The mass market reach of the Algerian daily newspapers was reviewed recently at the Maghreb Politics Review. I believe the main reason the dailies have had more popular success in Algeria than elsewhere in the Arab world is that they treat themselves much more like capitalist endeavourers than cultural entities. In neighbouring countries like Egypt, Morocco and the Gulf the readership is mostly confined to the cultural elite. The topics are carefully selected to give the reader a sense of intellectual superiority over the masses.
Most Algerian Arab newspapers, like Echourouk, Elkhabar and Ennahar, turned the tables on this concept, and chose instead to embrace the lowest common denominator in search for ever increasing circulation numbers (except perhaps, the government owned newspapers, which have negligible circulation in comparison). This has, obviously, the unfortunate effect of being turned towards more populism and sensationalism a.k.a Algerian version of the right wing Daily Mail. In fact, these newspapers sometimes put the Daily Mail to shame with their incredibly racist stories and caricatures, e.g. vs the local Chinese expatriates who work for Chinese construction companies. Most recently, the newspapers have just turned into sports dailies – today’s Echorouk news feed is dominated by sports headlines – all but just two.
The street price of a newspaper copy (officially 10DA, but generally can go up to 15DA in remote areas – a mere $0.1) is well below the cost of producing it. Most newspapers achieve profitably with advertising – so circulation numbers are very important. The advertising management market is dominated by the state owned Entreprise National de Publicite (ANEP), which collects advertising money from clients and distributes the adverts to the newspapers. This forces the newspapers to tread on careful lines or else the source of money is dried.
Perhaps, Elkhabar still tries to maintain a sense of intellectuality – opting instead to sometimes publish some well written reports on the state of the Algerian economy and political landscape. Its reluctance to populism is probably what made it lose its top spot as the best selling newspaper – just years ago it was dwarfing Echorouk, which was at the time, incredibly, seen as the newspaper for the intellectuals: the key element in Echorouk’s new image is the journalist turned into the Algerian version of Murdoch: Ali Faudel.
On the other hand, Elkhabar are much more successful as an enterprise. In additions to attempts to create a private printing company, they have established a country wide distribution network – KD-Press, and they are looking to seriously challenge the dominance of ANEP with their new venture: Elkhabar Pub, by creating a privately owned advertising management company. ANEP’s success was largely due to the fact that most of the clients were state owned companies, and that has changed recently. Most of the big spenders in advertising are private enterprises now. The private mobile networks Djezzy, Nedjma and Mobilis (this last soon to be privatised) compete fiercely by buying an incredible amount of newspaper ad space.
It’s also worthy to note that while they sell incredibly well, the authenticity of the popular newspaper is well known to be shoddy: a popular saying in Algeria is that reading a newspaper nullifies your Wudu (Ablution). There is also the decades old fear of the outside: the top newspapers are rumoured to use external expertise from the Untied States in the form of highly paid consultants. Speculation about the owners of the papers runs rampant – from business tycoons to army generals.
The lack of space on other media, such as radio and television, has certainly not hurt the newspapers either. However, pressure is mounting on the government to open up the audio visual space, with Echorouk positioning themselves well to create a new television station should the chance come by running an internet only channel on Youtube. Should this space be opened, there is no reason not to believe that it will be as vibrant as the newspaper space, given that other channels, such as the MBC and ART are eager to more affectively enter the Algerian market.
12 comments
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December 3, 2009 at 11:45
alle
Nice post, nice blog! Although for the record I think quite a few papers outside of Algeria also go for trash + sports over socially responsible journalism.
Hey, a question: ownership of the major private newspapers? What, if anything could you tell us about that?
December 3, 2009 at 22:10
Houwari
Thanks for your comment alle. In the post I intended to lead to that question. It is quite open, and cannot be answered with certainty because of the tendency of business owners to operate behind façades. What I know is mostly street talk with some investigation – and I will be posting about this sometime soon.
