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Must SHE TV: Giving A Voice to Arab Women
Posted on April 14, 2005
In Novel, Novela, Nicaraguan telenovelas (soap operas) address hard-hitting subjects like domestic abuse, safe sex and women's rights. Heya (Arabic for "she") is a new satellite television station, broadcast to an estimated daily audience of 15 million women in the Middle East. From remote villages in Egypt to Prada-clothed fashionistas in Beirut. This new station run by women is delicately breaking new ground in the dialogue on women's rights in the Middle East.
Heya has a staff of about 60, with correspondents in Syria, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, and North Africa. Studios are in Beirut and Dubai and United Arab Emirates. About 70 percent of staff members - and all of the top managers - are women.
Matilda Farjallah is the host host of "Al-Makshouf" ("The Uncovered"), a talk show that is one of a number devoted to political and social issues for Arab women. On any given say it will tackly issue s from domestic violence to workplace discrimination to sex before marriage- no matter how contentious the subject.
Since illiteracy is high among women in the region, satellite TV has become an invaluable medium to reach and teach Middle Eastern Women.
READ more about Heya TV from Will Rasmussen artile, "'She' TV Gives Voice to Arab Women."