The 7Days Situation

When 7Days printed verbatim from AFP and WAM what were quotes from HH the President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa, the world seemed to have come to a halt. Arabic dailies went on the assault, claiming that the president's words were twisted to suit a hidden agenda.

It is no secret that Associated Newspapers acquisition of Catchpole Communications (the management company of 7Days) was a catalyst to the rather absurd assaults on 7Days.

Arab journos, take note: the UAE is on an unstoppable path towards liberalization. Fighting what is actually for your own benefit is quite possibly the stupidest thing one can do. There are better ways to combat a newspaper that is doing better than most.

This has also had a very interesting side-effect on the blogosphere. It has highlighted the extreme divide between the local population and the expats in the UAE. There is an intense frustration from the locals at the expats placing 7Days at the middle of all of it.

7Days has a long and hard battle to fight. Good fortune comes with a great deal of responsibility. DMO would like to lend his support and appreciation to the hard work 7Days is putting.

You guys are doing a good job. Keep at it!

P.S. DMO finds a lot of what is in 7Days borderline stupid, but it sure beats the hell out of every other daily in the UAE.