With Riverbend’s blog, no longer is the reader limited to news reports from major networks or White House press conferences: the blog phenomena and particularly that of Riverbend and her blogging peers represents an uncensored real-time account of war, politics, and the perils of neo-imperialism, says Alexandra Izabela Jerome.

Lina Khatib laments the fact that “the number of studies on the way the Middle East represents itself cinematically � is infinitesimal.” Yet because Khatib does not pursue this much-needed study herself in a field where there are already a number of survey-type works, she misses a valuable opportunity to engage with the Arab cinema on a deeper level of analysis, argues Refqa Abu-Remaileh.

The methodological shortcomings and scarce editing make this book a frustrating read. The lessons to be taken from this book regard the challenges facing Arab media studies as much as those facing Arab media, argues Contributing Editor Sune Haugbolle.

Readers of American Encounters will be heartened by the reminder that — regardless of the administration or specific policy — there remain elements in the U.S. foreign policy establishment dedicated to engaging with Arab audiences and keeping avenues of communication open, argues Will Ward.

BBC Monitoring Analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring on 18 May     Hamas and Fatah agreed on 12 May to halt "inflammatory media campaigns" in the print media and on radio and TV stations.     But the last week has seen the two sides step up their rhetoric and exchange of …

BBC Monitoring Algerian newspapers today described the new parliament as lacking "credibility and legitimacy" as a result of the very low turnout, officially at 35.51 per cent of the registered voters, in the 17 May legislative elections.     Up to 18 million eligible voters from Algeria's 33 million people cast ballots …

BBC Monitoring Between 0500-1000 gmt on 19 May, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah Television in Arabic is observed to carry the following reports on security and political developments in Iraq:     Within its 0500 gmt newscast, the channel carries the following reports:      - "During his Friday [18 May] sermon in Baghdad, Imam Harith …

BBC Monitoring Excerpt from live phone interview on Channel 1 TV with Egyptian TV correspondent in Gaza City to comment on the siege of the building which houses media offices in Gaza, broadcast on 16 May     [Presenter] Shuhdi al-Kashif [Egyptian TV correspondent in Gaza] joins us now from inside the …

BBC Monitoring The Bethlehem-based, independent Ma'an news agency in Arabic reported on 16 May at 2101 gmt: "The Hamas movement has stated that the attempt to depict the current events in Gaza as inter-Palestinian fighting between Fatah and Hamas is a mere attempt to mislead local and international public opinion." …

BBC Monitoring Analysis by Amani Soliman of BBC Monitoring on 17 May     Rusiya al-Yawm or Russia Today is a state-funded, Arabic-language satellite TV news channel which was launched on 4 May 2007. It is widely seen as the latest front in a Kremlin drive to restore its Soviet-era influence in …