Only some revolutions will be televised

Another ‘million person march’ happened in an Arab state earlier this week.  Headline news, you might think. At least on Al Jazeera?  Whilst the media continue to focus exclusively on events in Libya, the huge march in the south of Yemen was ignored.

The Qatari-based news channel has played an intriguing role throughout the recent wave of revolutions across northern Africa and western Asia.  By “choosing” one uprising at a time to focus on, it has led the gaze of the public, begging the question, would a revolution on the Egyptian model have ever succeeded without the media attention Al Jazeera provides?

On the other side of the coin, these new media sources, and the Internet in particular, have allowed us to follow these uprisings in a way that would never have been possible in the past.  The BBC no longer can no longer monopolise our opinions; the corporate media no longer have complete control over which information we do and do not recieve.  By viewing Twitter feeds which are updated on a minute-by-minute basis, we are seeing events as they happen, not as they are reported.

Ali Saleh, the President of Yemen, has responded to continued demonstrations by offering a new constitution within a year.  Like his proposal to step down in 2013, Saleh seems to still not appreciate the fact that when you have been in power for 32 years, you do not get the privilege of choosing how many more years you can remain in power.  His offers to pass rule from the hands of the President, i.e. himself, into the hands of parliament, and to decentralise power, may seem well-meaning in principle, but they are too little, too late.

What will be most interesting is how events develop from here.  It clear that Western governments have begun to appreciate the ferocity and speed of the domino effect Tunisia initiated, with the French government attempting to cover up its long-time support of Ben Ali by recognising the opposition in Benghazi, the US government asking it’s human-rights-loving Saudi allies to arm the Libyan opposition, and David Cameron travelling to Cairo accompanied by BAE Systems representatives, desperately looking for another puppet leader to sell weapons to.  The co-opting process is in full-swing.

Saleh’s speeches whilst his people are up in arms serve a similar purpose.  They are an attempt to divide the opposition, and to weaken the revolution.  A million people in the streets of Yemen suggests the plan is failing.

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• http://www.facebook.com/people/Steve-Pallister/1389811844 Steve Pallister

  Excellent article but the same questions can be asked of ther Western media. Also what’s with the lies about atrocities supposedly committed by Gadhafi? The Russians said no fighter planes used against civilians seen in their thorough satellite coverage of Libya.

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VGQPF4SAS4BGFLDBZYCATHIVFY Chris Herz

  All states are a collective myth and thus must control their domestic media: Including especially Britain with her Official Secrets Act. My own USA is among the worst. If we are to continue to tolerate the sorts of governments we have , of political parties who seem to consider themselves responsible only to big money soon we must accept a controlled Internet.
  Meanwhile let’s enjoy a multiplicity of sources. Thanks Independent, this isn’t the first time you wipe the floor with the New York Times.

• murdochlies

  Absolutely, we can only hope.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Ledia-Bella/520656990 Ledia Bella

  There is a revolution in albanian where they are killing protesters but not one word will you hear from the media

• latinwithsol

  not forgetting Russia of course. 2 sleeping bears believe me. Its all just getting a little bit scary dont you think?

• http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KF23D7IXRVJ5L3NOFMXUIOW7CI Moz

  No, it’s because the US has used its veto powers in the SC more frequently than most, especially when it’s business links are in jeopardy – and it’s especially the case with Israel.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Suze-Parker/676327498 Suze Parker

  and a lot more in government x