The Palestinian Media: An Obedient Servant or a Vanguard of Democracy?

This article explores the prospects of democracy in a future Palestinian state through examination of the relationship between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the media. After providing an overview of the media under Israeli occupation, the author examines their development and transformation under the PA, including the PA's means of control both formal and informal. While noting the PA's vulnerability to outside pressures and the need for the press itself to be more assertive in claiming its freedom, the author concludes that the PA's record with the media thus far does not bode well for a democratic political culture in Palestine.