Arab Advisors Group is a
specialized research, analysis and consulting company focused on the
communications, media and technology markets throughout the Arab World (MENA)
region. Arab Advisors Group scope of services include providing primary
research based analysis, market sizing forecasting, the competitive landscape,
the regulatory landscape, market research, technology developments, market
opportunity and risk assessments.
1.
Credibility of Satellite News Channels in Greater
An analytical survey by Arab Advisors Group explores
the perceived trustworthiness in Greater
This analysis is based on data from a major comprehensive survey conducted by Arab Advisors Group between November 2004 and January 2005. The survey probes the media usage patterns and habits of the population of Greater Cairo and indicates that approximately 66% of satellite TV viewers watch news programs (topped only by religious programs at 78%). Exploring the credibility of nine of the major Arabic and non-Arabic satellite news channels: Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Al Hurra, Al Ekhbariya, Al Mustakila, Nile News, NBN, CNN, and BBC World, the survey presents its results with reference to relevant demographic characteristics including the gender and education of respondents.
The survey is based on
face-to-face interviews with 562 people from separate households selected at
random from different areas within the Arab
world's largest city, in a manner proportionate to the population sizes of the
areas. The neighbourhoods covered comprise 3
high-income areas: Masr El Gideedah,
El Mohandiseen, and El Maadi;
3 upper middle-income areas: Madinat Nasr, El Muqtam, and 6th of
The scientific survey has a confidence level of 99% with a
less than 5.5% margin of error. The complete results, including detailed
statistical analysis and relevant cross tabulations, are available in the Arab
Advisors Group report “
The survey reveals that Al
Jazeera is the most watched news channel (either Arabic or non-Arabic) in
Cairo by far; of the 259 respondents who had a satellite dish antenna at the
time of the survey, a full 229 (i.e. 88%) reported watching Al Jazeera. Al
Arabiya ranks second, with a viewership
of 35%, and Nile News ranks a
distant third with a viewership
of 9% according to the survey.
Approximately 7% of the respondents with a dish reported watching CNN,
while 5% reported watching Al Hurra and 3% reported watching BBC World.
Launched by the MBC network
in 2003, Al Arabiya news channel features a range of programs including
up-to-date coverage of political and social issues targeting Arab audiences. Of
the 224 respondents who expressed an opinion on the subject
of the Arabic-language channel’s trustworthiness, over 75%
found it to be credible (either very trustworthy or trustworthy), with almost
one-third of the total labelling it very trustworthy and 43% labelling it
trustworthy. Approximately 22% of the respondents classed Al Arabiya as somewhat trustworthy, while less than 3%
considered it untrustworthy.
Exhibit 1: Al Arabiya Trustworthiness amongst
Respondents who had an Opinion
|
Al
Arabiya Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
73 |
32.6% |
|
Trustworthy |
96 |
42.9% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
49 |
21.9% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
6 |
2.7% |
|
Total
|
224 |
100% |
When divided by gender, the responses indicate similar
results to the above, with a greater percentage of females compared to males
regarding the channel as very trustworthy.
Exhibit 2: Al Arabiya Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
28 |
45 |
|
% |
25.7% |
39.1% |
|
Trustworthy |
49 |
47 |
|
% |
45.0% |
40.9% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
28 |
21 |
|
% |
25.7% |
18.3% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
4 |
2 |
|
% |
3.7% |
1.7% |
|
Total |
109 |
115 |
Divided by level of education, the results are also consistent with the aggregate ones. It is worth noting that respondents at higher levels of education were more reluctant to label Al Arabiya as very trustworthy; more opted to label it trustworthy. None of the respondents were below the high school level.
Exhibit
3: Education vs. Al Arabiya Trustworthiness
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
8 |
8 |
7 |
0 |
23 |
|
% |
34.8% |
34.8% |
30.4% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
59 |
79 |
37 |
6 |
181 |
|
% |
32.6% |
43.6% |
20.4% |
3.3% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
5 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
17 |
|
% |
29.4% |
47.1% |
23.5% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
Al Jazeera is by far the most watched news channel amongst the
Egyptian audience. Almost nine years after its inception, the channel still
maintains its reputation as an Arabic station that is free of censorship and government control,
featuring liberated political debates and live interaction with its audiences.
Of the 244
respondents who expressed an opinion on Al Jazeera’s trustworthiness, over 85% perceived the channel as credible, with the
majority of the total respondents characterizing it as very trustworthy. A mere
3% deemed the channel untrustworthy. Compared to Al Arabiya (and all the other
satellite news channels explored in this report), Al Jazeera enjoys a higher
level of credibility in
Exhibit 4: Al Jazeera Trustworthiness amongst
Respondents who had an Opinion
|
Al
Jazeera Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
142 |
58.2% |
|
Trustworthy |
67 |
27.5% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
28 |
11.5% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
7 |
2.9% |
|
Total
|
244 |
100% |
Variations in opinion by gender were minimal.
