Algerian officials have accused television stations of injecting religion into a broader discussion about how the country regulates media content and advertising over content choices it has made since the start of Ramadan last week.
Their criticism comes amid broader struggles for journalists and broadcasters in the oil-rich country, where stations and newspapers have historically relied heavily on advertising from the government and large state-owned enterprises.
After a meeting with TV directors on Sunday, Algeria’s Communications Minister Mohamed Ragab accused the network of not respecting ethical and professional lines, saying their programming choices were “incompatible with the social traditions of our society and in particular the sanctity of Ramadan.”
Ragab, a former journalism school professor, pre-emptively dismissed accusations of censorship, arguing that his ministry’s push did not violate Algeria’s constitutional guarantees of press freedom.
“TV stations have the right to criticize, but not to attack the moral values of our society,” he said.
Although Ragab did not identify any specific station or program, he said soap operas were a particular concern.His department last week summoned a director of Echourouk, the country’s largest private television station, over a soap opera called Echourouk elbarani The depictions, in which characters drank alcohol and took cocaine, sparked condemnation from viewers who feared they were incompatible with Ramadan.
Ragab also criticized the network for devoting so much airtime to commercials that it rivaled the airtime of some programs. “If we put the commercials (and the shows) together, we would conclude that they are on the air longer than soap operas,” Ragab said.
His comments followed a statement from Algeria’s Audiovisual Regulatory Authority, which regulates television and radio stations. Throughout March, it has called on state television to rein in advertising and respect families and viewers during Ramadan, the holy month celebrated throughout the Muslim-majority country and the wider region.
Lagab’s two-pronged approach – targeting the station’s content and advertising – is the latest challenge facing Algerian television, which is bracing for intensifying financial pressure as the government enacts new regulations on media advertising. In anticipation of the new law, television stations, especially private ones, have ramped up advertising to an unprecedented degree, hoping to make a profit before the government imposes new restrictions.
The advertising boom has been particularly evident since the start of Ramadan last week. As demand for food and other consumer goods increases during the holy month, stations find no shortage of advertisers.
Experts say that even if the network does not change course after meeting Ragab, the government’s criticism is unlikely to escalate into punitive measures such as sanctions or fines.
“Most of these channels are politically aligned with the government and zealously support it,” said journalist Kamal Ibri, whose news website was shut down due to lack of advertising revenue.
Algeria’s largest television station is a mixture of public and private television stations. Networks such as private television station Echourouk, private television station El Bilad and state-owned ENTV broadcast news and other programs, including soap operas. In previous years, viewers have become accustomed to special programs during Ramadan.
Although some private channels have recently begun providing a platform for opposition parties, few broadcasts point to criticism of the government. Those who do so have been punished in recent years.
Journalist Ihsane El Kadi’s media company, which oversees network television and radio programming, was shut down and its equipment confiscated. In April 2023, he was sentenced to prison for “threatening national security.”
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