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June 22, 2010 at 12:40
Nacir Guettech
The Westerners, when they finished with the Red Communism enemy, ex “the Soviet Union”. Absurdly, turned to the Green one the Islam . Fictionally, upon to their philosophy cursed by the jewish pro-anglo lobbies. Begun, from the ancient altered old books, in the hebrew language. Previously, falsified the descriptions unlike, as the Promised Land in the new Continent (America) In anticipate been guessed, as they will make out of it a big civilization, a favorite people to the Lord, a country protected from Above, and the distorted judio-christianism, it’s the only one as a real religion. Also, the great israel a Holy Land, just to be for the zionism inhabitant people only. Nearly, seventy per cent of the Americans and their alliances, fooled thoughtless to that deceives of doctrine. Wrongly believed the True Religion Islam, somehow picked from their denaturized cults, they forgotten the inventions of the judas before, following the foundation of the trinity after. Imaginatively, created by the Roman Emperor of ex Istanbul, constantino. By contradicted the story of the Mormons the true followers of the Prophet Jesus (pbh). Either, the methods of His Worshipping like the Purity, the Prostration, and the Fasting periods, also the Teaching of the Oneness, to His and Our Almighty God an early Islam, and the Announcement, of the next and Last Prophet after Him, ( to the Fulfillment of the Divine Messages). Officially, on the lost original Sacred Books Torah and the Bible before got the denaturazed. Anyhow, in the recent decade, negatively the war against the Islam started, unfortunately not even one of the Arabic or from the Muslim Countries, defensively stands up (the weakness, due to the almost abandonees of the Mandatory of the Glory “Quran”, and the Commendatory of the “Sunnat”. Emotively, the more We cross Our True Faith ” Islam “, thereby the more other fake cults steps ahead. Resulting, most of all the disasters fallen on the Muslims World. Because, for not Warning and Preaching enough, about the Truthfulness, surely which is our duties, over to the unknowing of the divers unbelievers polytheists (mushrikeen) on the unforgiving major sins ” shirk ” ). Fundamentally, by propagating upon the Monotheism (Tawhid) as a Sign to the World. On the other way, the egoistic civilization which are: by inflicting the destabilizations worldwide unlikely various wars, the facility of the Bank investments an accounting nest, to the third world countries corrupters, of the stolen state funds. Generally, caused the miseries to so many Nations. The promotions of the immoralities (the violence and the depravities) to the peoples around the World, by big haram shirk’s conspiracy, with the unseen evils (the shayatin). And the preoccupation, regarding the spread fast realization, of the Unique Authenticity True Religion “Islam” over the concern Globally. Legislatively, a pure Science, to all the problems in general. Inappropriately, disapproved by these advanced countries. Uncomprehendingly criticism on the Islamic Concepts. Apparently, by looking, at their misleading structures, clearly, are in satanic slaveries. The unperceptional degradation of the women true grace. Appositionally, on the higher level of the Male’s surrounding rank, out of the Female roles. (Naturally, they are able in needs of valuable Works, specifically concerns Societies matters only. Exactly, where the Almighty GOD wants them to be respectfully). Also, immodestly, as teasing objects, for the advertising businesses, the show events, and the fashion trends. Either disrespectfully, manipulated on the provocative shape dresses (the quasi-nakedness liberation). Dramatically, causes major sins, generating, the aggravated indecent lusts, the transmissible diseases, illicit pregnancies, the celibacies left out of the disproportion monogamy, the toll divorce rates, the single parents, the disorders, the infidelities, and the melancholies et… . Badly, nearly, than half of the population born outside wedlocks, and far worst, other percentage unlucky does not even knows their biological fathers, or their own real children. Strangely, by loving the dogs more to their own proper kids, (escapism). Tragically, in some west countries the yearly deficit spending amounts on the dogs alone, is more than almost the budget of one poor third world country. Regarding, the Dogs Animal’s sensible overestimate attachment. Therefore, domestically has to be kept, and cared with the normal treatment outdoors, reasonably at the nature of the impurities dirt , the contamination of epidemics, and the odd visional rapport of the invisible evils (shayateen). Gratefully, the Dogs existence purposes, are : for the rescuing – shepherding – and the surveillance. Logically, are better exciting with the natural environments. Again, the growing perversion of the unnatural weird gays, the criminalities, the intoxication consummation products, the unslaughters and the pork meats, mainly causes many sicknesses. Evenly, the greed of the corruptions, the conflicts, more and more… . Finally, the mockery misconceptional freedom, of the others untrue religions and sects, methodically, the ignorance of the shirks, as a gateway to the satans, expanding the divisional hatred, human disasters, and the natural catastrophes. The Truth of Islam, Universally, it’s the only Key Solution to the Mankind entirely.
