During the lunch break at today's We Media conference, I discovered that the first post-prandial panel was going to be about media in the Middle East. I happened to be talking to a Persian-British woman  journalist, who is half Jewish and half Muslim, at the time; when we discovered that the panelists were all male Arab journalists in their fifties, we looked at each other and rolled our eyes.

I immediately chased down the panel moderator and insisted that  - hello?! - this female Jewish Israeli journalist who has a few years to go until menopause would like to talk about the very interesting conversation going on between Arab and Israeli bloggers right now, plus the rather striking difference between what Al Jazeera reports in Arabic and what it reports in English.

"Oh!" said the panelist, with a bright American smile and uncomprehending eyes, "Interesting! But, well, it might be a bit off topic. We'll try to get to you during the Q & A session."

Never fear, I didn't leave it at that. I made sure that the conference organisers knew about my desire to speak, and during the discussion I positioned myself in the first row, directly in front of the panel moderator, and I kept my eyes locked on him.

The panelists included Rami Khoury, the editor of the Lebanese Daily Star;  Jihad Ali Ballout, Director of Al Arabiya's corporate communications; Saleh Ngem of BBC's Arabic service; and from Iraq by satellite Zuhair Al-Jezairy of Aswat Al Iraq.

None of them had heard of blogs. None of them was interested in the fact that Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, Egyptian, Lebanese and Saudi bloggers are writing and talking to and about each other and, linking to one another. None of them was interested to learn that quite a few of us are discovering that the Middle Eastern media is doing a pretty crappy job of getting beyond the cliches, the slogans and the dogma, and that we made that discovery through blogs.

Rami Khouri said that westerners have three main misperceptions about the Arab media:
1. The Arabic media deliberately incites anti-American sentiment, when in fact it is a mirror reflecting the society to which it broadcasts. The ideas and thoughts coming out of the Arabic mass media are often critical of israel, Arab regimes and America becaues that is what people are saying;
2. Al Jazeera is a mouthpiece for Bin Laden and terrorist groups because they put their tapes on air. Khouri said this was an unfair accusation. The tapes are newsworthy and any media organisation would broadcast;
3. Regarding accuracy, this is what Rami said (and I quote): "I've spent the last 5 or 6 years watching Arab, European and American mainstream cable and satellite television,  and I'm prepared to bet a double felafal with hot sauce that content analysis will show Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya are more comprehensive, nuanced, accurate and balanced than any American station."

Even PBS? I wondered.

Okay, so after the panel had finished its (not very relevant,  interesting or new, IMO) spiel, I got up and talked a bit about the Israeli and Arab blogospheres. None of the grumpy old men reacted. Not a one. I don't think they'd ever read a blog in their lives.

Then I told Rami Khoury that I have a friend who speaks fluent French, English, Arabic and Hebrew, and that he sent me the following comparative translations of the Arabic media's reporting about a suicide bombing in Hadera last October:

Al-Jazeera was definitely the most hard-line, calling
the bombing "'amaliyah fida'iya"(same root as
fedayeen)
meaning sacrificial operation, and they showed a photo
of the last Netanya attack using the even stronger
"'amaliyah istishadiya"- matyrdom operation.
Also they never once quote Israeli sources. Their
English page was a completely different story, calling
it "a blast" and a "human bombing"(what the fuck is
that supposed to mean?!).

Al-Arabiyya was, as usual, more objective, calling it
"hujum intihari" a suicidal attack. And they quoted
Israeli radio, Israeli TV and the Magen David Adom.

Elaph.com, a liberal on-line Lebanese daily called it
"'amaliyah tafjir"  a bombing operation. and also
quoted numerous Israeli sources.

Rami looked a bit uncomfortable. Well, he said. Maybe that's what someone who called in to comment on the report said -  not the actual reporter or news anchor.

No, I said politely, I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that's straight reporting I'm quoting.

Oh, said Rami. Well, Al Jazeera has changed a lot lately.

Um, this report is from five months ago, I answered. (still polite)

Well, said the moderator, Moving right along... (I'm kidding, that's not exactly what he said; but the subject was definitely changed).

Afterward, a BBC Arabic service reporter approached me, gave me his card, asked for mine and said he wanted to be in touch.

Then I went downstairs for a cigarette (sorry, Mum, I haven't quite given up yet) and met Rami leaving the building together with the American guy who'd moderated the panel.

The American guy and I smiled and shook hands. I put my hand out to Rami and, smiling, said, "It was a pleasure to meet you."

And for one horrifying split second I thought he was going to refuse to shake my hand. I saw the thought flash across his mind, I'm pretty sure. But then he reached out and grasped my outstretched hand, smiled briefly, and walked on.

And I was left feeling a strange combination of disatisfaction, bemusement, amusement,  irritation and frustration.