Al Jazeera: Free And Controversial

"What's the use of freedom if you only use it in comfort and not in crisis?" That's the response the chairman of Al Jazeera television has for all those who claim that his is "a nasty little propaganda channel" serving as "bin Laden's loudspeaker." Yet, to an estimated 30 to 50 million Arabs Al Jazeera is, in the words of the Christian Science Monitor, "an oasis of free speech in a region dominated by government censors."

Al Jazeera owes its existence to the emir of Qatar, a tiny country of 610,000 on a peninsula jutting into the Persian Gulf. He had the courage to defy the region's censorship plague with a $150 million grant to get a venture in free journalism started. Gradually, it is to become self-sufficient through advertising and subscription fees.

Commencing broadcasting in 1996, Al Jazeera ("The Island" in Arabic) never seemed to sway far from its motto: "The opinion, and the other opinion." "Why do we have to take sides?' chief editor Ibrahim Hilal asked. When the station gave Saddam Hussein and bin Laden airtime, it was severely denounced, but nobody seem to have complained about Al Jazeera's interviews with Prime Minister Blair, Secretary of State Powell, and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. It is well known that the editors would love to present President Bush to their audience.

The most insistent critics of the station are the neighboring Arab governments, particularly Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, and Egypt, and, ironically, the governments of the United States and Britain. The Arab rulers hate to have scandals brought to light. The U.S. and Britain don't want Arabs to see videos of Osama bin Laden justifying the 9/11 terrorist attacks and calling for more death-defying jihadists.

Shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the New York Stock Exchange banned Al Jazeera reporters from its trading floor for "security reasons." In April 2003, Al Jazeera's office in Baghdad came under American attack, killing one of its reporters.

The airing of the anti-occupation violence, statements by terrorists, and tapes showing pleas from kidnapping victims strained Al Jezeera's relations with Iraqi and U.S. occupation authorities to the breaking point. Last August 7, the Allawi government shut down Al Jazeera's Iraq office, first for one month and then indefinitely.

Yet, last Sunday, Al Jazeera's main story from Iraq was not the violence but the elections. Since its reporters are not allowed to operate in Iraq, the editors obtained coverage from freelance and other news agencies' reporters.

Anybody with first-hand experience in the Middle East knows that the people on the street are hungry for uncensored reporting. That's why they are eagerly watching Al Jazeera. Now comes the news that the Bush administration is pressuring the Qatari government, which also hosts a large American military base, to shut Al Jazeera down. One can think of few American moves that would more enrage the millions who depend on Al Jazeera for uncensored programming.

The New York Times quoted a typical reaction of an Arab diplomat: "It's completely two-faced for the United States to try to muzzle the one network with the most credibility in the Middle East, even if it does sometimes say things that are wrong. The administration should be working with Al Jazeera and putting people on the air."

Al Hurra, the Arabic-language television network the State Department started two years ago has not succeeded in making inroads on Al Jazeera's domination of the media market in the Middle East. "We understand that Americans are not happy with our editorial policies," Al Jazeera's news editor commented. "But if anyone wants to become their mouthpiece, we will not do that. We are independent and impartial, and we have never gotten any pressure from the Qatari government to change our editorial approach."

The lesson is clear for Messrs. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld: You cannot have a free society anywhere if your estrict the freedom of its media.

Wolf D. Fuhrig	Home	02-06-05
Al Jazeera: Free And Controversial
"What's the use of freedom if you only use it in comfort and not in crisis?" That's the response the chairman of Al Jazeera television has for all those who claim that his is "a nasty little propaganda channel" serving as "bin Laden's loudspeaker." Yet, to an estimated 30 to 50 million Arabs Al Jazeera is, in the words of the Christian Science Monitor, "an oasis of free speech in a region dominated by government censors." Al Jazeera owes its existence to the emir of Qatar, a tiny country of 610,000 on a peninsula jutting into the Persian Gulf. He had the courage to defy the region's censorship plague with a $150 million grant to get a venture in free journalism started. Gradually, it is to become self-sufficient through advertising and subscription fees. Commencing broadcasting in 1996, Al Jazeera ("The Island" in Arabic) never seemed to sway far from its motto: "The opinion, and the other opinion." "Why do we have to take sides?' chief editor Ibrahim Hilal asked. When the station gave Saddam Hussein and bin Laden airtime, it was severely denounced, but nobody seem to have complained about Al Jazeera's interviews with Prime Minister Blair, Secretary of State Powell, and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. It is well known that the editors would love to present President Bush to their audience. The most insistent critics of the station are the neighboring Arab governments, particularly Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, and Egypt, and, ironically, the governments of the United States and Britain. The Arab rulers hate to have scandals brought to light. The U.S. and Britain don't want Arabs to see videos of Osama bin Laden justifying the 9/11 terrorist attacks and calling for more death-defying jihadists. Shortly before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the New York Stock Exchange banned Al Jazeera reporters from its trading floor for "security reasons." In April 2003, Al Jazeera's office in Baghdad came under American attack, killing one of its reporters. The airing of the anti-occupation violence, statements by terrorists, and tapes showing pleas from kidnapping victims strained Al Jezeera's relations with Iraqi and U.S. occupation authorities to the breaking point. Last August 7, the Allawi government shut down Al Jazeera's Iraq office, first for one month and then indefinitely. Yet, last Sunday, Al Jazeera's main story from Iraq was not the violence but the elections. Since its reporters are not allowed to operate in Iraq, the editors obtained coverage from freelance and other news agencies' reporters. Anybody with first-hand experience in the Middle East knows that the people on the street are hungry for uncensored reporting. That's why they are eagerly watching Al Jazeera. Now comes the news that the Bush administration is pressuring the Qatari government, which also hosts a large American military base, to shut Al Jazeera down. One can think of few American moves that would more enrage the millions who depend on Al Jazeera for uncensored programming. The New York Times quoted a typical reaction of an Arab diplomat: "It's completely two-faced for the United States to try to muzzle the one network with the most credibility in the Middle East, even if it does sometimes say things that are wrong. The administration should be working with Al Jazeera and putting people on the air." Al Hurra, the Arabic-language television network the State Department started two years ago has not succeeded in making inroads on Al Jazeera's domination of the media market in the Middle East. "We understand that Americans are not happy with our editorial policies," Al Jazeera's news editor commented. "But if anyone wants to become their mouthpiece, we will not do that. We are independent and impartial, and we have never gotten any pressure from the Qatari government to change our editorial approach." The lesson is clear for Messrs. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld: You cannot have a free society anywhere if your estrict the freedom of its media.

Wolf D. Fuhrig

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02-06-05

Al Jazeera: Free And Controversial