Ahmed Ouyahia asks for the liberalization of audiovisual media in Algeria

Secretary-General of the National Democratic Assembly, and PM Ahmed Ouyahia called for the liberalization of the audiovisual sector from the power’s grip in order to allow Algerians to access to this type of media described as “Heavy”, which means that the Algerian authorities has taken a decision in a case that remained a concern of politicians and media.

Ouyahia said, in a message read by the spokesman of the party, Miloud Boucherfi, on the World Day for Freedom of Expression on May 3; “We join our voice to all voices which call for the opening of audiovisual media within the freedom of expression. This concern that occupied in the recent days the center of debate at the level of media, with the rights and duties of this category which decided to organize a protest here on Thursday in Algiers freedom of expression square.

“We think that the opening of audiovisual media for the private sector is imperative in light of the giant shifts in media, but it should be within a partnership between public and private sectors. This requires the creation of gradual diversity that would lead to the opening of audiovisual media”.

Ouyahia expresses fear of some foreign media, especially those which promote rumors and misconceptions seeking to implicate Algeria in some issues.

A journalist, Arbi Zowak, said some journalists dealt with Arab popular revolutions positively, better than official positions do. The ambiguity of officials left some journalists in quandary and dilemma; therefore, they dealt anarchically and randomly with Arab revolutions, for example in Libya some official media say “rebels” and others call them “Freedom fighters or Mujahedeen”.