Arab League information ministers approved the “Principles for Organizing Satellite Radio and TV Broadcasting in the Arab Region” at February meeting.  The charter forbids satellite television from offending Arab leaders, and national and religious symbols.  Many media rights activists and advocacy groups say the charter is an attempt to censor one of the Arab world’s main nonstate media sources.

The International Press Institute’s David Dadge said the charter “represents a step backwards for press freedom in the entire region, and threatens to undermine the significant strides recently made in some of the Arab world’s individual countries.”

On April 1, Egypt’s state-controlled satellite television operator Nilesat cut its transmission of London-based Al-Hiwar, believed to have ties to Egypt’s main opposition, the Muslim Brotherhood.  It also cut transmissions of Al Baraka and Al Hikma.

A statement from Reporters Without Borders said “Nilesat’s decision confirms the fears we expressed” over the charter and the organization worried of “a wave of censorship measures against satellite television stations that criticize Arab governments.”

Nilesat president Amin Bassiouni denied the new charter triggered the measures, and international communications expert Marwan Kraidy told journalist Magda Abu-Fadil that having some kind of regulatory framework to cover the more than 400 satellite channels “is not in itself a bad idea.”

However, Kraidy also said it is unclear whether the charter is a symbolic gesture or a concrete step by Arab governments to inhibit broadcasters, adding the governments’ collective track record in repressing the media “is legend.”

What do you think? Is the charter responsible regulation, suppression of press freedom or something in between?