Libyan Broadcasting under al-Qadhafi: The Politics of Pseudo-Liberalization

The Libyan media system has been one of the most restricted and government-tied systems in the Arab world. The wave of liberalization during the 2000s — however limited it was in other Arab countries — has almost completely skipped Libya. Despite the perceived need to professionalize media production and pluralize public discourses, exemplified by the great popularity of Al Jazeera among Libyan audiences, the Libyan regime under Mu’ammar al-Qadhafi1 stuck to its broadcasting policies of education and political indoctrination. Until 2007, there has only been one Libyan TV channel, serving the national as well as international audiences. However, in 2007, one of Qadhafi’s sons, Saif al-Islam, was permitted to launch a new satellite channel, Al Libiya (The Libyan) followed by Al Shababiya (The Youth), which surprised some observers because they also aired critical reports and contested taboos.