اتجاهات النخبة نحو التغطية التليفزيونية لانتفاضة الشباب اليمني = The Yemeni Elite Interest of the Journalistic Coverage of Yemeni Youth Uprising

Abstract

This study aims to investigate to what extent Arabic and Yemeni satellite channels adhere to journalistic professional and ethical principles in the course of their coverage of Yemeni youth uprising in 2011. One hundred and fourteen of Yemeni elite in Sana’a, the capital city, were surveyed to explore their motives for following up news and developments of this uprising as well as professionalism and ethicality of the coverage. The findings suggest that Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabia, Suheil (a Yemeni private and Islamist channel), and BBC (Arabic service) channels are the most watched channels by the elite. Quick reporting, keeping elite abreast of developments on timely-bases, and reporting about youth uprising regularly represent most important motives for elite exposure to specific channels to follow the youth uprising. The study discloses lower confidence of Yemeni elite in all mass media. Selecting topics and ways of discussion are influenced by nature of ownership and political orientations in all mass media. Arabic satellite channel excel all Yemeni channels in terms of programs production skills, presetting and directing process skills as well as social responsibility. State-run channels on one hand, and Suheil channel on the other lack social responsibility, according to most of respondents.