Ever since the events of 9/11, great attention has been paid to Arab mass media by politicians, experts and journalists around the world. Many have argued that Arab media has been the catalyst for various political and social developments ranging from democracy to political radicalization and from Westernization to Arab and Muslim cultural renaissance. Much of the debate, however, has been too narrowly focused - particularly on the famous TV network Al-Jazeera. This leaves the majority of the dynamic Arab media unnoticed. Moreover, the existing scholarly literature on the subject often lacks theoretical and empirical sophistication, and it is these gaps that this book will address.The editor of "Arab Media: Power and Weakness" has invited the best scholars on the subject, from around the world, to participate, with the aim of evaluating, revising, and stimulating the academic debate on Arab media."Arab Media: Power and Weakness" is comprised of research synopses (comprehensive overviews over the current academic literature and "blind spots" of research in one of the above mentioned fields); original empirical research; and theoretical papers.The result is a comprehensive handbook of up-to-date research and scholarship on this important and fast-changing subject, which will be of use to all students and researchers of the contemporary Arab world.

Table of Contents:
Kai Hafez; Introduction; Media Content; Muhammad Ayish, Professor and Dean, University of Sharjah UAE; Media Content Analysis in the Arab World: A Survey of Current Realities; Katharina Notzold, PhD-candidate University of Erfurt, Germany; Lebanese TV: A Quantitative Content Study; Plus two other existing journal articles; Media Effects; Marc Lynch, Assistant Professor, Williams College; The Political Effects of the Arab Media; Russell E. Lucas, Assistant Professor University of Oklahoma; Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Making in the Arab World; Carola Richter, PhD-candidate University of Erfurt, Germany; Effects of Islamist Media on the Mainstream Press and on Political; Opinion in Egypt; Media Audiences; Hussein Amin, Professor, American University in Cairo; Arab Media Audiences: An Overview of Existing Research; Dina Mattar, Lecturer, School of Oriental and African Studies, London; News, Identity, Participation: A Study of the Uses of News by Palestinians and Iraqis in London; Marwan Kraidy, Assistant Professor, American University, Washington D.C.; Desperately Seeking the Arab Audience: Theoretical Perspectives; Albrecht Hofheinz, Associate Professor, University of Oslo, Norway; Internet Users in the Arab World; Media Cultures; Christa Salamandra, Assistant Professor, City University of New York; Dramatic Secularism: Syrian Television Producers and Discourses of Distinction; Tarik Sabry, Lecturer, University of Westminster, UK; Arab Media and Culture Studies: A Critical Overview; Jon Ander.