Conclusion

What do we learn from comparing the individual media systems of Arab countries? We consciously refrained from building a typology for the eighteen Arab countries that are examined in this book. Instead, we have opted for highlighting major themes that we detected when carefully reviewing the seven dimensions that each author used in the analysis of the respective countries. These themes comprise 1) The state’s approach to media, 2) Media ownership, 3) Fragmentation and polarization, 4) Technological advancement and innovation, and 5) Transnational mobility and connection. We explain how the media systems examined differ or concur with regard to these five themes.