Journalist Jim Krane explored the reasons behind recent negative Western media portrayals of Dubai, as well as steps Dubai could take to improve media coverage, in this Valentine’s Day policy forum.
Krane began the presentation by describing the undertones and stereotypes that color Western perceptions of Dubai, including the Emirate’s status as a monarchy, the perceived unfair application of Islamic law, and the existence of a vast “servant class.” He then outlined factors within the news business itself that contribute to negative media coverage, noting that while Dubai has had a long and rare run of positive news, the spate of negative coverage beginning in 2008 is driven by the fact that it is much easier to get negative stories into newspapers. “Reporters love to target the sacred cows,” he asserted. “An influential contrarian story can then trigger the herd mentality.”
While much of the recent Western media coverage on Dubai has been unfair, Krane pointed to poor labor conditions and a bad environmental record as legitimate grounds for criticism.
Moreover, the city’s reputation for ostentatious and extravagant “attention-seeking” projects spurred a negative reaction over time.
Krane stressed that as a journalist, difficulty in getting information that would normally be public has proven to be a major weakness for Dubai. The lack of an approved and empowered spokesperson, or media office, for the Emirate, combined with the unwillingness of officials to speak publicly due to their fear of “saying the wrong thing” and displeasing the authorities, has led to a vacuum of information in many instances. According to Krane, “When you forfeit the microphone, you lose control of the message. Too often, Dubai has abdicated from its own story.” Krane referred to several specific events—including the 2009 Dubai launch of a Human Rights Watch report, the recent elevator malfunction at the Burj Khalifa, and the Nakheel debt repayment postponement—in which no spokesperson would present Dubai’s side of the story. In the absence of a countering perspective, negative coverage prevailed.
Krane stressed that “Bad news is normal,” and that when it happens, “It is better for the government to release it in a coherent fashion than to try and hide it, which winds up creating a scandal.” He criticized overreliance on PR agencies instead of official government spokespersons, and concluded by stressing that when the press gets it wrong, it is imperative for Dubai to demand corrections. “To news media,” Krane stated, “corrections are like kryptonite. All journalists hate to have their work described as shoddy, right there on the record.” In the future, he stressed, they will be less likely to throw unfounded assertions into a media report on Dubai.
Jim Krane is a longtime journalist who reported from the Middle East and beyond as the Associated Press’ Dubai-based Gulf correspondent from 2005-2007. During his 2008-2009 stint as a Visiting Fellow at the Dubai School of Government, he authored the critically-acclaimed City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism. Currently researching Gulf energy issues at the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School, Krane is the author of DSG Policy Brief 18, “ Energy Conservation Options for GCC Governments.” |