Writing and programming was often dull or worse, and few alternatives existed. The major exceptions, the BBC, Radio Monte Carlo, and VOA, had elite listenerships that rarely exceeded ten percent of the population, and the single Arab exception, Cairo s Voice of the Arabs had long lost its influence in the region. Fast forward to now. There are dozens of satellite television stations offering everything from titillation to political debate to titillating political debate. National broadcasting authorities are battling to retain their audiences, revamping programming and putting on shows far more daring than in the past.
Viewers have unparalleled choice of formats and viewpoints.
While most stations are controlled to some degree by individual governments, no one government has control over all stations, and no government can block any single station. The result is a marketplace of ideas in which the consumer, rather than the supplier, decides which ideas gain currency and which do not. The second kind of technology I want to talk about does not involve information on the national level. The sorts of technology we now take for granted, like photocopiers and videocassettes, make it hugely easier for individuals and groups to disseminate messages in a low-profile way. Although Internet access rates are in the low single digits in most Arab countries, an old technology like photocopying can bring Internet-derived information to thousands of people who have neither any access nor ability to use a computer.