arabia Al-Arabiya TV had the highest
viewership."
3. (U) In response to REFTEL, Post contacted Managing Editors of
both liberal and conservative Kuwaiti print dailies, al-Rai and
Al-Watan, respectively. When contacted by telephone, Managing
Editor of al-Rai Mr. Ali Ballout opined that the interview (01/29):
"was very good and it highlighted the President's vision for the
region." In his own words Mr. Ballout added (01/29): "I got the
feeling that President Obama was reaching out to Arab and Muslim
nations. It is now time for the recipients of this message to
react." In response to Post's query about the lack of commentaries
in Thursday's Kuwaiti dailies, he responded that (01/29): "Kuwaiti
writers are too busy with local politics; they are not even paying
attention to important regional issues at the moment." Mr. Hussam
Al-Fat'hy, Managing Editor of the Al-Watan, Kuwait's most widely
read newspaper, opined (01/29) that coverage of the interview in
Kuwait would have been maximized had the local media been alerted to
the interview and its possible discussion points 24 hours prior to
its actual occurrence. Mr. Fat'hy also opined that Al-Arabiya was
the best medium for the interview, citing Al-Jazeera as the only
alternative.
********************************************* *
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/
********************************************* *
JONES
SIPDIS
STATE FOR PA/PRS, NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD
LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER
PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO EINO OPRC KMDR XF KU MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION TO PRESIDENT'S JANUARY 26 Al-ARABIYA
INTERVIEW: A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT
REF: SECSTATE 07500
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
Thursday, January 29, 2009
1. (U) Summary and Comment. As of Thursday, January 29, no Kuwaiti
dailies offered commentaries on President Obama's January 26
television interview with Al-Arabiya. The interview was covered in
an extremely positive light by the State-run Kuwaiti News Agency
(KUNA) on January 27, and picked up by all Kuwaiti English and
Arabic dailies on the same day. However, all dailies lacked
commentaries on the interview, a reflection which should be
attributed to the viewing habits of Kuwaitis as well as the local
press, the latter of whom are notoriously lazy about reacting to a
breaking story in a timely manner and are mainly driven to cover
local news. Alerting the local media to a potential interview 24
hours prior to its taking place would maximize already good
coverage, in addition to encouraging commentaries in Kuwaiti print
dailies. End Summary and Comment.
2. (U) The positive response to the interview in part reflects the
television viewing habits of the Kuwaiti public. It is of note that
most Kuwaitis who view Al-Arabiya television are already
pro-American and generally supportive of U.S. policy. Kuwaitis
harboring anti-American sentiments or who vehemently oppose U.S.
policy tend to choose Al-Jazeera as their main source of news, and
are not likely to have viewed the interview. This observation is
supported by a special report that appeared on January 29 in the
liberal Arabic language daily, Al-Rai. In the report, Al-Rai's
Washington correspondent, Hussein Abdul Hussein writes (01/29),
"According to internal reports from the Inter-Media Organization,
Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya news satellite stations had the largest
viewership in 15 Arab countries. The viewership numbers of
Al-Jazeera in one week were estimated to be at 71.5 million.
Al-Jazeera maintains its position as the number one news station and
source of news, while Al-Arabiya ranked second with 48,300,000
viewers. The same study revealed that Al-Arabiya had particularly
fierce competition from Al-Jazeera in four Arab countries --
Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. However the report indicated
that in Iraq and Saudi Arabia Al-Arabiya TV had the highest
viewership."
3. (U) In response to REFTEL, Post contacted Managing Editors of
both liberal and conservative Kuwaiti print dailies, al-Rai and
Al-Watan, respectively. When contacted by telephone, Managing
Editor of al-Rai Mr. Ali Ballout opined that the interview (01/29):
"was very good and it highlighted the President's vision for the
region." In his own words Mr. Ballout added (01/29): "I got the
feeling that President Obama was reaching out to Arab and Muslim
nations. It is now time for the recipients of this message to
react." In response to Post's query about the lack of commentaries
in Thursday's Kuwaiti dailies, he responded that (01/29): "Kuwaiti
writers are too busy with local politics; they are not even paying
attention to important regional issues at the moment." Mr. Hussam
Al-Fat'hy, Managing Editor of the Al-Watan, Kuwait's most widely
read newspaper, opined (01/29) that coverage of the interview in
Kuwait would have been maximized had the local media been alerted to
the interview and its possible discussion points 24 hours prior to
its actual occurrence. Mr. Fat'hy also opined that Al-Arabiya was
the best medium for the interview, citing Al-Jazeera as the only
alternative.
********************************************* *
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/
********************************************* *
JONES