Last but not least: You speak Al Jazeera?
On Wednesday, Al Jazeera English went on the air with reports of missiles and suffering children, as well as images from Inside Iraq. The launch took place largely to the exclusion of the Western world public. Strange, actually.
On Wednesday, Al Jazeera English went on the air with reports of missiles and suffering children, as well as images from Inside Iraq. The launch took place largely to the exclusion of the Western world public. Strange, actually.
CNN's Arabic counterpart is considered highly controversial in the West as well as in some Arab states because of its often unsparing images and tendentious language. The accusation of propaganda has been confirmed rather than refuted on the English-language website launched three years ago. According to bloggers, the tone of Al Jazeera English, which has been on the air since this week, is also unusually sharp for Western ears, but quite factual. This should not come as a surprise, as Al Jazeera English had poached several reporters and moderators from competitors such as the BBC and CNN. Someone even writes that it is good to know that neither the usual PR censorship nor political correctness smoothes the information here.
But sometimes, as is well known, you are not allowed to decide for yourself what is good for you and what is not. For example, Al Jazeera's negotiations with U.S. cable providers failed almost across the board, so that the station started without a major U.S. provider and is therefore hardly received. In Switzerland, too, Al Jazeera English is only available on Naxooo's French cable service. Although press reports or even official statements on the reasons why this is the case are rare, it is hard to believe in a coincidence. In the fear reflex before Arab contents one places oneself in our culture rather times deaf and tries further the propaganda reproach, surely also, in order not to have to see oneself the eyes of others. It is easy to forget that CNN broadcast pictures of cheering Muslims after the New York attacks and that it later turned out that the recordings were already several years old.
Globally, things look better, according to the Arabic broadcaster: The station reaches more than 80 million households via cable or satellite. That's why Al Jazeera doesn't really care when Western media experts express the suspicion that the station serves opinions rather than educates. One can only wish that Al Jazeera's journalists keep a clear head and find the right words.
CNN's Arabic counterpart is considered highly controversial in the West as well as in some Arab states because of its often unsparing images and tendentious language. The accusation of propaganda has been confirmed rather than refuted on the English-language website launched three years ago. According to bloggers, the tone of Al Jazeera English, which has been on the air since this week, is also unusually sharp for Western ears, but quite factual. This should not come as a surprise, as Al Jazeera English had poached several reporters and moderators from competitors such as the BBC and CNN. Someone even writes that it is good to know that neither the usual PR censorship nor political correctness smoothes the information here.
But sometimes, as is well known, you are not allowed to decide for yourself what is good for you and what is not. For example, Al Jazeera's negotiations with U.S. cable providers failed almost across the board, so that the station started without a major U.S. provider and is therefore hardly received. In Switzerland, too, Al Jazeera English is only available on Naxooo's French cable service. Although press reports or even official statements on the reasons why this is the case are rare, it is hard to believe in a coincidence. In the fear reflex before Arab contents one places oneself in our culture rather times deaf and tries further the propaganda reproach, surely also, in order not to have to see oneself the eyes of others. It is easy to forget that CNN broadcast pictures of cheering Muslims after the New York attacks and that it later turned out that the recordings were already several years old.
Globally, things look better, according to the Arabic broadcaster: The station reaches more than 80 million households via cable or satellite. That's why Al Jazeera doesn't really care when Western media experts express the suspicion that the station serves opinions rather than educates. One can only wish that Al Jazeera's journalists keep a clear head and find the right words.