Mr Nacir Guettech. Constantine Algeria
February 8, 2011 at 11:48
hadj rabah
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June 4, 2011 at 23:47
dlalaonline
You missed TSA
October 8, 2016 at 13:13
Nacir Guettech
Salam’alaykom.
j’ai l’écris cet texte en langue arabe sur le soufisme pendant mes
séjours en Syrie.
En ce qui concerne l’Islam, dans lequel ils lés pratiquent faussement
cette secte par certains arabes musulmans soit disant sunnites.
Comment pourrait être croire un peuple d’une nation de la langue
maternelle et l’Arabe du livre sacré le Coran.
Par ignorance, suit à tort le secte soufi dont ils associés ( chirk )
et presque idolâtres le Prophète Mohamed (pssl)
parmi le Suprême ALLAH, au lieu de la pureté du Sunnat ça
unicité ( Tawhid ).
Wassalam, Mr G… N. Sept 2010. Constantine. Algérie.
——————————————————————————————
Salam’alaykom.
I’ve wrote this text in Arabic on Sufism during my stay in Syria,.
Regarding Islam, in which they practices wrongly that sect by some
Arabs supposed Sunni Muslims.
How could be such people of an arabic nation the mother tongue
language of the holy book Koran. By
ignorance, mistakenly follows the sufi sect whom they associated
(Shirk) and almost idolaters the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) among the
Supreme ALLAH, instead of the purity Sunnah’s
oneness (Tawhid).
Wassalam, Mr N… G. Sept 2010. Constantine. Algeria.
بلاغ الى الصوفية
طاعة الرسول أعظم خلق الله ( عليه الصلاة والسلام )
أن تؤمن بما أنزلة إليه من الوحي و خاتم الأنبياء و المرسلين, و تحبه أكثر من نفسك على حق. –
– أن تتعلم سيرته و تتبع سنته و تجعله هو مذهبك وتعبد الله على منهجه الرباني كما كان يعبده (عليه أفضل الصلاة والتسليم ).
-أن تصلي و تسلم عليه تسبيحا 10 مرات مع الأذكار اليومية بعد كل صلاة المغرب و الصبح
-و100 مرة او أكثر في النهار بالمزيد يوم الجمعة و أيام الأعياد ( الفطر و الأضحى ).
-أن تصلي و تسلم عليه عندما يذكر, و في جميع الجلسات الدينية.
– أن تحفظ و تفهم أحاديثه الصحيحة فيما استطعت.
-أن تزور مقامه في الحج والعمرة, و عند قبره أن تسلم عليه تقول .
– أن تنهى عن المنكر و تأمر بالمعروف, و تبلغ سنته. كما قال (عليه الصلاة والسلام ) : بلغو عني ولو أية. – استعانة بالتوحيد, و تتصل مع الله السميع العليم مباشر, ولا تبجاه النبي لتجعله مع الله ندا “كما قلها” (عليه الصلاة و السلام).
و قال الله تعالى لرسوله قل لهم في سورة الجن آية 21: قل إني لا أملك لكم ضرا ولا رشدا. وسيلة الرسول لأمته في الدنيا ( عليه الصلاة والسلام ) :
واسطته أن تصلي و تسلم عليه, كما أمرنا الله سبحانه تعالى في كتابه العزيز: إن الله وملائكته يصلون عل النبي يا أيها الذين أمونوا صلوا عليه وسلموا تسليما, و كذلك مع الدعاء, لا تفتح أبواب السماء السبع للدعاء حتى تصلي و تسلم عليه, كما ورث في بعض الأحاديث الصحيحة بمعنى واجعلوا في أول أو أخر الدعاء بالصلاة والسلام عليه “الإبراهيمية”.
شفاعة الرسول لأمته يوم القيامة ( عليه الصلاة والسلام ):
أن تذكر الدعاء حنا بعد كل أدان: اللهم رب هذه الدعوة التامة والصلاة
القائمة آت محمدا الوسيلة والفضيلة وابعثه مقاما محمودا الذي وعدته.
