A BBC survey (carried out by the market research company PARC and managed by MORI) of the media market in the UAE has these findings on TV preferences (thanks to AH for the tip):
MORI's survey of TV audiences reported that Abu Dhabi Sat and Al Jazeera are the most popular TV stations in the UAE, with 40 per cent of those surveyed watching these channels on a weekly basis.... The survey showed that Al Jazeera was deemed the most trustworthy news source by 70 per cent of those who stated they watch the channel. Radio Sawa was trusted by 9 per cent of those polled who said they listened to the station. Figures also showed that Al Jazeera was deemed to provide the most unbiased, objective and relevant news to viewers in the UAE.
Al-Jazeera's strong position in the UAE isn't new. I'm surprised that neither Abu Dhabi TV nor Dubai TV puts in a more impressive showing, though. Al-Arabiya is notable for its absence, though this report doesn't include anything other than first place so hard to know how it placed relatively. I trust nobody is surprised by the absence of al-Hurra, though the 9% trustworthy score for Radio Sawa is rather shockingly low.
First off, nice blog.
"9% trustworthy score for Radio Sawa is rather shockingly low" --> not really. It is well known here in the UAE that the information is extremely biased on radio sawa when the news comes on. As a matter of fact through some research I found that it is indirectly run by the American government (No I am not a rumor-monger check it out yourself :-p)
Posted by: Ali G | May 11, 2006 at 08:28 AM