Exhibit 5: Al Jazeera Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
66 |
76 |
|
% |
55.5% |
60.8% |
|
Trustworthy |
34 |
33 |
|
% |
28.6% |
26.4% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
15 |
13 |
|
% |
12.6% |
10.4% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
4 |
3 |
|
% |
3.4% |
2.4% |
|
Total |
119 |
125 |
As in the case of Al Arabiya, the higher the level of
education of the respondents, the lower the percentage that rated Al Jazeera as
very trustworthy.
In this case, however, more postgraduate-level respondents rated the channel as
somewhat trustworthy as opposed to trustworthy.
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
19 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
26 |
|
% |
73.1% |
23.1% |
0.0% |
3.8% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
110 |
57 |
22 |
6 |
195 |
|
% |
56.4% |
29.2% |
11.3% |
3.1% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
11 |
3 |
6 |
0 |
20 |
|
% |
55.0% |
15.0% |
30.0% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
United States-backed Al Hurra
began broadcasting
in February 2004 with the aim
of providing an alternative to the two major pan-Arab news stations Al Arabia and Al Jazeera.
However, of the 171
respondents who expressed an opinion on the subject of the new Arabic
channel’s trustworthiness, only 15 (i.e. less than 9%) considered the channel
very trustworthy, and 46 (i.e. 27%) considered it trustworthy.
Exhibit 7: Al Hurra
Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion
|
Al
Hurra Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
15 |
8.8% |
|
Trustworthy |
46 |
26.9% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
60 |
35.1% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
50 |
29.2% |
|
Total
|
171 |
100% |
More females than males
regarded Al Hurra as credible. Again, respondents at
lower levels of education were less reluctant to class the news channel as very
trustworthy. High school-level respondents found Al Hurra
least untrustworthy.
Exhibit 8: Al Hurra
Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
5 |
10 |
|
% |
5.8% |
11.8% |
|
Trustworthy |
17 |
29 |
|
% |
19.8% |
34.1% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
37 |
23 |
|
% |
43.0% |
27.1% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
27 |
23 |
|
% |
31.4% |
27.1% |
|
Total |
86 |
85 |
Exhibit 9: Education
vs. Al Hurra Trustworthiness
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
4 |
6 |
6 |
3 |
19 |
|
% |
21.1% |
31.6% |
31.6% |
15.8% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
10 |
35 |
48 |
42 |
135 |
|
% |
7.4% |
25.9% |
35.6% |
31.1% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
1 |
4 |
6 |
4 |
15 |
|
% |
6.7% |
26.7% |
40.0% |
26.7% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
Of the 152 respondents
with an opinion regarding the trustworthiness of Al Ekhbariya
news channel - the new addition to Saudi TV - almost half rated the Arabic
channel as credible, with 10% regarding it as very trustworthy. Variations in
response by gender are evident in the somewhat trustworthy and not trustworthy
categories. It is also interesting to note that one-third of postgraduate-level
respondents perceived the channel as very trustworthy.
Exhibit 10:
Al Ekhbariya
Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion
|
Al
Ekhbariya Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
15 |
9.9% |
|
Trustworthy |
56 |
36.8% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
62 |
40.8% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
19 |
12.5% |
|
Total
|
152 |
100% |
Exhibit 11: Al Ekhbariya
Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
8 |
7 |
|
% |
9.5% |
10.3% |
|
Trustworthy |
30 |
26 |
|
% |
35.7% |
38.2% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
38 |
24 |
|
% |
45.2% |
35.3% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
8 |
11 |
|
% |
9.5% |
16.2% |
|
Total |
84 |
68 |
Exhibit 12: Education vs. Al Ekhbariya
Trustworthiness
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
3 |
8 |
8 |
1 |
20 |
|
% |
15.0% |
40.0% |
40.0% |
5.0% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
7 |
45 |
49 |
16 |
117 |
|
% |
6.0% |
38.5% |
41.9% |
13.7% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
4 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
12 |
|
% |
33.3% |
25.0% |
33.3% |
8.3% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
The
results for London-based Arabic-language Al Mustakila are more or less consistent across genders and
levels of education, with more high school-level respondents stating that the
channel is very trustworthy.
Exhibit 13:
Al Mustakila
Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion
|
Al
Mustakila Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
8 |
7.0% |
|
Trustworthy |
28 |
24.6% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
55 |
48.2% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
23 |
20.2% |
|
Total
|
114 |
100% |
Exhibit 14: Al Mustakila Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
3 |
5 |
|
% |
5.1% |
9.1% |
|
Trustworthy |
16 |
12 |
|
% |
27.1% |
21.8% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
27 |
28 |
|
% |
45.8% |
50.9% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
13 |
10 |
|
% |
22.0% |
18.2% |
|
Total |
59 |
55 |
Exhibit 15:
Education vs. Al Mustakila Trustworthiness
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
3 |
4 |
9 |
0 |
16 |
|
% |
18.8% |
25.0% |
56.3% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
3 |
21 |
40 |
20 |
84 |
|
% |
3.6% |
25.0% |
47.6% |
23.8% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
1 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
11 |
|
% |
9.1% |
27.3% |
45.5% |
18.2% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Egyptian Radio and
Television Union’s Nile News was rated as credible by over 60% of the
211 respondents who had an opinion on the subject. It is interesting to note
that the largest percentage of postgraduate-level respondents classed the
Arabic-language channel as very trustworthy.
