News Group International Sees Social Media Driving Struggle for Arab Ideas and Identity
WASHINGTON, April 6, 2011
The Arab Media Influence Report (AMIR), (a study commissioned by News Group International) showed that although the Arabs across the region are calling for credibility, freedom and justice through the recent revolutionary movements, they still showed a desire that their current governments take the lead in providing the required changes and improving the national economy, demonstrating a neo-socialist trend. The report is based on an analysis of data from over 10 million online conversations a day, was presented at "Arab Social Media & Predictive Analytics," an event held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Mazen Nahawi, President of News Group explained that many governments in the region have responded to the calls with employment in state institutions and increased public spending, giving examples from Saudi Arabia which created jobs to employ 50,000 people in the security sector and unveiled free public housing projects worth $93 billion, Oman, Jordan Syria and Algeria have made similar pledges.
A noticeable political trend in social media conversations has been the relatively wide support for the Islamic rule of the Muslim Brotherhood, and to a lesser extent, the Salafi movement. For example analysis of social media sites show 85% of Egyptians and similarly high percentages of people across the Arab World, approved the participation of the Muslim Brotherhood in politics, this does not translate to direct open support for the Brotherhood that is between just 8%-21%.
Last year's report from AMIR did point out to the important role played by the social media in creating a new consciousness in the region that was gradually leading to several major changes in the way Arabs would perceive themselves and others.” It was a logical conclusion that such a free environment would lead to demands for major political change”, said Nahawi.
AMIR report found out that Arabic became the fastest growing language on Facebook with 17 million Arab users. 65 million Arabs are using the internet now and the number is expected to reach 80 million by 2012. Political chatter resulted in 35% of social media conversations in 2010 with an increase to 88% in 2011. The revolutions are widely viewed as means to end decades of unjustified splits and disagreements among Arabs. Public approval of the US slipped to 27% in 2011 and negative sentiments grew to 63% from 35% in 2010.
The presentation of the AMIR preview was followed by a panel discussion featuring noted experts and analysts of social and traditional media in the Arab world, including:
Mazen Nahawi President, News Group International, Sheldon Himelfarb Associate Vice President of the Center of Innovation for Media, Conflict, & Peace building, United States Institute of Peace, Paul Swider Special Projects Editor, Office of eDiplomacy, United States Department of State, Adel Iskandar Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University, Camille Elhassani Senior White House Producer, Al-Jazeera English.
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