Arab Media : Gagged and Bound

The Arab Information Ministers recent decree to "regulate" the content on satellite TV broadcasters has been the subject of much debate.

Yesterday Ahmed Mansour hosted Moroccan comedian Ahmed Senoussi on Al Jazeera's "Bila Hudud" to discuss the proposed regulations. Skip to about 8 minutes in where you'll find Senoussi "gagged and bound". This is followed by Mansour bringing out tools that are often associated with "making people speak"...

While the program is hilarious, this is of course no laughing matter - how can a discussion on why security police paint wooden poles red be funny? (it's to mask any blood in case you were wondering...)

One can't but wonder how serious people can even propose such regulations in 2008. Maybe if this was 1996 it would have stood a fighting chance but when the interweb and satellite TV has become so ubiquitous? Of course, the regulation is more about intent and intimidation rather than actual law. The chilling effect of shutting down the first station would be disastrous...