BBC Monitoring Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has filed a lawsuit against Hawlati newspaper for publishing an article by an American writer, the website of independent twice-weekly Hawlati reported on 18 January. The Political Bureau spokesman of Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Mala Bakhtiyar, said: "The whole report is fabricated …

Visit him online at www.kimbadawi.com Arab Media & Society best photograph of 2007.  Photographers, if you are interested in submitting a photo, please email managing editor Will Ward at ams.auc@gmail.com. We need shots of media being produced and consumed throughout the Middle East.  Click for information on photo submissions and …

BBC Monitoring By Saeed Barzin of BBC Monitoring on 17 January Managers of major Iranian newspapers have complained that the government is late in the payment of subsidies to the press, and it is causing difficulties for the publications. They say the payment of subsidies does not follow set regulations …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Dubai newspaper Khaleej Times website on 16 January Abu Dhabi: The first step has been taken by an Abu Dhabi company to launch the UAE's first communications satellite. A letter of intent (LOI) has been signed by Al Yah Satellite Communications Company …

Josh Rushing’s Mission Al Jazeera is cookie-cutter "celebrity bio" whose analysis of Al Jazeera and other Arab media developments relies heavily on other scholars, says Tom Scudder.

Can a heavy web presence boost opposition electoral fortunes? Do individualistic bloggers make it impossible to deliver a coherent message? Pete Ajemian looks at the Internet strategies of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic Action Front in Jordan.

While the strength of the writing and research varies by chapter, New Media and the New Middle East adds valuable data to a field where usage statistics and baseline information about audiences and advertising are virtually non-existent, says Book Reviews Editor Courtney C. Radsch.

Why was 2007 one of the deadliest years for Middle East reporters since World War II? Publisher and Co-Editor Lawrence Pintak looks back at a year of troubling trends for journalism in the region.

BBC Monitoring Text of report by Hamas-backed newspaper Filistin website on 15 January [Report by Hadil Atallah: "Abu-Hashish: Abu-Khawsah's admission gives Filastin and the families of Al-Ishi and Abdu to institute legal proceedings against him"] Dr Hasan Abu-Hashish, director of the government media office and Information Ministry under secretary in …

BBC Monitoring Text of report in English by Thai newspaper The Nation website on 16 January Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont admitted Wednesday [16 January] that his government is still in the dark about the leasing of a satellite channel by Thaicom to the Hezbollah-backed television channel al-Manar. Surayud said his …