Nilesat is the company that provides satellite TV services to Libya. Ghaddafi uses TV to spread his lies, propaganda and misinformation, which is a key weapon for him to maintain the level of support that he does command in sections of Libyan society. Without his TV, his support would be considerably less, perhaps to a critical degree.
We can contact Nilesat by email (the web form on Nilesat's site did not work for me).
The address is :
s.hamza@nilesat.com.eg
Here is a letter you can base your communication on:
Dear Salah Hamza
Ghaddafi has been declared illegitimate as a ruler by many institutions including the Arab League.
Libyan revolutionaries are calling for Ghaddafi's TV and radio broadcasts to be blocked.
s.hamza@nilesat.com.eg
This would be a highly effective measure. It might even be a game changer, leading to Ghaddafi's collapse.
He is deluded, and is using his broadcasts to spread his delusions, and to manipulate his supporters and the undecided to back him.
Without his supportive media, public opinion could ebb away from him.
I am asking you therefore to stop broadcasting services for Ghaddafi's regime.
Although this would mean a temporary loss of income for you, it would bring you huge gratitude and improvement in your brand recognition worldwide.
Please let me know what you think.
Thank you
After some consideration I have come to the conclusion that this is a good move.
ReplyDeleteWhere we see autocracy and dictatorship broadcasting a message - no alternative exists to provide a counter-argument.
As I said in a previous post, censorship is anti-democratic. After giving this some thought - Gaddafi is censoring media in his own country. In this I think stopping his broadcasts is a fair move.
Where are the rebels voices? Are they afforded transmission from a satellite connection? Would Gaddafi allow this if they could afford the transmission costs?
If the answer to this question is: The rebels are censored from delivering their message; then this is an action which is entirely justified and may prove, as you rightly state, to be a game changer.
Possibly chasing the satellite company to disconnect would be more effective than requesting it. Would this be part of NATO intervention? Surely it should be.