Journalism and the media: the cartoon controversy: Why were they published?
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Transcript of Journalism and the media: the cartoon controversy: Why were they published?
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Journalism and the media:the cartoon controversy
Research Team E
Mark BoukesLiza de LeeuwFemke de KoningJan PetersYasemin Smit
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Content
1. The Danish ‘Mohammed Cartoon’ crisis
2. Classification in Hallin & Mancini’s media system
3. Power relations between media and politics
4. Discussion
Danish newspaper published cartoons depicting Islamic Prophet Mohammed
Motivation for publishing: Flemming Rose
Public Protests
Reprinted in newspapers in fifty other countries
Protests across the Muslim World
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Danish cartoon crisis
Al Qaeda’s glossy’s Death list
Danish cartoon crisis
Supporters of the Cartoons
“This publication is a legitimate exercise of
the right of free speech”
South Park is ‘showing’ Mohammed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG0quz3Gu8g
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Danish cartoon crisis
North / Central European or Democratic Corporatist Model (1) - Political
Political history: Tensions with the Muslim minority since 9/11
Predominantly consensus Government: Monarch
Organized pluralism
Role of state: strong welfare state
Important development: shift from social democratic to more
liberal reasons for this development: economic crisis &
unemployment
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Hallin & Mancini
North / Central European or Democratic Corporatist Model (2) - Media system
Newspaper industry:o two big newspaper concerns (Politiken / Berlinske)o both informational / conservative and right-orientated/sensational newspaperso informational / conservative have a lower circulationo Jyllands-Posten’s circulation is increasingo social-democratic newspaper’s circulation is decreasing
Political parallelism
Professionalization
Role of state in media system: o strong protection of press-freedom in Denmarko strong public broadcasting o high press-subsidies
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Hallin & Mancini
Official response from PM Rasmussen Denmarkto ambassadors Islamic countries
The freedom of expression has a wide scope and the Danish
government has no means of influencing the press
Danish legislation does not allow acts or expressions of
blasphemous or discriminatory nature: the offended party may
bring such acts or expressions to court, and it is for the courts to
decide in individual cases.
Rasmussen replied: "Even a non-judicial intervention against
Jyllands-Posten would be impossible within our system“.
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Politics and media
Prosecutor found no basis for concluding that the cartoons constituted a criminal offence
The article concerns a subject of public interest
Danish case law which extends editorial freedom to journalists
when it comes to a subject of public interest
Stated was that the right to freedom of speech must be exercised
with the necessary respect for other human rights (protection
against discrimination, insult and degradation) but no apparent
violation of the law had occurred.
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Politics and media
International publications
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Politics and media
International publications and protests in the Muslim world
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Politics and media
Western Governmentsin defence of publication the cartoons
Belgium: a resolution of parliament to defend the freedom of speech and
to support Denmark.
Czech: necessary for them to publish the pictures so that the readers get
the full information and expressed solidarity with Denmark.
France (NS): “prefer an excess of caricature to an excess of censorship”
Sweden, Netherlands, US: Support the freedom of speech. But stresses
that with this comes a certain responsibility.
EU: underscore the sanctity of freedom of speech while also apologizing
for unintended insulting behaviour, but condemn violent reactions
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Politics and media
Western Governments that were reluctant in publishing the cartoons
Great-Britain: praises British newspapers for their "considerable
responsibility and sensitivity" in not printing the cartoons
Poland / Ireland: considers the cartoons to be an unnecessary
provocation
New Zealand: publication of the cartoons was condemned, though
decisions to print were up to newspaper editors
South Africa: prevent newspapers from publishing the cartoons
Finland: illegal to ‘disturb religious peace’ cartoons published on
web sites, not in mainstream media
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Politics and media
Non-Western Governments:reactions against the publication of the cartoons
Algeria, Jordania, Malaysia, Yemen: Newspapers that published the
cartoons were closed and editors arrested
Turkey: Caricatures of prophet Muhammad are an attack against spiritual
values. There should be a limit of freedom of press
Iran:
ordered contracts to be cancelled with all countries where media have published the
cartoons. Followed by other Arabian countries. Result: potential loss of 11,000 jobs in
Denmark.
as a reaction organized a holocaust cartoon competition. Jyllands-Posten agreed to print,
but backed down after seeing the results.
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Politics and media
Media’s reactions
Der Tagesspiegel: “In a democratic and secular society, showing decency and respect for other cultures does not mean adopting their religious dogmas”.
La Republica: ‘The media must be free in the name of freedom to publish all news, also that which is inconvenient to the power holder”.
Douai (2007):
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Politics and media
Double standards?
Adopting laws that outlaw Holocaust denial
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The AEL was fined by a Dutch Court for placing this cartoon.
Politics and media
Self censorship
Perhaps there is no official censorship, however threatening from outside the government can lead to self censorship. Der Tagesspiegel (February 1 2006): “When a society allows itself to be guided
only by the ‘feelings’ of a group of people, then it is no longer free”. (….) Yale University Press: “The press has a long history of defending free
expression, but the risk of violence in this case, outweighed the benefit of including the images, which can easily be found on the Internet”
Interview Kurt Westergaard (1.40-3.07): http://vimeo.com/12688861
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Politics and media
Discussion
Should cartoonists and journalist be protected by their own governments?
If so, how can it best be done?
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Discussion