Piece Description

The dramatic expansion of open media in the Arab world is changing the political landscape of the region. For better or worse, the internet and scores of pan-Arab radio stations and satellite television channels are fostering the free-flow of information and opinion in ways unthinkable two decades ago. But none of these innovations is having more of an impact than hundreds of Arabic language satellite television stations. They come directly into homes and even the most repressive governments in the region find them almost impossible to block. And because they are easily available at low or sometimes no cost to the viewer - - rich and poor alike now have a dizzying array of TV choices. With more than 250 satellite television stations already on-the-air in the Arab world, some might think there isn't much room for anything new on-the-digital-dial. But the backers of Jordan's Al Ghad newspaper disagree, and they're preparing to launch the country's first privately owned television station later this year. As correspondent Simon Marks found out on a visit to Jordan and neighboring Syria, the battle for the dominance of the Arab media landscape is by no means settled yet. Simon Marks' report is part of the documentary special "24/7: The Rise and Influence of Arab Media" produced by the Stanley Foundation and KQED Public Radio.