Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research - Online First

This study examines the framing strategies utilized by two English-language newspapers – Arab News and Tehran Times – in their reporting of the Saudi-Iranian relationship before and after the diplomatic reconciliation in 2023. The research employs qualitative textual analysis to examine articles published over six months with the aim of determining the prevailing frames employed by each newspaper. The study reveals a notable transition in media coverage of this relationship from antagonism to prospect cooperation in both countries. The analysis indicates that prior to normalization, there was a significant prevalence of ‘conflict and hostility’ and ‘western influence and intervention’ frames in the coverage. Consistent with Saudi Arabian viewpoints, Arab News frequently structured its reporting to mirror the Kingdom’s diplomatic positions and policy agendas. Tehran Times, on the other hand, presented Iran’s foreign policy initiatives as defensive measures in the face of regional tensions and reflected the country’s perspective. After normalization, a notable change was observed in the way information was presented. Both newspapers started to embrace more conciliatory narratives such as ‘diplomatic triumph’ and ‘regional stability’ frames. The results of this study enhance our comprehension of how prominent media outlets in historically unstable regions adapt their storytelling in reaction to geopolitical shifts. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of media framing in the context of international affairs.

This article explores Generation Z’s understanding of entertainment through the connection between video streaming service use and fun. The proliferation of media entertainment tools designed for personal consumption has multifaceted implications, alienating entertainment from its social aspect. The rising popularity of video streaming services largely reshapes entertainment by disconnecting it from the conventional viewing experience. Through semi-structured in-depth interviews with samples from Generation Z, this study examines the traces of this transformation. Research findings reveal that Generation Z participants have developed three ways to have fun through video streaming services. These are simultaneous viewing together, watching together by downloading add-ons from different screens and solo viewing that later becomes a topic of discussion during friends’ gatherings. This research interprets the use of video streaming services for fun as direct experience, indirect experience and postponed experience, and it holds potential for contributing to communication studies.

As with many industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a pivotal role in transforming the podcasting sector. However, like any technology, it is essential to strike a balance between opportunities and challenges. This study, conducted through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with seven podcast creators in the Sultanate of Oman, aims to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating AI into the podcast industry. It also examines strategies for mitigating potential risks and considerations for ethical practices when incorporating AI technologies into podcasting. The key findings suggest that the opportunities arising from AI integration in the podcast industry encompass time, effort and cost savings, particularly in improving sound quality, eliminating noise, adjusting tone, expanding the reach through translation and transcription services and increasing accessibility for visually impaired and deaf audiences. Moreover, the results indicate that this integration can lead to certain challenges, including information bias, limited access, loss of human touch, potential lack of uniqueness, data accuracy and credibility, deep fakes, privacy and data security concerns, intellectual property issues, job displacement, accessibility issues for visually impaired individuals and financial costs associated with AI tools. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of ensuring the accuracy and credibility of information obtained through AI, respecting the intellectual property of others, maintaining authenticity and creativity, and considering the general ethical considerations in content creation when integrating AI technologies.

Massive sports events always attract international attention. However, for attention-seeking countries, this is a double-edged sword because it is difficult to remain in control of the images produced by foreign media outlets. Since Qatar is eager to boost its image internationally, hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup was supposed to be a major step in the country’s comprehensive strategy to achieve this. However, Qatar faced strong criticism from western countries in the run-up to and during the World Cup, exemplified here by a cursory investigation of German media. Taking a postcolonial lens, we analysed the reactions to this criticism in Qatari media in opinion articles of three different sets of media, one focusing on the national Qatari public (Al-Sharq), one targeting the pan-Arab public (Al-Jazeera) and one targeting the western, English-speaking public worldwide (Al-Jazeera English). Two distinct discursive patterns were identified – one that aims to construct a particular identity mix of an Arab, Global Southern and Islamic ‘us’ against the ‘West’ as a kind of positively turned self-othering and another that actively deconstructs what is perceived as western hypocrisy. While the first pattern is exclusive to the Arab-speaking media, the second pattern was addressed in all three sets of media, albeit with different lines of argumentation depending on the target audience. While, for example, in Qatari national media, reactions to the allegation of Qatar violating or neglecting the rights of LGBTQ people are connected to an emphasis on a different, ‘conservative’ or ‘Islamic’ value system, Al-Jazeera Arabic and English presented their arguments in a more sophisticated manner and highlighted the double standards used by the West by including references to a neo-liberal world order and the remnants of a colonial past that continue to shape the West’s policies.

