Issue No. 141, January 2010 The Need to Support the Fledging Television Industry in Palestine ..............................4 Palestinian Video Art .....................................................................................................8 We have kept our promise and have augmented the number of non-thematic Herod, Hisham, and Ein el-Sultan… ............................................................................12 articles in This Week in Palestine. Make sure to read the interesting articles Broadcast Media in Palestine ......................................................................................20 about Jericho and Jerusalem written by Dr. Ali Qleibo and by Dr. Abdul Rahim Not The Classic Way ...................................................................................................24 Al Sheikh, respectively, as well as the article about the fashion show which was held recently in Jerusalem. Actually, you might as well read the whole magazine! Last Year in Jerusalem ................................................................................................28 Recording Translation for Broadcasting Purposes ......................................................34 Audiovisual media in Palestine is this month’s theme. We invite you to learn more about this topic through the many articles published in our editorial section. A Multi-Coloured Dress for Jerusalem .........................................................................36 Although we have spread the word and have contacted many of those working Palestinian Television Production ................................................................................42 within the audiovisual sector in Palestine, for some reason, we have received The Palestinian Local Visual Media Experience… ......................................................44 more interest from the academics rather than from those who are actually working NGO Financial Support for Palestinian TV and Radio, is it Necessary? .....................48 in the field and have hands-on experience. It was our intention to promote this We Also Care ...............................................................................................................52 sector, but you will notice that the thematic articles this month are rather critical, In the Limelight ............................................................................................................56 even harsh at times. They should be viewed as constructive criticism while being an honest reflection of the current situation. Reviews .......................................................................................................................62 As usual, this issue also highlights a new Palestinian book, an artist, and a Events ..........................................................................................................................68 Palestinian personality. Our book of the month is a valuable publication put out Listings ...................................................................................................................70-90 by the Palestine Monitor entitled Palestine’s Guernica. The book is a detailed Maps and Where to Go? ........................................................................................91-97 account of the causes and consequences of Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza one The Last Word .............................................................................................................98 year ago. Our artist this month, Rula Halawani, is a professional photographer, Picturesque Palestine .................................................................................................99 and our personality is a young Palestinian filmmaker, Muayad Alayan, who is already attracting the attention of the big guys. However, here we are at the beginning of yet another year and our political situation is in limbo. Our internal reconciliation process does not seem any nearer at hand either. We pray that 2010 will bring about a major breakthrough on all fronts for the benefit of all. Finally, during this month of January, Christians who follow the eastern Orthodox calendar celebrate their Christmas and their new year. To all we would like to Telefax: + 970/2-2-2951262 wish a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. e-mail: [email protected] www.thisweekinpalestine.com The Editor Printed by Studio Alpha, Al-Ram, Jerusalem Binding by Al-Asdika', Al-Ram, Jerusalem Forthcoming Issues: Distributed by • The School System in Palestine - February 2010 • Palestinian Customs for Social Occasions - March 2010 Theme: Audiovisual Media in Palestine Cover: Salt of this Sea crew in the West Bank hills… • Jericho, Palestine - April 2010 Advisory Board Mahmoud Abu Hashhash Ibrahim Matar Writer and art critic Development Consultant Dr. Rania Filfil Almbaid Najah Osaily The views of all the articles do not neccessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Freelance translator and writer Osaily Trading Contracting Co. Maps herein have been prepared solely for the convenience of the reader; the designations and presentation of material do not imply any expression of opinion of This Week in Palestine, its publisher, editor, and its Emile Ashrawi Nidal Rafa advisory board as to the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area, or of the authorities thereof, or as to the delimitation of boundaries or national affiliation. Father and grandfather Journalist/Television Producer 2 3 The Need to Support the Fledging Television been broadcasting on and off at any also the location of the Ma’an studios and time. The only attempts to merge some administrative offices. Industry in Palestine of these stations have been in the effort Palestine TV has suffered from a to create loosely based alliances or By Daoud Kuttab different kind of a problem. Largely a networks. The first alliance was called mouthpiece of the Palestinian Authority, Television production is rather new in these stations spend as little time and Al Quds Television Network; this was the station has become a bloated and Palestine. Until 1994 Palestinians had effort as possible on original production. followed by SHAMS. But the network rarely seen television station that shows access to regional and international With the ability to “steal” world cup games that has survived the past seven years protocol news of the presidency. Under television stations. Palestine TV was born or “pirate” major Hollywood blockbusters, or so has been the Ma’an Network which Palestinian leader Arafat the station with the Oslo Accords when Palestinian what is the advantage of producing a local comprises ten local stations in the West was split between Gaza and the West negotiators extracted the concession programme that you will have to spend Bank. No private stations were allowed Bank long before the Hamas-Fatah split from the Israelis on the reasoning that real money producing and which will to exist in Gaza until the Hamas takeover. materialised. It has also been riddled with radio and television were needed for be far inferior to any of the high quality Ma’an has combined the need corruption cases, and one of its earliest the presidential and parliamentary DVDs available on street corners for a for exchanging local programming directors in Gaza was assassinated by elections that were due to take place as few shekels or taken directly from satellite and advertising with a robust effort a fellow Palestinian who accused him part of the PLO-Israeli Memorandum of stations? Even encrypted stations (such at producing local soaps, news of numerous corruption charges and Understanding. The same agreement had as those for sports) have been decrypted programmes, and talk shows. A wire misuse of funds. a clause for licensing other Palestinian using formulas that include the use of service that is web-based provides the Of course all the efforts at creating radio and TV stations within the context the Internet. stations with a news ticker that allows television stations, whether state-run of a joint Israeli-Palestinian technical The situation is not all that bad. A the public to follow local news even if or private, were not matched by an committee. Over a period of 15 years number of stations do make valiant people are watching pirated programmes. equal effort to produce quality local Israel basically vetoed any properly efforts, and there has been at least The Ma’an Network, which has been programming. As is the case with today’s licensed stations by refusing every one successful attempt to remedy this registered as a not-for-profit corporation, Arab satellite stations, nearly 90 percent request to allow the committee to meet. problem. In 1996 Al-Quds University has succeeded largely due to generous of the budgets of most television stations This, however, has not stopped the launched an educational TV station grants from Denmark, Holland, the United is spent on the hardware of studios and mushrooming of tens of local radio and that has attempted to produce original States, and the United Kingdom. These transmission costs, and less than 10 TV stations that have “half” a license. programming including hard-hitting grants encouraged programme exchange percent is spent on producing quality The stations have a piece of paper political shows, children’s programmes, but funded some quality programming original programming. that has even attracted Palestine TV from the Palestinian Authority to and awareness-building public service The