DISCONCERTING IMAGES

Abstract

The changes that have been witnessed by media in the Arab world have redefined media's initial role as a source of information. With the advent of satellite television new realities, namely the dismantling of communication boundaries, have emerged. At first, such advancements posed a challenge to government bodies, specifically in the Arab region; however, the issue has been resolved in what has eventually resulted in government-controlled media, independently owned broadcasting stations with ties to ruling bodies, and the mushrooming of little private ventures owned by businesses or religious/sectarian groups, transmitting globally. Not only did this not translate into political or social freedoms in the Arab world, but it also failed to challenge pre-existing notions of gender. The current media have inadvertently consolidated traditional stereotypes of the female in spite of their claim to be a liberating force. In this essay I propose to argue that a detailed study of female representation on Arab television would reveal an immature and regressive medium, solely interested in commodifying and in enfeebling the Arab female. Moreover, an interpretive discourse with postcolonial theory and an analysis of what constitutes the Arab identity will reveal why such female representations persist.