Salon.com > Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera: The most-feared news network

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

The Arab media explosion that recently has culminated in uprisings across the region springs from two interrelated sources: the growth of satellite television and the affordability of the receivers to the Arab masses, and the common language that Arabs share across state boundaries. Arabic unified a media market of some 350 million people in twenty-two countries and beyond.

Even before television, in the 1950s and 1960s there had been a dramatic increase in radio usage across the Arab world, especially after the rise of transistor and short-wave radios and their availability to the masses. The most striking and influential example was Sawt al-Arab Radio (“Voice of the Arabs”), sponsored by Egypt to spread Nasser’s Pan-Arabist message in the 1950s and 1960s. This station was so popular across the region that it presented real challenges to Nasser’s political opponents among the conservative Arab rulers in places like Saudi Arabia and Jordan, who attempted to jam the broadcasts.

Gavin Newsom: We put a human face on same-sex marriage debate

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

The story in the New York Times carried the headline "Some Democrats Blame One of Their Own." As fingers were pointed following the reelection of George W. Bush in 2004, some Democrats wanted to blame the mayor of San Francisco for John Kerry's defeat.

By granting same-sex couples marriage certificates and celebrating thousands of gay marriages in City Hall, they argued, Gavin Newsom "played into President Bush's game plan by inviting a showdown on the divisive same-sex-marriage issue."

It wasn't just Southern Democrats with that opinion, either -- Newsom's critics included the likes of California Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank. But in less than eight years, gay marriage has gone from a wedge issue even some progressive-minded Democrats feared to commanding a plurality of support nationally. Newsom, once left for dead, is now the lieutenant governor of California.

Graham, Rubio will likely vote against Hagel

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:37:00 +0000

After grilling Chuck Hagel on his comments about the "Jewish lobby," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he will oppose Hagel's nomination to Defense Secretary. "It's not looking good," Graham told Foreign Policy. "I don't think he's been consistent over time on major issues."

Graham was just one of the Republican votes that Hagel lost during the hearing, which was often comabtive when it came time for Republicans to ask questions."I don't think he's going to be able the questions I'm going to have. I saw the hearing and I won't be able to support him," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is not on the committee, but said he reviewed what went on in the hearings.

"I have serious reservations about it," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D,, also told Foreign Policy. "I know Chuck. He's a good guy. I like him personally. But I have serious reservations about him becoming the secretary of defense."

Al Jazeera staffs up stateside

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 19:50:00 +0000

The Qatari news organization Al Jazeera has posted a number of job openings at its soon-to-launch Al Jazeera America channel (which is replacing Current TV on the cable systems that will still carry the channel, and whose Current takeover prompted the exit of several prominent news commentators). The U.S. channel, once fully staffed, will have a number of new hires, including sports producers, economic and science reporters, Web news and opinion editors, and interview producers for a series called "Inside Story America." Postings request that applicants share "passion and commitment to the Al Jazeera spirit of journalism."

A press representative for Al Jazeera America indicated the network is working quickly, as it hopes to bolster subscription revenues with an extensive reporting operation before the Current to Al Jazeera changeover. The network, for whom about 60 percent of programming will be original and 40 percent acquired from the Doha home office, aims at 10 bureaus across the nation, said the spokesman, though its publicly listed jobs currently are limited to New York and Washington.

Syrian university bombed, at least 52 dead

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:45:00 +0000

  Explosions at the University of Aleppo killed at least 52 people and wounded dozens on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported Reuters.

Syrian state television reported a "terrorist attack" near the university, which is government-run. It was the first day of exams, the state news agency reported.

Rebel activists, meanwhile, reported the explosions were caused by government forces, according to Al Jazeera.

The British-based human rights group posted to Facebook page earlier Tuesday:

Chomsky: Obama has no “moral center”

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:06:00 +0000

In an extensive interview with Al Jazeera, the political activist and linguist discusses the Tea Party, Israel and why America's rightward course can be reversed.

Watch:

Is Spitzer too opinionated for Al Jazeera?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 18:05:00 +0000

Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has left his nightly news show on Current TV in the wake of the network’s sale to Al Jazeera. The Qatari news network has been seeking an entry into the U.S. television market and will now be doing so without some of Current’s most well-known faces. Spitzer, former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom have all departed the network, though their shows will continue with substitute hosts for 90 days after the sale was finalized, indicated Stan Collender, an Al Jazeera spokesman. After that period has ended (a time during which the network hopes to find office space in New York and a network head), Al Jazeera English coverage of foreign news will air as the schedule is prepared for the network’s launch.

