Makkah THIS article is not about female columnists or reporters in newspapers but about the appearance of women's photos in the media. Two weeks ago a photo of the Council of Young Women's first meeting in Qassim went viral on Twitter with social media activists questioning the appropriateness of the picture, which did not show any women participants but only the faces of men. This was not the first time photos of women's events appeared in the press without showing any women. Social media activists highlight such issues through Twitter and Facebook inviting unnecessary attention of foreign media. For about half a century, various public media outlets in the Kingdom such as newspapers, radio and television followed certain principles, although they were not part of any written law. Television had its own rules and conventions while radio followed another set of principles. Newspapers and magazines had different rules and etiquette. The Saudi press has passed through various phases. Some of the newspapers were registered abroad but printed and distributed their copies in the Kingdom. Let us discuss the development of Saudi media since the 1960s. The introduction of television was the most difficult stage. I have personally heard about it from then Information Minister Jameel Al-Hujailan, who played a significant role in bringing about that transformation. The arrival of television in the 1960s and 1970s has played a big role in social transformation, as Saudis were able to watch with their own eyes what was going on in the outside world. Then came the age of satellite channels, completing this transformation. Even before the satellite revolution, there had been some kind of openness in TV programs such as talk shows, serials, dramas and musical events produced by some Arab countries where women enjoyed greater freedom because society held liberal views about their appearance in the media. There had been some generally accepted principles about women's appearance in the media. However, Saudi Arabia had strict rules with regard to this even though female presenters appeared on children's programs such as Wafa and Dunya Bakr Younus at a later stage. Saudi newspapers did not publish women's photos in those days. Even if a female writer wanted her photo to appear in print, the publishers and editors would not approve of it. This had nothing to do with the awakening because it remained the same before and after it. Newspapers did not print women's photos to avoid criticism from religious circles. Television did not face this problem because most clerics did not watch them. By the late 1970s, some Saudi magazines started publishing color pictures of women in advertisements of household appliances, such as washing machines. This approach continued until the early 1980s. The appearance of women in the press started declining during the time of the awakening, which emphasized the need to restore some of the restrictions imposed by the religious authority. In the meantime, people continued to watch videos and read fashion magazines that were full of women's pictures that. They came from both east and west and were freely available in all supermarkets. The transformation was very gradual on Saudi Television as it rarely used women's photos in the initial years. At the same time, Egyptian, Kuwaiti and Jordanian dramas and soap operas continued to appear. Historical TV serials were very popular those days. Women used to appear in serials about Bedouin life, which had got a lot of fans even during the peak of the awakening. And videos of Arab movies became widely available. The Sayyidaty magazine brought about a revolution by discussing sensitive women's issues. But even then, it kept away from publishing Saudi women's pictures. From this historical narration we can clearly understand that publishing women's photos was a taboo in the Saudi press for a long time. In the late 1980s and 1990s women's photos rarely appeared in the press, even in advertisements. Women columnists continued their writings in newspapers and magazines without having their photos printed alongside. Some of them put the famous rose in place of the photos. After 2000, things changed with the rapid flow of information and newspapers started publishing photos of Saudi women, including their participation in World Cup matches in support of the Saudi team. Some newspapers carried photos of Saudi women spectators at stadiums almost daily, even though it was not necessary. Photos of women columnists and writer started to appear in print while women began working as television anchors and talk show hosts. Social media also started circulating photos of Saudi women. As a result of these developments, the official ban on publishing women's photos became defunct. Women have now been given the choice of wanting to be photographed or not while participating in conferences and meetings. The appearance of women's photos in newspapers has become a personal choice for women depending on their social situation and religious views. We can see some social activists who do not wish to publish their photos on Twitter and other media networks. This means the official ban on publishing women's photos has been virtually lifted and only social and religious taboos remain.
