Dubai Media Observer: Mirror Mirror on the IT Department Wall

Monday, 16 April 2007

Mirror Mirror on the IT Department Wall

ET hacks: all your computers are mirrored. And you didn't hear it from us. xxx

21 comments:

Anonymous said...: Freedom of the media - errrr.; 16 April, 2007 22:52
Anonymous said...: And they also contain automatic filters so that no matter what they write in a story it comes out the other end saying: "Dubai is a faultless land where everyone is treated completely fairly by the great, visionary rulers who do wrong."

Let's be honest, what is big brother going to do if they do detect things they don't like when tracking people's computers? Sack them all? It's already got virtually a completely new set of staff from launch date because any journalist with integrity quickly heads for the revolving door when they realise what they've landed themselves with.

It's hard to think of a more soul-destroying place to work than one in which you're churning out Lah-Lah Land crap all day long and filtering out anything remotely critical.

Incidentally, does anyone actually see any circulation figures because it's hard to see many people shelling out hard-earned cash on this dross?; 17 April, 2007 00:45
Anonymous said...: And Etisalat's recording all your phone calls - even the mobiles, and teams of highly trained multi-lingual super spies analyse them 24/7 because what we've all got to say is so seditious and so dangerous.; 17 April, 2007 07:19
Anonymous said...: ET sells 350 copies a day. Yes, really.; 17 April, 2007 09:59
Anonymous said...: You serious on those sales figures? Sounds about right.
Has anyone seen it today? How big was the coverage on the wafi thing (cos yesterday it was a par buried somewhere on the inside)?; 17 April, 2007 11:18
Anonymous said...: Someone's having a laugh with that sales figure... SURELY. No-one could sustain a weekly ciculation of 2,450 even if it is doing a first-rate job in peddling the government line and never rocking the establishment boat.

As for tracking PCs. I think it's a great way of getting a really honest staff survey result and finding out what they really think. If you forget the privacy side of things, there'll be some truly honest comments pinging about on emails from staff about what it's really like working on ET and what some of the over-promoted cerebrally-challenged bosses are like to deal with.

Incidentally, I hear that they give this site some close attention too. Big brother is watching YOU too.; 17 April, 2007 13:03
secretdubai said...: According to my sources ET pretty much accepts that it is a free paper, but maintains the cover price so it can describe itself as a paid newspaper. It knows its circulation is 99% unpaid but doesn't care. However there is a possibility they will drop the cover price in the near future and go all out as a free mag.; 17 April, 2007 14:20
Anonymous said...: Does anyone have an idea on ad revenue figures for ET?; 17 April, 2007 15:21
Anonymous said...: 'Grow it like Eudore's: the truth uncovered' sold 8.36578 million copies in Satwa alone.; 17 April, 2007 18:25
Anonymous said...: They wouldn't have to hear it from anyone - anyone with half a brain in the place knows that (half a brain and working for ET? Ah, make your own jokes).

The IT 'techs' (one overworked wonder kid and three extras from the Indian version of Last Of The Summer Wine) regularly take over the desktops from the comfort of their pit. Emails are monitored, as are phone calls - and have been since Leavy was there. One hack told me he actually heard Leavy et al listening to a call, and another was caught out when she tried to make a crafty call home ('for God's sake, help me, get me out, send the Red Cross...').

Did you, them or anyone really expect any different?; 17 April, 2007 18:33
Anonymous said...: From AME Info: "Around 40% of the Internet is blocked in the UAE, among the highest in the world, according to Arab Media Group head Abdullatif Al Sayegh. He told delegates at a conference titled Emirates Media Freedom that the solution to what children see should be through education at home, not by monitoring published material, Emirates Today reports."

Shame Emirates Today doesn't give grown-ups the same rights.....; 17 April, 2007 18:51
Anonymous said...: Does this mean I'm in deep shit being logged onto to Dubai Media Observer as the considerable backdraft from a passing giant Tash catches me????

My story's already sorted... I'm merely monotoring this nasty, backbiting collection of journos who spend all their day slagging off Dubai's number one oracle!!; 17 April, 2007 19:16
Anonymous said...: By the way, I threw in "monotoring" so you would all know I was telling the truth about where I was based.; 17 April, 2007 20:29
Anonymous said...: Eudore Chand sacked from business desk at Gulf News for incompetence - snapped up by Emirates Today - the blind leading the blind - keep up the good work ET as it makes me laugh out loud it is so bad; 17 April, 2007 23:25
Anonymous said...: Isn't Frank Kane at AMG now? I guess after sitting out what seems like forever waiting for ITP to launch Arabian Business Standard, any hole's a goal ... what's he doing at AMG? From business editor at The Observer to AMG.; 18 April, 2007 09:25
Anonymous said...: Is that the same Frank Kane that promised to bring "genuine western editorial standards of editorial principles, value judgments and news reporting standards" to Dubai?; 18 April, 2007 09:35
Anonymous said...: The very same Frank Kane! Pompous twat. Or, Kane-o, make me eat my words and bring us desperate UAE hacks those fabled 'western standards' of journalism! Through AMG! We're all waiting...

We are all scum and nothing without your counsel.

Teach us.; 19 April, 2007 22:08
Dubai Media Observer said...: There's nothing unusual about a company keeping track of what their employees do on company property (computers, phones, etc.)

I find it rather arrogant to even think that they shouldn't, be it AMG or any other entity. If they pay your salary and own the equipment, they can monitor it in any way they please.; 21 April, 2007 20:00
Anonymous said...: Is it true that 'Frank Kane' is known as 'Kranky Co-Kane' to his mates back in London?....Anyone had a sniff of that rumour?; 01 May, 2007 12:50
Anonymous said...: Ab-Dull-atif alsayegh is a complete megalomaniac. He studied at a 4th rate US college - only one that would have him and then worked for a 'few weeks' as a gofer on an unrated US radio station, before returning to the UAE - presumably rubbish at his job in the US - to reinvent himself as a media leader.
What a joke. First he screams and shouts insults that get the Editors banned on his on radio station - because, oooh, it dared to ask serious questions and discuss real issues. Then he bleats on about how 7days is disrespectful to the UAE - only in Dubai could such a loser reach such heights. he has absolutely no vision, no ideas, no insight to further the cause of either his industry or his nation - and should really be told to stay quiet or go into another career.

Surely his days are numbered as a media boss. If Emirates airline or Jumeraih hotels was run with the same utter lack of vision as he runs his products, no one would fly in the planes or stay in the house - AlSayegh MUST learn what media is about if he is to survive.; 01 May, 2007 12:57
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