ALGERIA: Algeria's feisty press defies censorship and rejecting state control by becoming independent businesses

Record ID: 573811

  • Title: ALGERIA: Algeria's feisty press defies censorship and rejecting state control by becoming independent businesses
  • Date: 30th September 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ABDENOUR, 44 YEAR-OLDS, NEWSPAPER SELLER, SAYING: "The newspapers that sell the best are 'El-Khabar', 'El-Watan', 'Liberte', 'Echourouk' and 'Le Soir d'Algerie'. Those papers sell well because they are independent and that shows in their reporting and it's known for its credibility." MAN READING A NEWSPAPER VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF EL-KHABAR NEWSPAPER HEADQUARTERS VARIOUS OF RECEPTION ROOM OF THE EL-KHABAR NEWSPAPER VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ZAHREDINE SMATI THE CHAIRMAN OF EL KHABAR'S BOARD "We have reached a daily circulation of 500,000 and more, firstly thanks to our independence that was the first advantage for 'El-Khabar', secondly for the objectivity in dealing with the topics, and thirdly because of the big investments in printing and distribution, because you can't print 500,000 copies with the traditional methods. The issue of credibility has a very significant impact which makes the readers faithful to our newspaper." VARIOUS OF JOURNALIST WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ZAHREDINE SMATI THE CHAIRMAN OF EL KHABAR'S BOARD : "We also wanted independence of printing, because printing in Algeria is knows for it reliance on public institutions, all the newspapers can't be printed unless they go to the public printing houses which put a lot of pressure on the head-lines of every newspaper. That's why the owners of 'El-Khabar' and 'El-Watan' and 'Le Soir d'Algerie' came to the conclusion that the capital (shares) must be owned by the journalists only." JOURNALIST WORKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ZAHREDINE SMATI THE CHAIRMAN OF EL KHABAR'S BOARD "Since 1998, we refused ads coming from the public sector, we just rely on ads coming from the private sectors, and this way we exclude ourselves from the pressure. It's known in Algeria that the public sector is dominated by the ANEP (national advertising agency) and is subservient to the authorities. And in getting away from these public institutions - even if it costs us dearly, a loss that we are still paying today - we prefer to work with the private sector and lose money but we win our independence." JOURNALISTS IN NEWSROOM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ZAHREDINE SMATI THE CHAIRMAN OF EL KHABAR'S BOARD "'El-Khabar' will continues as it is however much it costs - with printing or distribution - we will continue in this way because we are protected and thanks to that we can keep our journalistic style just as it should be." VARIOUS OF PRINTING
  • Embargoed: 15th October 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: Communications,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7Q6VT5E9IZWMYX9UPETMN6J7M
  • Story Text: Media in most of the Arab world is muzzled by official censorship, outright intimidation or subtle pressure, but Algeria's leading newspapers stand out for the role they have taken on as feisty and outspoken champions of free speech.
    Algerian newspapers are unusual for another reason too: the biggest titles have established themselves as thriving businesses with huge circulations and healthy advertising revenue -- all the time while rejecting state control.
    Algeria's biggest newspaper, Echorouk, says it sells 800,000 copies a day and its nearest rival, El Khabar, says it has a daily circulation of 500,000.
    "We have reached a daily circulation of 500,000 and more, firstly thanks to our independence that was the first advantage for 'El-Khabar', secondly for the objectivity in dealing with the topics, and thirdly because of the big investments in printing and distribution, because you can't print 500,000 copies with the traditional methods," says the chairman of El Khabar's board, Zahredine Smati. "The issue of credibility has a very significant impact which makes the readers faithful to our newspaper."
    For comparison, in neighbouring Morocco with a population about the same size as Algeria, the biggest newspaper has a daily circulation of 100,000.
    El Khabar has 250 staff and 90 freelancers, an annual turnover of 1.6 billion Algerian dinars ($21.3 million), and plush offices in a chic neighbourhood of the capital, Algiers.
    "We also wanted independence of printing, because printing in Algeria is knows for it reliance on public institutions," Smati continues. "All the newspapers can't be printed unless they go to the public printing houses which put a lot of pressure on the head-lines of every newspaper. That's why the owners of 'El-Khabar' and 'El-Watan' and 'Le Soir d'Algerie' came to the conclusion that the capital (shares) must be owned by the journalists only."
    Algerian newspapers' robust business model gives them a freedom to criticise their own rulers which daily titles elsewhere in the region, many of them either financially insecure or dependent on state support, do not enjoy.
    The relative freedom of Algeria's press dates back to 1990, when President Chadli Bendjedid, under pressure from low oil prices and popular unrest, lifted restrictions on free enterprise, multi-party elections and the private media.
    Since then Algeria has been convulsed by a conflict between security forces and Islamist rebels that killed an estimated 200,000 people, and some of the liberalising policies have been reversed. But newspapers have largely preserved their gains.
    It has not been easy. More than 100 journalists were killed by militants at the height of the violence. Journalists are occasionally prosecuted for defaming officials. One opposition newspaper closed down after its owner was jailed for financial irregularities.
    Still, newspapers in Algeria, an energy exporting former French colony of 35 million people, can be bolder than most publications in the Arab world.
    In July the French-language El Watan newspaper reported that the son of a minister was under criminal investigation. The minister demanded an immediate retraction. The paper's response was to repeat the allegation in the next day's edition.
    The chairman of El Khabar's board, Zahredine Smati, said making the newspaper economically viable gave it the independence to criticise the authorities.
    "Since 1998, we refused ads coming from the public sector, we just rely on ads coming from the private sectors, and this way we exclude ourselves from the pressure. It's known in Algeria that the public sector is dominated by the ANEP (national advertising agency) and is subservient to the authorities. And in getting away from these public institutions - even if it costs us dearly, a loss that we are still paying today - we prefer to work with the private sector and lose money but we win our independence."
    And he added that the newspaper will continues on its way:
    "El-Khabar' will continues as it is however much it costs - with printing or distribution - we will continue in this way because we are protected and thanks to that we can keep our journalistic style just as it should be."
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