Yemen's media stoke the conflict

Yemeni TV channels are characterized by different levels of performance, with their  shows dominated by one single viewpoint, a recent study  showed.

The study,  conducted by SEMC for the purpose of assessing the performance of Yemeni TV channels,  indicated that nearly 21 percent of monitored programs didn't cite any sources of the information they provide to the public.

Roughly 51 percent of the shows are partially or fully dominated by hate speech or incitement language, in addition to being one-sided.

The study was meant to guage the degree to which Yemeni space channels are compliant with the professional standards and ethics of media coverage, which include explaining the context of the information provided, giving facts and figures, quotes and citation of sources, in addition to balance, clarity of language, and compliance with professional ethics when it comes to coverage of conflicts.

It highlighted that Yemeni journalists aren't fully cognizant of the criteria of impartiality and objectivity when tackling conflict-related issues, maintaining that the deteriorating economic situation badly affected the performance of both Yemeni journalists and TV channels.

Mustafa Nassr, chairman of SEMC, affirmed that the center spent more than 100 days monitoring almost 692 shows dealing with a variety of socioeconomic, health and entertainment issues.

He added that TV shows were singled out for monitoring due to the fact that they are most effective in terms of dessimination of the  information that influences public opinion. Seven TV channels were picked out, all of which represent the Yemeni political spectrum, with the geographic location of such channels taken into account. These included the Houthi-run Yemeni TV channel, the government-controlled TV channel, Al-Saeeda, Bilqees, Hadramout, Yemen Shebab and Yemen Today.

The report also gave a historical overview of Yemeni media development stages, as well as the divide dominating the Yemeni media landscape due to the conflict still raging on the county, the declining media performance, and the deteriorating condition of  media freedom which dropped to a level unprecedented in the modern history of the Yemeni media.

The Studies and Economic Media Center (SEMC) is one of the most prominent Yemeni NGOs that works on , and spreads  awareness of economic issues, in addition to buttressing good governance and public engagement in decision making, and working towards the creation of professional media