The role of media in United Arab Emirates public policy making

Abstract

This Paper connects theories of political communication, public relations and international relations to conceptualize a new model of Public Policy, where boundaries between distinct types of actors are drawn. It proposes an ecological model and a competition model of Public Policy. Based on these conceptual models, it empirically supports the academic rationalization of governmental interference in foreign media effects among its domestic citizens: Using a quota sample of 560 survey respondent from United Arab Emirates, the empirical part of the paper illustrated: 1. Governmental control on foreign media accessibility has significant effects on perceived media credibility and thus dependency on it; 2. Availability of domestic media resource negatively impacts dependency on foreign media; and 3. Foreign media and domestic media, as currently conceptualized, have distinct effects on the psychological activeness of UAE citizen to speak out against social issues.