The first private Syrian satellite television channel started broadcasting Tuesday after four decades of a tight government grip over audio-visual media. Al Sham Satellite went on air five years after Syria passed a new law allowing private audio-visual media and a year after a test period, signaling a loosening of the official control over the media.
The television's editor in chief, Mohammed Abdel Rahman, said "Al Sham is the first independent media outlet in Syria and its launching constitutes a real leap forward in the domain of private audio-visual media."
As of early 2000, Syrian authorities began granting licenses for private media after a total monopoly of all media organizations by the ruling Baath party since the party assumed power in 1963 was lifted.
Early this year, the Syrian government passed a law setting up a media city for the private press and media, but many journalists have expressed "reservations over the stringent measures imposed under the law."
Abdel Rahim said the authorities allowed Al Sham television to start broadcasting before setting up the Syrian media city, which will be under the censorship auspices of the information ministry. He said the station will offer a variety of programs, political coverage as well as news bulletins. "But the broadcasting of news will be delayed until October upon the
request of the authorities," Abdel Rahim said.
Asked about possible restrictions on news bulletins and political programs, Abdel Rahim said "the law organizing the operation of the media city is very general and evasive in that regard."
"Media cities with long experience abide by laws that ban slandering religions and broadcasting pornographic movies, but in Syria there is an additional clause banning any harm or undermining of national security," he added.
Syria: First private TV station airs
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