KUWAIT CITY, Aug 8: Assistant Undersecretary for the Press, Publishing, and Publications Sector at the Ministry of Information LafiAl-Subaie has warned electronic media owners against handing over their licenses to others to manage the content without supervision and monitoring. In a television interview on the ‘35 Program’ with presenter Ahmed Al-Masoudi, Al-Subaie stressed that “the ministry will not absolve the administrator in the event of publishing incorrect news and it will apply full legal measures against the owner.

The media is more dangerous than any other means.” He added that he contacted some administrators of electronic media after they published some news. “I was surprised that they did not know about the publication,” he revealed. He stated that the number of licenses granted to visual and audio media totaled 11; while in the Press Sector, there are 118 licenses for periodicals, seasonal, daily and advertising magazines, and 460 licenses for electronic media.”

He clarified that the law does not limit the issuance of such licenses despite their large number. He also disclosed that the Press, Publishing and Publications Sector has withdrawn the licenses of 68 media outlets since 2016 by law; while some owners requested the cancellation of the license when they found it was useless due to the many complaints filed against the owner of the media outlet by individuals and embassies after the publication of incorrect news.

Al-Subaie explained that the accountability over celebrities’ personal accounts is not as per the ministry’s procedures, because it is done by other bodies. He affirmed the Unified Media Law is a civilized law and there is a full partnership with the concerned authorities. He said one of the official directives is to apply the law to all media outlets without causing injustice to anyone. He asserted that whoever violates the law is held accountable. “Some newspapers, media outlets, and channels were referred to the Public Prosecution without discrimination, as the ministry looks at the content without misleading the public. We do not own the companies and applications that use social media sites, but we have to regulate them not by imposing restrictions, but by setting limits according to the law.”

Al-Subaie indicated that they contacted the production companies and it was confirmed that the ministry has no disagreement in terms of stirring up controversy in television series, but the method of presentation and treatment is important to the ministry to ensure that the Kuwaiti society and families are not offended and the regions of the country are not mentioned. “We will never accept this,” he stressed. Asked about the so-called social media chaos, Al-Subaie clarified there is no chaos, but chaos lies in those who use this method -- whether individuals or media outlets, especially since there is no distinction between advertising and media news. “There must be clear limits to the use of media, with a distinction between highlighting the problem and defaming people. Some do not understand what freedom is, which should not tolerate infringement on people’s dignity.

It is the responsibility of the license holder who must have self-censorship over publication,” he added. He pointed out that some owners and proprietors of electronic media outlets have started to obtain information from unreliable sources or present unprofessional reports. He emphasized that the goal of publishing content should be for the benefit of the people or solve a problem, considering some people conduct interviews with fictitious individuals and attribute statements to them despite not holding any position or responsibility; hence, the need to verify and filter information before publishing.

He confirmed the sector’s work during the election period has become easier and more organized with the media. “We were able to prevent insulting candidates by withdrawing the identities of some media professionals within the framework of implementing the law,” he elaborated. He stated the sector focuses on the content presented through the media outlet, not the people. He said media work is institutional, such that the focus could be on wrong things, but it should not reach the point of defamation and personalization.

He went on to say that the sector met a group of parents after some media outlets interviewed them which led to their exposure to bullying. “They were informed about the method through which their rights are obtained legally,” he affirmed. He cited the violations committed by some media outlets, such as announcing the Eid holiday before the meeting of the Moon Sighting Authority, without consulting the concerned authority. “This is not considered a journalistic scoop,” he concluded.

By Mohammad Al-Musleh
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff