From television to radio, the public media in Tunisia are facing the darkest period in their history. Darker even than what they endured under Ben Ali, according to journalists in the sector. Report.
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The Media Under Kais Saied: Propaganda, Silence and Resistance
Barely a decade after the revolution of 2011 which was buoyed by a spirit of freedom, gains achieved in the media sector began to ebb with the power grab on July 25, 2021. As public and private media bend to the will of the regime and repression seeks to silence dissident voices, pockets of resistance among alternative and independent outlets constitute the last bastions of integrity in the field of journalism.
Journalism in Tunisia: Between political legacy and historical contingencies
Since 2022, freedom of expression and the right to information have suffered serious setbacks. Reforms initiated have failed to set up real safeguards against the derailing of the country’s “democratic transition” for political and personal ends. It is precisely the media’s entanglement with political power that constitutes the main handicap to its liberalization and full development.
Nawaat will not be silenced
The Nawaat Journalists’ Association received, on Friday, October 31, a notification ordering the suspension of its activities for one month. This measure is part of a series of arbitrary suspensions ordered by the authorities, targeting several activist associations. Nawaat commits to complying with the suspension of its activities for one month, and announces it will appeal in court, with support from voices for freedom and its companions in struggle.
Associative radio in Tunisia: From post-revolutionary hope to silent abandonment
Hard-won by civil society in the momentum of the 2011 revolution, associative radio stations once carried the hope of a free and pluralistic media landscape. Riding on early enthusiasm and supported by NGOs and international funders, they promised to play a key role in the country’s democratic transition. Little by little, however, this hope has eroded, giving way to growing disillusionment. Today, associative radios are marginalized, left to their own devices, and struggling to survive.
Tunisia: Independent media resist dictatorship and racism
The government has lost its patience for media outlets that dare to challenge its narratives on issues of major concern for Tunisians. And so it has set out against those which symbolize the struggle for freedom and truth.
Happy 20th Anniversary, Nawaat!
Twenty years ago, Nawaat began as a modest platform for Tunisians to voice their dissent against censorship and connect over shared struggles for freedom. Evolving from a simple forum to a comprehensive digital media outlet, it has played a crucial role in disseminating vital information and fostering a community of activists, bloggers, and journalists dedicated to the cause of democracy and transparency in Tunisia.
Nawaat Magazine: Minister of culture troubled by special issue cover
«Photo or caricature?» However burning the question may be, we will not answer it in the present editorial. Instead, we will leave it to the experts at the Ministry of Culture to weigh the gravity of our «error». What we will acknowledge here is the significance of the incident, an accurate and barefaced representation of the extraordinary (mis)adventures that unfold under Saied’s New Order.
Innawaation: 7th Call for projects – creative media projects incubator
Innawaation is a creative media projects incubator structured around a series of residencies and events. These collaborations will take place during sessions that span 3 to 6 months of work.
Tunisian television stations: Depoliticization underway
Television stations have traditionally reserved the majority of airtime for entertainment shows during the holy month of Ramadan. This seasonal exception is, however, becoming the rule throughout the entire year, as stations continue to shed their political programming. Not only are Tunisians overcome by « news fatigue », but also apolitical shows are far more conducive to product placement.
Television in Tunisia: These women, enemies of women
Their names are Baya Zardi, Hanène Elleuch, Najla Ettounssia, Rania Toumi… What they share in common: a certain representation of beauty and knack for creating a buzz. And indeed, they devote themselves body and soul to this end—even when it sets them against other women.
Innawaation: 6th Call for projects – creative media projects incubator
Innawaation is a creative media projects incubator structured around a series of residencies and events. These collaborations will take place during sessions that span 3 to 6 months of work.
Innawaation: Discover the testimonies about the last four rounds of media projects!
In July 6th 2022, Nawaat launched the 5th call for projects for the 6th round of Innawaation. You are invited to apply by sending an email to: innawaation@nawaat.org. Deadline to submit your applications is 10 August 2022 at midnight (as per the time of the email sent).
Innawaation: 5th Call for projects – creative media projects incubator
Innawaation is a creative media projects incubator structured around a series of residencies and events. These collaborations will take place during sessions that span 3 to 6 months of work.
Innawaation: 4th Call for projects – creative media projects incubator
Innawaation is a creative media projects incubator structured around a series of residencies and events. These collaborations will take place during sessions that span 3 to 6 months of work.
Concerns over Press Freedom as Journalists Harassed, Detained
There have been numerous assaults and harassment of journalists by security forces, politicians and officials in recent years–with June alone seeing 18 assaults, and May seeing 13, according to the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT). However, in the days since mass protests began on July 25 and President Kais Saied subsequently announced exceptional measures concentrating powers under him, there has been a spike in such harassment.
Innawaation: 3rd Call for projects – creative media projects incubator
This 3rd call aims to expand our model with tools and content that include the diverse disciplines cited above. Innawaation is a creative media projects incubator structured around a series of residencies and events. These collaborations will take place during sessions that span 3 to 6 months of work.
Tunisia: Control and resistance in the media
Tunisian prime minister Hichem Mechichi failed to appoint a former collaborator of the Ben Ali regime—who today maintains close ties to Ennahdha—as director of the country’s national press agency. Mechichi’s failed attempt confirms the parliamentary majority’s eagerness to control the media, in spite of the sector’s resistance.