Not that there would necessarily have been a place for Current-style political commentary provocation at the new network, to be called Al Jazeera America. Spitzer indicated to the New York Times that he left the network because advocacy journalism wouldn’t be a fit going forward: “For me, journalism has been more a matter of projecting a particular approach to covering policies, to covering issues … And that doesn’t fit with their vision of what they are going to do.”

Eliot Spitzer leaves Current TV

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 21:20:00 +0000

Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is the latest to leave Current TV, after Al Gore and Joel Hyatt's network was sold to Qatar-owned Al Jazeera. Unlike Time Warner Cable, who dropped Current earlier this week, Spitzer's decision to quit hosting the network's show "Viewpoint" has nothing to do with ratings or any negative perception within the U.S. “I view Al Jazeera as a very serious journalistic outfit,” he said. “They have proven to observers around the world that they are serious and objective. They will have to, at a P.R. level, prove to the American public that that is the case. And I think that over time they will succeed at doing that.”

Instead, Spitzer insists that he's leaving because his goals don't fit with Al Jazeera's. “For me, journalism has been more a matter of projecting a particular approach to covering policies, to covering issues," he said. "It was a continuation of what I tried to do in government. And that doesn’t fit with their vision of what they are going to do.”

In the meantime, "Viewpoint" will be hosted by comedian John Fugelsang.

h/t The New York Times

Al Jazeera different than Fox?

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Qatari network Al Jazeera’s purchase of Al Gore’s Current news channel, revealed yesterday, has already hit a snag: Time Warner Cable promptly dropped Current, denying the forthcoming Al Jazeera America access to Time Warner subscribers.

Though the Time Warner decision had reportedly been threatened due to Current’s low ratings, there’s no denying that at least some segment of the U.S. viewing public has long harbored antipathy toward Al Jazeera. An editorial published today by Fox News runs through the talking points about the network it calls “anti-American terror mouthpiece Al Jazeera.” Among them: “Al Jazeera, known as the network of the Arab Street, is also known for taking anti-American, anti-Israel and pro-terror positions.”

Indian women segregated on public transportation

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:08:00 +0000

Safety while traveling in cities has been an especially stubborn obstacle for women in India, as an increasing number of them join the workforce and are out later at night.

But the brutal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a bus in Delhi on Dec. 16 has now thrown the issue of women's safety in India into sharp relief.

The victim, who passed away Saturday from injuries sustained during the assault, had boarded a privately operated bus with a mansaid to be her fiance.

The BBC had reported the vehicle was a "white line" bus, one of several services run by private operators to supplement the city's public bus network.

Time Warner drops Current after Al Jazeera deal

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:57:00 +0000

Al Jazeera this week purchased Al Gore's cable network Current TV in what the New York Times' Brian Stelter called "a coming of age moment" for the Qatar-funded network in the United States. By buying Current, Al Jazeera seemed set to establish itself in the U.S. after struggling for years to gain purchase in unreceptive markets outside of New York and Washington.

However, hours after the estimated $500 million deal was made, Time Warner Cable announced that it would no longer carry the Current channel, and thus Al Jazeera's new channel Al Jazeera America would not be distributed by the cable provider. Although the Current deal will still bring Al Jazeera into around 40 million American homes, the Time Warner move constituted a considerable blow for the globally respected network -- Time Warner Cable reaches 12 million homes.

As HuffPo's Michael Calderone reported:

Salon.com > Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera: The most-feared news network

Top 5 investigative videos of the week: Killing bin Laden

Top 5 investigative videos of the week: Stoned on the job

Gavin Newsom: We put a human face on same-sex marriage debate

Graham, Rubio will likely vote against Hagel

Al Jazeera staffs up stateside

Syrian university bombed, at least 52 dead

Chomsky: Obama has no “moral center”

Is Spitzer too opinionated for Al Jazeera?

Eliot Spitzer leaves Current TV

Al Jazeera different than Fox?

Indian women segregated on public transportation

Time Warner drops Current after Al Jazeera deal