The Golden Age of Media
I do not believe, based on what we see today in the state and level of media, cultural, and literary activity in our country, and the regrettable absence—not to mention decline—in all aspects of these fields. We were once at the forefront of the countries in the region, let alone some Arab countries that still stagnate on a media platform that yields neither nourishment nor benefit. Anyone who reflects on the state of plays, television series, literary and artistic activity, and our cultural scene today, compared to its golden age when Kuwait was unrivaled, will feel bitterness, regret, and sorrow for that era in which we reaped regional acclaim in the fields of media, art, culture, and literature.
All those diverse media creations of that time did not come out of nowhere. Rather, behind the helm of that media ship stood a minister who understood how to handle and mobilize media to reach the audience, listeners, writers, and intellectuals. That was the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali, may God have mercy on him. He was appointed Minister of Information and Guidance (known by its old name) from the Ministry of Electricity and Water in the cabinet reshuffle that saw the Second Cabinet on March 13, 1964. He later became the first Deputy Prime Minister in the Ninth Cabinet in June 1976.
From the moment he entered the media field, may God rest his soul, he recognized the role of media, cultural, and literary mediums. He opened the doors to high-quality artistic creation through valuable television series. “Darb Al-Zalaq” stands as a witness to that golden age, encouraging theater and its artists at the time with meaningful plays, such as “I Lived and I Saw” (1964), “Casino Umm Anbar” (1966), and “Kuwait Year 2000,” among other plays that attracted audiences.
In addition, he supported pages of Kuwait’s history, which the late Saif Al-Shamlan produced and presented, preserving many aspects of Kuwait’s history and recordings of various naval bands. This was in addition to summer tourism promotion and recordings of songs by veteran singers such as Abdul Latif, Mahmoud Al-Kuwaiti, Awad Al-Duwaikhi, Shadi Al-Khalij, and others.
We must not forget his role in establishing the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), organizing cultural weeks abroad, and even selecting announcers for the radio and later for television. All these media milestones, which still remain before us from time to time, represent a golden age whose roots were planted by the late Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali. One can say he was the founding father of that era, an era whose return we wish for in today’s media. However, the situation is impossible when we see our current media landscape—television, radio, plays, series, historical programs, and the level of some announcers, at least. May God have mercy on Abu Ali. He was not academically qualified, but he combined administration with the role of media and encouragement of those working in the field, achieving the success we long for today.
The budget of the “Information and Guidance” Ministry during Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali’s tenure, may God have mercy on him, did not stand as an obstacle to his successful media aspirations, because he understood that success requires funding, so he placed it at the service of media through encouragement, follow-up, and achievement.
Today, there is not even a mention of the television band. May God have mercy on Mohammed Al-Sanousi, who was behind it; it has vanished today, as if we hate every success... Long may you live.
Yousef Al-Shaheen
