The al-Jazeera Effect
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If anyone is interested, you can hear my interview with Radio Open Source on tonight show, The al-Jazeera Effect. The show will be on air at midnight GMT, which is too late for me to be on live (3:00 am - local Bahrain time).
My host - Chris Lydon - had very smart and open questions for me. All was about Aljazeera TV channel (Arabic and coming International), Al Arabiya channel, Al Hurra, Arab media and the effect of all of that on Arabia as well the expected effect of Aljazeera Int’l on the American street.
We also talked about democracy in this part of the world, and if Aljazeera played any part in the reforms taking place here, how and if it was good. Also we discussed blogging and the new citizen media, why and what we (Arab bloggers) talk about, as well how I see the future of this type of media affecting our daily life and if we are succeeding in building bridges with the West.
Anyway, what you will hear is just my personal opinion, with all the pros and cons that I see in our media and its effect. Also, I believe that Marc Lynch (a.k.a. Abu Aardvark) will be live in the show. I’m looking forward to hear his thoughts and views. We meet at Qatar a week ago during 2nd Aljazeera Forum, but didn’t have the time to set and talk with him. I’m sure he has a very interesting opinion about our media. Will be looking forward to hear the complete interview from Radio Open Source archive tomorrow, at which time I’ll post a link for the same if you happen to be interested to hear the interview but could not catch up with the live show like me.
This actually reminds me of my last Friday interview with WMNF Radio at Florida. Hosted by Samar Jarrah and Ahmed Bedier on the True Talk show (sound media file) , with Rabia from CAIR as a guest at one side and I as the other guest; I had one of the best interviews where we discussed the infamous Danish cartoons issue and its up to date reflection in the Arab/Muslim world. The most interesting part was to answer the questions of anon callers from all around U.S.
My conclusion was that we have a very long rocky road to go if we really aim to build-bridges with the West. The callers were all smart and open, but all knows nothing about Islam and Prophet Mohammad. Do I blame them? Differentially not. On the other hand, they were open and very understanding for our issues and take on the subject.
Listen to True Talk show here.
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I think I should start archiving all my interviews and run a podcast soon 
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4 Comments on “The al-Jazeera Effect”
False. Aljazeera with its ten years experience is now a role model, not only in the region, but worldwide.
The staff is some of the best, they started Aljazeera with a team who all came from BBC. All of them are knowledgeable and very well known and respected. Not a single journalist was ever criticized for lack of knowledge or resources. In fact, Aljazeera was and still is the main resource for fair perspective. It’s enough to watch a program like the “opposite direction”, or “open platform” or any other show and watch the vast and different opinions.
The Aljazeera effect teaches the media worldwide how and what they should do to be fair and gives the audience the choice of all spectrum colors. Unlike CNN, Fox, etc…
Unlike Al-Arabiya, which is part of the Saudi media network. You just don’t miss to notice that their perspective is nothing more than the Saudi agenda, with all the pro-American analysis and reports which adds nothing to the elite audience but to present what the White House has for us.
It’s enough that Aljazeera has opened a windows for voices of the street. Maybe not covering all the stories that should be covered, but still has done more than any other news channel ever did, at least for Arab media.
Opps.. the critics
Well, I’m not sure whom he is talking about. But I guess he means the American media/admin.
Well, I would say, yes and no.
No, they don’t lack knowledge and resources, they always had representatives in this part of the world, yet, yes don’t give fair perspective of the network. I believe they learned and witnessed the power and danger that Aljazeera has on their version of the stories and the way it is represented to Arabs (as well West), therefore, they decided to paint it black, and try all their best to compete with Aljazeera; starting with Al Arabiya, and end with Al Hurra.
Had Aljazeera not been threat to their story, they would not have invented millions to start al Hurra, and they would not have thought to bomb Aljazeera. Although they claim and advocate for freedom of expression, but that freedom is the one that match their’s only. Don’t we all remember Bush words: “If you are not with us, you are against us”, period.
Therefore, I’m very confident that they are knowledgeable enough, but they are far from being fair. Fairness does not match their agenda!
fair enuff..thank you!