Words from the Arab street

The BBC, as usual the most reliable conduit of non-Western views:

Arab youth revel in pop revolution: Rotana's marketing manager, Hady Hajjar, describes the company's vision from the top of a tower that looks across downtown Beirut - much of which is currently occupied by supporters of Hezbollah, who present a sharp contrast to the music videos' parade of flirtatious, scantily-clad singers.

"Let's not judge on terrorists, let's not judge on wars. Let's judge on cultural thinking. Let's judge on accomplishments," he says. ...

Rotana makes much of its money through the constant stream of mobile phone messages from its young viewers that runs along the bottom of the screen.

Habib Battah says the messages are much more than simply a way to make money.

"There's a real frustration in the Middle East among young people, and this is a way for them to kind of escape their family structure - of dating, of arranged marriages etc - and actually meet people in different countries - young people - and connect with them.

"And there is a big desire, a big thirst for that forum. And so right now that's what's happening with music in the Middle East - it's being used as a way to connect young people." ...

Looking at the apparent freedom and openness of the women in the latest videos, some in the West see them as a sign that the old Middle East of authoritarian leaders and ideological intransigence is changing.

But Mr Battah feels that this is going too far.

"There is a misconception in the West that reality TV and pop music means that the Middle East is becoming more democratic. But, you know, voting for a superstar is not the same as voting for an election."