I would argue that cultural sovereignty in Qatar is largely held by the government. According to Reuters writer Tom Finn, “Freedom of expression is tightly controlled in Qatar with self-censorship prevalent among national newspapers and other media outlets. The gas-rich state has faced increased international scrutiny over alleged corruption and labor abuse as it prepares to host the 2022 soccer World Cup.” 5 Doha is a media hub, and a lot of original content is produced, but even globally acclaimed media organizations like Al Jazeera have been accused of being a puppet of the Emir. The American Embassy in Doha has stated that Al Jazeera’s reporting is “A useful tool for the station’s political masters."6 While the Arab Spring was brewing, 2010 ambassador to Qatar Joseph LeBaron claimed that “Despite GOQ [Government of Qatar] protestations to the contrary, al-Jazeera remains one of Qatar’s most valuable political and diplomatic tools." 7

 

“In 2010 WikiLeaks exposed a memo sent by the U.S. ambassador to Qatar, in which he called the station ‘a diplomatic tool for its Qatari sponsors’ (Lebron, 2009). In this document, Ambassador Joseph Lebron accused Al-Jazeera of deliberately toning down criticism." 8 According to Reporters Without Borders, “Qatar’s outspoken TV channel, Al-Jazeera, has transformed the media landscape in the rest of the Arab world but ignores what happens in Qatar itself.” 9

 

 Al Jazeera denied this claim, saying “This is the US embassy’s assessment, and it is very far from the truth. Despite all the pressure Al Jazeera has been subjected to by regional and international governments, it has never changed its bold editorial policies, which remain guided by the principles of a free press." 10

 

Qatar is proud to have Al Jazeera and Doha News, which provide extensive coverage on the wider Middle East and North Africa region and the world, but incidents like these indicate that the government may have significant influence on how issues are framed. “Al Jazeera tends not to criticize the hand that feeds it,” said Mackey in an interview. In December 2016, Doha News reported being censored by the Qatari government. "We can only conclude that our website has been deliberately targeted and blocked by Qatar authorities," Doha News told Reuters, "We are incredibly disappointed with this decision, which appears to be an act of censorship.” 11 In this sense, the Qatari government has ultimate cultural sovereignty in Qatar because it has this power to ultimately sway public opinion, culture, and what the public sees through control of the media.