The Emergence of Social Media Networks and Their Impacts on Professional Journalism Practices in Saudi Arabia
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The Emergence of Social Media Networks and Their Impacts on Professional Journalism Practices in Saudi Arabia Shaker Althiabi A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Nottingham Trent University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy October 2017 1 Copyright: This work is the intellectual property of the author. You may copy up to 5% of this work for private study, or personal, non-commercial research. Any re-use of the information contained within this document should be fully referenced, quoting the author, title, university, degree level and pagination. Queries or requests for any other use, or if a more substantial copy is required, should be directed in the owner(s) of the Intellectual Property Rights. 2 Abstract: This thesis explores the emergence of social media networks and their impacts on professional journalism practices in Saudi Arabia, using two qualitative methods for its data collection. The methods of interviews and observation obtained from two emergent YouTube channels Sa7i and Telfaz11, and from series of journalists represent six traditional newspapers in Saudi Arabia. The main focus of this study is emergent YouTube channels in Saudi Arabia and how these channels, as new media organisations, or perhaps even new news organisations given the way that they blur politics and entertainment, place pressure on traditional media to create and adapt content that is more relevant to the under 30 generation that is so prominent in Saudi Arabia. This thesis also studies the impact of Twitter, which has given voice to many ordinary people and in turn has exerted pressure on newspapers and journalism practices to create content that bears a greater relation to everyday lived experience. The analysis and discussion of this study has divided into two main parts. First, YouTube channel content that has resulted in three main concerns: the use of satire; censorship and audiences engagement; and the impact on traditional media and professionalism. Second, the impact of Twitter on journalism practices which also resulted in three main concerns: policies and regulations; press freedom; and interaction and accountability. This thesis will argue that a digital public sphere is fractured and comprising of various layers that come together to create an overall dialogue within society. Therefore it argues that we need to think differently about what constitutes a public sphere in the digital age. 3 Acknowledgements Thanks to God for extending me with help and success to complete this thesis. I am deeply grateful to my supervisor Dr. Ben Taylor for his support and encouragement during the period of my research, where he provided me with great advices at all stages. His support and feedback had a positive impact to the presence of this thesis. I also thank my second supervisor Dr. Steve Jones for his comments and support. I am grateful to my father and mother for their continued support during my study abroad. Special thanks goes to my wife for her motivation throughout my study and joining me on this journey abroad. I must thank my children, who have been patient while my time has been taken up with research; my oldest daughter, Medhawi, and my son, Salman and my daughter, Reem who both were not present at the beginning of my PhD, but joined our lives during the study period. I would like to express a special appreciation to all of my participants who gave their time to enable me to develop my thesis. Finally, I would like to thank all of my friends, relatives and colleagues who have consistently provided support and friendship. 4 Table of Contents Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………3 Acknowledgment………………………………………………………………………….4 List of Figures…………………………………………………………………………......8 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 9 1.1 Introduction.…………………………………………………………………………. 9 1.2 Research Contribution ……………………………………………………………....11 1.3 Research Motivation…………………………………………………………………12 1.4 Importance of the Study……………………………………………………………...14 1.5 Research Methodology………………………………………………………………15 1.6 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………. 16 1.7 Research Organisation……………………………………………………………… 16 1.8 The Structure of the Thesis………………………………………………………… 16 Chapter 2: Saudi Arabia in Context ............................................................................. 19 2.1 Introduction.………………………………………………………………………… 19 2.2 Saudi Arabia: A country profile.……………………………………………………..19 2.2.1 The Demography.