The Scientific Media Article by the Chairman of the Media Committee at the Union of Afro-Asia Universities.
Resistant Media
Media serves as the voice of society, reflecting its ambitions and aspirations through various available media channels, especially in light of the significant advancements in communication technology and the digital transformation of the media. The media message achieves its purpose correctly when there is a solid media discourse, professional communication, and effective means of execution, supported by security and economic factors that enhance the completion of communication.
Media has taken different paths based on political, military, and economic developments worldwide, leading to the emergence of resistant media against ideological currents and movements, manifested through systematic and ideological propaganda via alternative media, as well as through radio and television broadcasting in the languages of targeted populations. Resistant media has taken both defensive and offensive roles in expressing the culture of resistance to achieve its objectives.
Resistant media operates in times of war and peace, but it becomes more active during conflicts and wars. Resistant or oppositional media stems from the existence of just causes and acquired rights that must be defended. The power of words in resistant media is no less important than traditional bullets—it’s even more influential, faster-spreading, and more broadly beneficial. There are several definitions and concepts of resistant media. One concise definition is: “It refers to the body of studies and media practices aimed at spreading the culture of resistance on both individual and collective levels by creating, modifying, or stabilizing realities in the face of occupation and domination.”
Resistant media is popular because it represents the aspirations of the people, carried out by national elements with media expertise. Modern history, in particular, provides us with vivid examples of this type of media in various countries, such as Vietnam, Palestine, Iraq, Cuba, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, and several African countries.
Undoubtedly, one of the primary challenges facing resistant media is counter-propaganda, facilitated by the open world of communication and modern media tools available to all. The competition among these tools has led to the spread of sensationalized news, with the aim of brainwashing, weakening morale, and creating doubt in historical facts, religious tenets, and the lives of prophets and great figures. A prime example of this is Israeli propaganda.
Media misinformation is defined as “manipulating communication content and systematically directing it to serve objectives that deviate from public interest, aiming to achieve results contrary to the truth and to establish a specific reality in the mind of the recipient.”
Various factors contribute to the success of misleading media, including technology, capital, international alliances of all kinds, prior knowledge, and a deep understanding of the history and makeup of the target society. Moreover, the professional and technical capabilities of the media professional and the intellectual immunity they must possess play a crucial role. Some countries, for example, establish radio stations and channels, as well as newspapers and social media, to penetrate and undermine resistant media. In 1968, the Israeli government appointed a committee to explore the possibility of establishing Arabic radio and television to use them in Zionist propaganda against the Arab world in general, and against the residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip (the territories occupied in 1967) in particular.
Resistant media benefits significantly from social media and communication platforms, especially Facebook, due to its accessibility, widespread reach, ease of use, and low cost. It doesn’t hesitate to depict historical events through literature and art to rally support, boost morale, expose the enemy’s crimes, debunk its claims, and discourage its soldiers and politicians from committing further atrocities. All of this requires resistant media to establish positive relations with countries and organizations to win their sympathy and support by providing evidence of their cause’s legitimacy.
The enemy’s attempts to disrupt resistant media extend beyond traditional media; they also exploit the fifth column of agents, spies, opportunists, and criminals to spread slander, defame elites, and damage reputations. Some of these figures occupy key positions in government or the private sector. Therefore, resistant media must prioritize addressing these challenges.
Often, resistant media operates from outside national borders when the country is occupied, as external environments provide security, safety, freedom, and technology. Media professionals working abroad can establish connections with resistant media elements inside the country, helping to craft a solid media message and quickly deliver communication both internally and externally. The success of resistant media domestically depends on the cultural awareness and national depth of the society it serves, which can provide protection and valuable information.
Resistant media doesn’t necessarily have to oppose government policies. State media often plays this role when built on a just foundation that protects the country’s independence and defends it from various forms of invasion, especially intellectual and cultural ones.
Finally, resistant media can counter misleading media by relying on awareness, professionalism, and security safeguards, avoiding fueling debates that may enhance the effectiveness of misinformation. Public involvement in refuting negative information is essential to making them feel valued and confident. Additionally, official institutions must maintain the confidentiality of their information while responding promptly and providing evidence to counter misinformation, rather than merely issuing denials.
Security and oversight institutions must also play their role, particularly in electronic surveillance and updating publishing laws to align with modern realities. Moreover, media education should be introduced as a subject in secondary school curricula, and the educational system needs a review. Families should monitor the behavior of their members, and the misuse of media by individuals and groups should be addressed.
There should be direct and organized coordination between media outlets in governmental and private institutions and specialized official media channels.
– علي الطقش ، الإعلام المقاوم: المفهوم والتأسيس ، https://baqiatollah.net/article.php?id=10075 ،23-1-2021
2- Abdu salam shlebak ، مفهوم التضليل الاعلامي وكيفية المواجهة ، https://www.absi.cc/2020/12/blog-post_26.html،26ديسمبر 2021
3- زهير اندراوس ، نعم لإعلام المقاومة في الوطن العربي ، https://- ، /25-1-2010 https://alan-eg.com/…/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%b9%d9%84…/
