The colonial tradition of the media brings with it the ideology of the West, including the concepts of nationalism and modernity. Colonial-styled media is characterized by its Western values and its hierarchical and elitist structure. Exile Tradition or Transnational Media Over the last 20 years, exile or transnational media has sprouted up as a critical force in Arab media, but its roots are based in the 19th century, according to Dr. Mowlana. Exile media emerged as a result of repressive regimes in the Arab world that forced dissidents to publish newspapers abroad. The Arab transnational media in London is the center of Arab media today.
Transnational media is a mode of advocacy and is counter-elitist.
This tradition of information flow in nation-states can be controlled by government or the private sector and has its roots in Arab nationalism. It is secular, loyal to the government and based on Western models of communications, Dr. Mowlana observed. Islamic tradition This mode has a close tie to the traditional mode, Dr. Mowlana suggested. It is a religious media that has appeal because it is more universal that the nationalistic media. He outlined some of his general observations of the media in the Arab world today.