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Journalism and the media:the cartoon controversy

Research Team E

Mark BoukesLiza de LeeuwFemke de KoningJan PetersYasemin Smit

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Content

1. The Danish ‘Mohammed Cartoon’ crisis

2. Classification in Hallin & Mancini’s media system

3. Power relations between media and politics

4. Discussion

Danish newspaper published cartoons depicting Islamic Prophet Mohammed

Motivation for publishing: Flemming Rose

Public Protests

Reprinted in newspapers in fifty other countries

Protests across the Muslim World

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Danish cartoon crisis

Al Qaeda’s glossy’s Death list

Danish cartoon crisis

Supporters of the Cartoons

“This publication is a legitimate exercise of

the right of free speech”

South Park is ‘showing’ Mohammed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG0quz3Gu8g

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Danish cartoon crisis

North / Central European or Democratic Corporatist Model (1) - Political

Political history: Tensions with the Muslim minority since 9/11

Predominantly consensus Government: Monarch

Organized pluralism

Role of state: strong welfare state

Important development: shift from social democratic to more

liberal reasons for this development: economic crisis &

unemployment

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Hallin & Mancini

North / Central European or Democratic Corporatist Model (2) - Media system

Newspaper industry:o two big newspaper concerns (Politiken / Berlinske)o both informational / conservative and right-orientated/sensational newspaperso informational / conservative have a lower circulationo Jyllands-Posten’s circulation is increasingo social-democratic newspaper’s circulation is decreasing

Political parallelism

Professionalization

Role of state in media system: o strong protection of press-freedom in Denmarko strong public broadcasting o high press-subsidies

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Hallin & Mancini

Official response from PM Rasmussen Denmarkto ambassadors Islamic countries

The freedom of expression has a wide scope and the Danish

government has no means of influencing the press

Danish legislation does not allow acts or expressions of

blasphemous or discriminatory nature: the offended party may

bring such acts or expressions to court, and it is for the courts to

decide in individual cases.

Rasmussen replied: "Even a non-judicial intervention against

Jyllands-Posten would be impossible within our system“.

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Politics and media

Prosecutor found no basis for concluding that the cartoons constituted a criminal offence

The article concerns a subject of public interest

Danish case law which extends editorial freedom to journalists

when it comes to a subject of public interest

Stated was that the right to freedom of speech must be exercised

with the necessary respect for other human rights (protection

against discrimination, insult and degradation) but no apparent

violation of the law had occurred.

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Politics and media

International publications

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Politics and media

International publications and protests in the Muslim world

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Politics and media

Western Governmentsin defence of publication the cartoons

Belgium: a resolution of parliament to defend the freedom of speech and

to support Denmark.

Czech: necessary for them to publish the pictures so that the readers get

the full information and expressed solidarity with Denmark.

France (NS): “prefer an excess of caricature to an excess of censorship”

Sweden, Netherlands, US: Support the freedom of speech. But stresses

that with this comes a certain responsibility.

EU: underscore the sanctity of freedom of speech while also apologizing

for unintended insulting behaviour, but condemn violent reactions

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Politics and media

Western Governments that were reluctant in publishing the cartoons

Great-Britain: praises British newspapers for their "considerable

responsibility and sensitivity" in not printing the cartoons

Poland / Ireland: considers the cartoons to be an unnecessary

provocation

New Zealand: publication of the cartoons was condemned, though

decisions to print were up to newspaper editors

South Africa: prevent newspapers from publishing the cartoons

Finland: illegal to ‘disturb religious peace’ cartoons published on

web sites, not in mainstream media

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Politics and media

Non-Western Governments:reactions against the publication of the cartoons

Algeria, Jordania, Malaysia, Yemen: Newspapers that published the

cartoons were closed and editors arrested

Turkey: Caricatures of prophet Muhammad are an attack against spiritual

values. There should be a limit of freedom of press

Iran:

ordered contracts to be cancelled with all countries where media have published the

cartoons. Followed by other Arabian countries. Result: potential loss of 11,000 jobs in

Denmark.

as a reaction organized a holocaust cartoon competition. Jyllands-Posten agreed to print,

but backed down after seeing the results.

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Politics and media

Media’s reactions

Der Tagesspiegel: “In a democratic and secular society, showing decency and respect for other cultures does not mean adopting their religious dogmas”.

La Republica: ‘The media must be free in the name of freedom to publish all news, also that which is inconvenient to the power holder”.

Douai (2007):

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Politics and media

Double standards?

Adopting laws that outlaw Holocaust denial

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The AEL was fined by a Dutch Court for placing this cartoon.

Politics and media

Self censorship

Perhaps there is no official censorship, however threatening from outside the government can lead to self censorship. Der Tagesspiegel (February 1 2006): “When a society allows itself to be guided

only by the ‘feelings’ of a group of people, then it is no longer free”. (….) Yale University Press: “The press has a long history of defending free

expression, but the risk of violence in this case, outweighed the benefit of including the images, which can easily be found on the Internet”

Interview Kurt Westergaard (1.40-3.07): http://vimeo.com/12688861

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Politics and media

Discussion

Should cartoonists and journalist be protected by their own governments?

If so, how can it best be done?

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Discussion