Al-Jazeera translates to "the island" in Arabic. And, in its rise as a voice for Arabs all over the world, it has certainly isolated itself in a sea of controversy. Mohammed El-Nawawy and Adel Iskandar take their readers through the turbulent journey of press freedom in an often misunderstood region to explain why Arab television viewers are switching on to Al-Jazeera in droves.
Reasons for Al-Jazeera's Popularity
Since its inception in 1996, Al-Jazeera has motivated millions of viewers in the Arab world, and in many Western countries, to buy satellite dishes to watch its programming. This little known network in a little known country became a household name when they found themselves as the only broadcasters to report on the beginning of the war in Afghanistan in October, 2001. But the biggest scoop was a tape they received with messages from Bin-Laden claiming responsibility for the attacks on 9/11. Millions of people all over the world watched that broadcast and wondered what the heck "Al-Jazeera" in the bottom of the corner had to do with anything. And now Al-Jazeera is a household name.
This growing popularity is attributed to:
- A diverse staff from different countries that help establish a pan-Arab identity
- Majority of Arab audiences appear to desire objective news coverage
- Studio debates have given a voice to marginalized and suppressed populations
- Broadcasts major events live from the scene
Al-Jazeera and Qatar
The authors claim that one cannot understand Al-Jazeera without also understanding its home, Qatar. The democratization of Qatar, led by the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, is a revolution. Despite the fact that there is still a long road ahead, the Emir is making good on his promise of greater democracy that he made when coming into power.
The book quotes him, "We have simply got to reform ourselves. We're living in a modern age. People log on to the Internet, they watch cable TV. You cannot isolate yourself in today's world...in a tribal country like Qatar, however, it could take time for everyone accept what we've done. But change, more change, is coming."
Al-Jazeera's Relationship With the World
According to the book, hardly a day goes by without leaders from an Arab state complaining about Al-Jazeera's choice of news coverage. There seems to be never-ending cycle of bureau closures, demands for apologies, ambassador recalls and journalist expulsions. One can almost picture the scene, in classic Seinfeld-esque fashion, as Qatari administrators report that Al-Jazeera is once again making trouble.
Emir Steinbrenner of Qatar: "What, what now? Which country? EGYPT? Oh no...not Saudi! Did you tell them that we are the government, and the station is independent from us? Tell them the usual freedom of the press line! No...wait....give in to all their demands!"
The network has been accused of all forms of transgressions by the U.S., Egypt, Jordan, Saudi, Kuwait, and other neighbours. The book provides an engaging and eye-opening chronology of these events and the diplomatic challenges that both Al-Jazeera and Qatar have overcome to pursue credible, un-biased journalism in the region.
Final Thoughts and Updates
The authors clearly believe that Al-Jazeera is the Arab world's answer to the urgent need for a free channel. However, they do make some criticisms:
- A glaring flaw is to be found in the lack of coverage of its host country, Qatar
- It relies on radically antagonistic perspectives more than moderate ones
- It uses highly charged jargon
The authors also criticize Al-Jazeera for broadcasting exclusively in Arabic. However, since the book's publication, Al-Jazeera English was launched becoming the first English-language news channel headquartered in the Middle East. According to Wikipedia, Molly Conroy, a spokeswoman for the network in Washington reports that, as of 2009, Al Jazeera's English-language service can be viewed in every major European market, and is available to 130 million homes in over 100 countries via cable and satellite.
About the Authors
Mohammed El-Nawawy is a Knight-Crane endowed chair and assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte. He is the senior editor for the Journal of Middle East Media and an ex-officio board member on the Arab-U.S. Association for Communication Educators.
Dr Adel Iskandar is a Middle East media scholar and activist who is having a major impact in the interdisciplinary study of international communication, global media, multicultural studies and postcolonialism.Adel works in the School of International Service, American University, Washington.
Al-Jazeera: How the Free Arab News Network Scooped the World and Changed the Middle East was published in 2002; Westview Press, ISBN-0-8133-4017-9.
For more J-School recommended reading reviews see:
Compassion Fatigue, by Susan D. Moeller
The Global Journalist, by Philip Seib
The Universal Journalist, 3rd edition, by David Randall
Reporting War, edited by Zelizer and Allan
International News Reporting: Frontlines and Deadlines, edited by Owen and Purdey
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