Language and gender have a strong connection, especially in a social context. This study examines register in Arabic by looking at the language used by male and female teachers who utilize the YouTube media platform to provide basic Arabic tutorials. From these videos, the language characteristics of male and female Arabic language teachers can be observed, in terms of gender. In general, this study investigates the registers of male and female Arabic language teachers. Specifically, it elaborates on the significant differences between the language used by male and female Arabic language teachers based on a register analysis. The research question is thus divided into two: (1) what is the typical character of male teachers and female teachers of Arabic on YouTube channels; (2) how do male and female Arabic teachers use register on YouTube channels. The method used in this research can be divided into three stages. The first stage was the data collection, which was carried out by viewing and observing Arabic language learning videos uploaded onto YouTube channels by male and female teachers. The second stage was the data analysis, which used the model of Miles and Huberman, consisting of data reduction, data display and data conclusion. The final stage was the reporting of the results, using illustrative quotes in the form of descriptions and narratives related to the language registers of male and female teachers in terms of a sociolinguistic study. The gender-based language characteristics can be identified from aspects of gesture, word choice, greeting pronunciation and the mention of personal names. This research contributes to the development of the study of language learning in terms of gender based on an online social media platform.

This article examines the representation of Kashmir and its people in Hindi cinema, particularly Kashmiri Muslims. Cinematic representation has contributed to a harmful perception of Muslim identity and Islam. Given the contemporary global religio-political scenario, it is crucial to examine this phenomenon in promoting such perceptions about Kashmir, which is often referred to as South-Asian Palestine. The methodology employs survey, dialogical deconstruction and narrative analysis to unearth the implicit significances within three selected films, Haider, Mission Kashmir and Roja, depicting the Kashmiri Muslim subjects and their effect on the youth. A survey of university youth was also conducted at three central universities in Delhi. The investigation reveals a prevalent theme of violence in these films, often giving negative and biased portrayals of Kashmiris. Such conscious constructions of negative characters and narratives perpetuate Kashmirophobia – the fear or prejudice against Kashmir and its people among the youth. The portrayal of Kashmiri Muslims in Bollywood aggravates communal narratives and reinforces discriminatory views about the community, affecting the perception of the audience towards Kashmiri Muslims.

This research aims to explore how people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) use emojis on social media and the communicative functions of emojis, including gender differences in assessing appropriateness. The study is based on in-depth interviews with fifteen participants representing different gender, cultural and age groups. The interviewees include six males and nine females, with an age range from 18 to 45 years. The findings emphasize the importance of diversity of perspectives and sensitivities when using emojis in communication, raising questions about the role of emojis in reinforcing or challenging traditional gender norms within the UAE and how individuals navigate the intricate balance between self-expression and cultural norms in their digital interactions. Moreover, ‘emotional emojis’ were favoured by participants from every generation, apart from those in their 20s, although the specific emojis that best expressed those emotions varied. The findings also indicate the use of emoji as a cultural barometer within the digital realm of the UAE. The nuances in emoji preferences, usage frequencies and interpretations across different cultural groups, particularly between Emirati and non-Emirati populations, vividly portray how emojis mirror the complex tapestry of cultural identity and interaction. These emojis, as digital symbols, emerge as profound reflections of the rich cultural dynamics that shape the UAE’s digital landscape. This study adds to the body of research on digitized communication, particularly in the Arab context, and contributes to understanding how emojis are used to create meaning online.