………………………………………………………………….20 2.3 Political Environment………………………………………………………………..22 2.3.1 Saudi ‘Vision 2030’…………………………………………………………..........23 2.4 Saudi National Culture……………………………………………………………….25 2.5 Media History and Regulations……………………………………………………...27 2.5.1 Background………………………………………………………………...27 2.5.2 Emergence of the Newspapers……………………………………………..32 2.5.3 Saudi Media Laws ……………………………………………………........33 2.6 The Use of Social Media in Saudi Arabia…………………………………………...38 2.7 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………...42 Chapter 3: Digital Media in Saudi Arabia: A Digital Public Sphere? ...................... 44 3.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..44 3.2 New, Social and Digital Media………………………………………………………44 3.3 The Changing Web…………………………………………………………………..47 3.4 Citizen Journalism…………………………………………………………… ……..48 3.5 What is the Public Sphere? ………………………………………………………….54 3.6 Debates about the Digital Public Sphere? …………………………………………...58 3.6.1 Digital Public Sphere: Middle East / Saudi Arabia……………..59 3.6.2 Defending the concept of the digital public sphere………………………..62 3.7 Saudi and Citizenship Culture……………………………………………………….68 3.8 A Digital Public Sphere……………………………………………………………...71 3.9 Satire & Public Sphere………………………………………………………………76 3.10 Video Analysis……………………………………………………………………..77 3.11 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….85 Chapter 4: Journalism in the Digital Age ..................................................................... 89 4.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………..89 5 4.2 Review of the Academic Literature………………………….………………………89 4.3 Twitter Impact on Journalism Practices……………………………………………...95 4.4 Digital and Ethical Dilemmas…………………………………………………...….100 4.5 The Future of Press Journalism…………………………………………………….104 4.6 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….107 Chapter 5: Research Design: Methodology ................................................................ 109 5.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………109 5.2 Background…………………………………………………………………………109 5.3 Research Questions…………………………………………………………………113 5.4 Case Studies………………………………………………………………………...114 5.5 Validity and Reliability……………………………………………………………..117 5.6 Research Design…………………………………………………………………….117 5.7 Primary Data………………………………………………………………………..117 5.7.1 Formulating Interview Questions………………………………………...121 5.7.2 Setting for the Interviews…………………………………………………122 5.7.3 Procedures Followed During the Interviews……………………………...122 5.7.4 Probing……………………………………………………………………124 5.8 Observation…………………………………………………………………………124 5.9 Ethical Issues……………………………………………………………………….126 5.10 Techniques for Analysing and Interpreting Qualitative Data……………………..128 5.11 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...131 Chapter 6: The Rise and Impact of YouTube Channels ........................................... 132 6.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………132 6.2 Initial Observation of Site Visits……………………………………………………132 6.2.1 Sa7i……………………………………………………………………….133 6.2.2 Telfaz11…………………………………………………………………..136 6.3 Interview Process…………………………………………………………………...138 6.4 YouTube Channels Analysis……………………………………………………….139 6.4.1 Satire………………………………………………………… …………..140 6.4.2 Censorship and Audience Engagement………………………………… .148 A) External Censorship…………………………………………………149 B) Censorship to Protect Individuals…………………………………...151 C) Advertising as Censorship…………………………………………..157 6.4.3 Impact on Professional Journalism……………………………………….158 6.5 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….160 Chapter 7: Twitter’s Impact on Journalism Practices ............................................. 163 7.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………163 7.2 Interviews with Press Journalists…………………………………………………...163 7.2.1 Policies and Regulations………………………………………………….166 7.2.2 Press Freedom…………………………………………………………….171 7.2.3 Online Interactions and Accountability…………………………………..178 7.3 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….181 6 Chapter 8: Conclusion .................................................................................................. 187 8.1 Introduction………………………………………………………… ……………...187 8.2 Saudi Public Sphere………………………………………………………………...187 8.3 The Third Stage……………………………………………………………………..190 8.4 Initial Findings……………………………………………………………………...191 8.4.1 Satire in YouTube………………………………………………………...192 8.4.2 YouTube Censorship and Audiences Engagement………………………193 8.4.3 YouTube's Impact on Traditional media…………………………………195 8.4.4 Twitter Policies and Regulations in the Press……………………………195 8.4.5 Twitter and Press Freedom……………………………………………….196 8.4.6 Twitter Interaction and accountability……………………………………197 8.5 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….198 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………….….200 Appendix 1……………………………………………………………………………216 Appendix 2……………………………………………………………………………218 Appendix 3……………………………………………………………………………220 Appendix 4……………………………………………………………………………226 7 List of Figures, Pictures and Tables Figure 2.1: Saudi Arabia Map…………………………………………………………..20 Figure 2.2: Population by Age Groups, Gender and Nationality (Saudis/Non-Saudis), (2016)…………………………………………………………………………………….21