Exhibit 16:
|
|
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
47 |
22.3% |
|
Trustworthy |
87 |
41.2% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
66 |
31.3% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
11 |
5.2% |
|
Total
With Sat TV |
211 |
100.0% |
Exhibit 17:
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
24 |
23 |
|
% |
23.1% |
21.5% |
|
Trustworthy |
40 |
47 |
|
% |
38.5% |
43.9% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
34 |
32 |
|
% |
32.7% |
29.9% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
6 |
5 |
|
% |
5.8% |
4.7% |
|
Total |
104 |
107 |
Exhibit 18:
Education vs.
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
9 |
8 |
9 |
0 |
26 |
|
% |
34.6% |
30.8% |
34.6% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
31 |
72 |
53 |
10 |
166 |
|
% |
18.7% |
43.4% |
31.9% |
6.0% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
7 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
17 |
|
% |
41.2% |
35.3% |
23.5% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
The privately owned
Lebanese National Broadcasting Network (NBN), established in 1996,
became a specialized news channel in 1999 and began broadcasting via satellite
in 2000. Over half of the 129 respondents with an opinion on NBN’s trustworthiness regarded it as credible.
Exhibit 19:
NBN Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion
|
NBN
Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
16 |
12.4% |
|
Trustworthy |
50 |
38.8% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
50 |
38.8% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
13 |
10.1% |
|
Total
|
129 |
100% |
A larger percentage of
males considered the channel trustworthy, whereas more of the females
considered it somewhat trustworthy.
Exhibit 20: NBN
Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
9 |
7 |
|
% |
13.0% |
11.7% |
|
Trustworthy |
29 |
21 |
|
% |
42.0% |
35.0% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
24 |
26 |
|
% |
34.8% |
43.3% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
7 |
6 |
|
% |
10.1% |
10.0% |
|
Total |
69 |
60 |
A greater proportion of
postgraduate-level respondents deemed the channel very trustworthy.
Exhibit 21:
Education vs. NBN Trustworthiness
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
3 |
7 |
8 |
0 |
18 |
|
% |
16.7% |
38.9% |
44.4% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
10 |
36 |
36 |
13 |
95 |
|
% |
10.5% |
37.9% |
37.9% |
13.7% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
3 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
14 |
|
% |
21.4% |
42.9% |
35.7% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
CNN’s long standing in
broadcasting news to the region dates back to the 1990 Gulf War. At the time, the channel
gained popularity amongst audiences in the
Arab world due to its extensive coverage of the events.
Of the 165 respondents
who expressed an opinion on CNN’s trustworthiness, almost 67% stated that it is
credible, with 37% stating that it is very trustworthy. Approximately 7% deemed
the U.S.-based English-language channel untrustworthy. Substantial variations
exist between the responses of males and females in the very trustworthy and
trustworthy categories. The majority of high school-level respondents stated
that CNN is very trustworthy.
Exhibit 22:
CNN Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion
|
CNN
Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
61 |
37.0% |
|
Trustworthy |
49 |
29.7% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
44 |
26.7% |
|
Not
Trustworthy |
11 |
6.7% |
|
Total
With Sat TV |
165 |
100% |
Exhibit 23: CNN
Trustworthiness vs. Gender
|
|
Male |
Female |
|
Very Trustworthy |
24 |
37 |
|
% |
27.0% |
48.7% |
|
Trustworthy |
33 |
16 |
|
% |
37.1% |
21.1% |
|
Somewhat Trustworthy |
26 |
18 |
|
% |
29.2% |
23.7% |
|
Not Trustworthy |
6 |
5 |
|
% |
6.7% |
6.6% |
|
Total |
89 |
76 |
Exhibit 24:
Education vs. CNN Trustworthiness
|
|
Very
Trustworthy |
Trustworthy |
Somewhat
Trustworthy |
Not
Trustworthy |
Total |
|
High School |
10 |
5 |
3 |
1 |
19 |
|
% |
52.6% |
26.3% |
15.8% |
5.3% |
100.0% |
|
University or Diploma |
45 |
36 |
36 |
10 |
127 |
|
% |
35.4% |
28.3% |
28.3% |
7.9% |
100.0% |
|
Post Graduate (Masters or PhDs) |
6 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
17 |
|
% |
35.3% |
35.3% |
29.4% |
0.0% |
100.0% |
|
Not Answered |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Originally
set up in 1991, the British
Broadcasting Corporation’s English-language 24-hour news channel BBC World has a similar credibility rating in
Exhibit 25:
BBC World Trustworthiness amongst Respondents who had an Opinion
|
BBC
World Trustworthiness |
# of Respondents |
% |
|
Very
Trustworthy |
59 |
36.2% |
|
Trustworthy |
55 |
33.7% |
|
Somewhat
Trustworthy |