وأهم شيء أن لا تشركه مع الله الحي القيوم, كما سؤله أبو هريرة رضي الله عنه من هم الناس الدين ينالون شفاعتك يوم القيامة فأجابه رسول الله (عليه الصلاة والسلام ) : … من قال لا اله إلا الله خالصا من قلبه, و أيضا قال “….. من مات من أمتي ولم يشرك بلله شيئا.
و قال الله تعالى في سورة الزمر الاية 44 : قل لله الشفعة جميعا …… الزهد في عبادة الله فقط :
أن يكون بقيام الليل و الصيام تطاوعا وقرأه القرآن الأذكار و التسبيح بأنواعه و الأعمال الصالحة و طلب العلم.
و قال رسول الله: من يريد الله فيه خير يفقه في الدين. و قال أيضا : سيأتي زمان على أمتي القابض فيه على دينه (على سنته النبوية ) كالقابض على جمرة.
و قال الله تعالى في سورة الرعد الآية 28 : الذين أمنوا وتطمئن قلوبهم بذكر الله ألا بذكر الله تطمئن القلوب.
الابتهال لله فقط :
التكبير و التحميد أيضا التشكر كله لله وحده. قال النبي (عليه الصلاة والسلام ) : … أيها الناس قولوا بقولكم ولا يستجرينكم الشيطان أنا رسول الله، فقولوا رسول الله ما أحب أن ترفعوني فوق منزلتي التي أنزلني الله عز وجل.
و قال الله تعالى في سورة النساء الآية 36: واعبدوا الله ولا تشركوا به شيئا…
الحلف بالله فقط :
الحلف بغير الله فهو محرم، بل نوع من الشرك؛ لقول النبي (صلى الله عليه وسلم) : من حلف بغير الله فقد كفر أو أشرك، وأيضا : لا تحلفوا بآبائكم، من كان حالفا فليحلف بالله أو ليصمت. و قال الله عز و جل في سورة البقرة الآية 22 :… فلا تجعلوا لله أندادا…
الخلافات عن السنة :
وعن ابنِ مسعود رضِي اللّه عنه عن النبِي صلّى اللَّه علَيه وسلَم قال: لا تَختلفوا فإن من كان قَبلكم اختلَفوا فَهلَكوا.
أيضا : والذي نفسي بيده لتفترقن أمتي على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة، فواحدة في الجنة
واثنتان وسبعون في النار قيل: يا رسول الله، من هم ؟ قال : هم الجماعة ( أهل السنة السلف الصالح ) أو: وما أنا عليه و أصحابي.
و في بسورة الروم الآية 32: من الدين فرقوا دينهم و كانوا شيعا كل حزب بما لديهم فريحون .
البدع الشركية :
أما مساواة النبي بالله و طلب الدعاء منه والذكر عليه أيضا الحلف به و تقديس القبر. والاحتفالات الإنشاد المديح عليه بالغناء, هذه كلها من عدات و تقاليد المشركين (الكفار), الذين يحبون اللهو والتجارة والشرك بالله . و ليس من شعائر الإسلام , ما فعلوه الصحابة ( رضي الله عنهم ) بعد وفته هذا التصوف الغلو الجاهل و التشويش في المساجد )عبادة نبوية ,(أيضا ليس من التمسك بسنته بل هذا استهزاء و سخرية كما يعتبرون أنفسهم سنيين و لكن فالوقع هم من أهل الشرك تماما مخفيين تحت غطا المذاهب, لأن السنة مؤسسة على التوحيد. و قال (عليه الصلاة والسلام) : لا تطروني كما أطرت النصارى عيسى ابن مريم فإني عبد الله و رسوله. أيضا قال : من عمل عملا ليس عليه آمرنا فهو رد. و قال الله سبحانه تعالى في كتابه العزيز في سورة الأنعام الآية 70: ودر الدين اتخذوا دينهم لعبا و لهوا… و في سورة يوسف الآية 106 : وما يؤمن أكثرهم بالله إلا وهم مشركون. و لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم و لا اله إلا الله, و اللهم صلي و سلم على سيدنا و نبينا محمد الحبيب المصطفى وعلى اله و صحبه و من تبعهم بإحسان إلى يوم الدين
Mr Nacir Guettech