http://thepomoblog.com/index.php/al-jazeera-move-will-challenge-our-beliefs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=al-jazeera-move-will-challenge-our-beliefs Local Media in a Postmodern World Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:19:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://thepomoblog.com/index.php/al-jazeera-move-will-challenge-our-beliefs/#comment-5494 Ron Stitt Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:52:25 +0000 http://thepomoblog.com/?p=4376#comment-5494 Yeah, if only Israel hadn’t been created in 1948, the Arab world would be nothing but peace, harmony and prosperity.…I’ll point out this is sarcasm for the truly naive out there. That (only tangentially relevant and frankly distracting) issue aside, I agree with you. I’ve seen Al Jazeera English in Europe and it’s definitely worth watching..in-depth, global coverage. They’re also great innovators on new technologies for TV journalism, and use of social media. We can’t just watch stuff we “like”…or even just stuff we always agree with. Besides, Al Jazeera English is not the same content as Al Jazeera Arabic. Why? Well, you can think about that as you watch it…but assuming it’s some kind of “camel’s nose under the tent” or something strikes me as paranoid. I’m convinced a lot of the commentators/critics I’m seeing have never actually watched the channel.

]]> http://thepomoblog.com/index.php/al-jazeera-move-will-challenge-our-beliefs/#comment-5489 pj Sat, 05 Jan 2013 21:23:19 +0000 http://thepomoblog.com/?p=4376#comment-5489 well, first off i’ll fully admit that, as a well-informed, avid consumer of news and a seeker of relevant, objective truth, i do not have a thorough knowledge of al-jazeera, so i understand that my objections to the network may be somewhat misplaced…
that being said…
in one sense i am happy that they want to the purchase the network not to re-create ‘current tv’ but rather to simply use the space/distribution to establish a u.s. presence for their network. so that’s fine, let them go for it. i’m pleased about that primarily because i LOVED the original iteration of ‘current’ when it was designed by and for a specific crowd: independent-minded individuals with a creative spirit who were part of a generally non-mainstream, perhaps more underground/alternative culture and sensibility. i also liked the second iteration (tho not that it replaced the first) as i appreciated its political leanings,yet addressed issues with truth and accuracy. so in that sense, at least ‘current’ isn’t going to be re-made yet again.
however, my general objections to al-jazeera come from my first experience with what that network represented: pretty much the first time everyone heard of them and/or observed their work was immediately after 9/11, and the ensuing days, months, etc. when quite frankly the network appeared to be a giant cheering section for those who committed the atrocities. their coverage was unmistakably directed with an antagonism toward the u.s… was pretty pathetic to watch.
now, as i said, i’ve not followed the network in the years since. perhaps they have moved into coverage with greater integrity, less bias, and are no longer anti-american. i don’t know, i hope so.
still, based on my earlier memories, i dislike the concept of al-jazeera in exactly the same way that i disdain everything that fox ‘news’ stands for: bias, deceit, ideologically driven coverage.
now, if al-jazeera has mended its ways, then i’d be receptive to checking it out. fox has maintained its horrible practices tho, so i’m not sure if any outlet based on somewhat fanatic ideology can truly change. let’s hope so; one fox ‘news’ type entity is more than enough.

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