

Demand Al Jazeera in the US - zyfo
http://english.aljazeera.net/demandaljazeera/

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tshtf
There's no need to demand AJE in the US, because AJE is handling new media
intelligently and is widely available. I can watch AJE on my PS3, computer, or
even my iPhone. They're one of the few networks in the world that supports
free and unlimited streaming options to all.

~~~
danssig
You bring up good points but there still is a need. There are plenty of people
who wont even consider news that isn't on TV. Having a mainstream channel that
disagrees with Fox _and_ CNN would be a great thing IMO.

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gigawatt
It wouldn't be considered mainstream by the people that would benefit most
from an expanded world view, it would just be considered terrorist.

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danssig
I'm not so sure. Of course some people are completely closed minded, but I
think there is still a lot of ignorance out there that can be cured. You
wouldn't know it staying on sites like this one but there are a lot of people
who's primary source of information is the TV and they'll probably give most
things they see on there a chance.

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ihumanable
I don't know about this, Al Jazeera still does competent boots on the ground
reporting. I'm pretty sure I want my newsmen to read me other people's twitter
posts and narrate YouTube videos.

Their business model of "investigating" and "journalistic integrity" has no
place in the American market.

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tzs
The BBC, CNN, the NYT, and many others do the same thing. AJE is about on par
with them.

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shii
If you really "demand" it, it's widely available...just not through your
typical cable company.

I get AJE plus a bevy of other Arabic channels with Dish Network's Arabic
Package[1], as well as via a settop box from Islambox[2] (not the best quality
streaming imo, but ymmv).

There's pretty clear instructions on how to get a crystal-sharp image for
really cheap via satellite[3] from AJE themselves.

If you do go the roll-your-own satellite route, you'll probably be surprised
to find _tons_ of other awesome news and entertainment channels floating out
there in the ether for free, all at virtually no cost other than initial
setup, and at hi-def quality.

[1]:
[http://www.dishnetwork.com/international/Arabic/default.aspx...](http://www.dishnetwork.com/international/Arabic/default.aspx?Region=middleeast&lang=Arabic)

[2]: <http://www.islambox.tv/tv-channels>

[3]:
[http://english.aljazeera.net/aboutus/2006/11/200852518552950...](http://english.aljazeera.net/aboutus/2006/11/200852518552950317.html)

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nhebb
I didn't get the sense that Al Jazeera was an unbiased news source after
reading David Marash's interview in the Columbia Journalism Review [1]. All
news sources have bias, but the way that Al Jazeera is being upheld as a
beacon of truth and light is a little disingenuous. I admit my own bias
against them for acting as the mouthpiece of bin Laden by airing his tapes. I
know there are those that feel this is a journalistic responsibility, but,
then again, I don't think the New York Times should have published the
Unabomber's letter either.

[1][http://www.cjr.org/the_water_cooler/dave_marash_why_i_quit.p...](http://www.cjr.org/the_water_cooler/dave_marash_why_i_quit.php?page=all)

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retube
> acting as the mouthpiece of bin Laden by airing his tapes

Why is airing his tapes acting as his mouthpiece? Every others station on
planet earth aired them to. It's the sodding news, and given that Bin Laden is
world enemy number 1 why on earth wouldn't they air his tapes?

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yummyfajitas
The common argument is that by airing the viewpoints of terrorists after
successful attacks, you give extremists an incentive to perform terrorist
attacks. I.e., if you pay for something (with money or airtime), you get more
of it. Thus, journalists have a responsibility not to do so.

I haven't thought this through enough to form an opinion, just thought the
argument is worth stating.

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rch
I learned more about the relevant participants in Egypt from watching Al
Jazeera on the net for 15 minutes than from weeks of US coverage.

How is the coverage of Japan though? The BBC is still my favorite for
international events.

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jswinghammer
I'm not sure there's any hope of that happening. If a company tried to offer
it even at a premium I'm sure it would turn into an issue of "Comcast/DirecTV
is siding with the terrorists!"

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nickolai
Such an argument could only come up on some simplistic and dramatically
uninformed media channel. One that no one would be using anyway. Oh wait...
forget what I just said.

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latch
I moved to asian from canada last summer, and the presence of Al Jazeera was a
little weird at first. It'll be up on TV, or people will be reading it on
their computers, you get over seeing it about the 3rd time.

My limited experience is that its pretty average news. I find the BBC (or the
CBC in Canada) to be considerably better with respect to seeming unbiased.. Al
Jazeera kinda feels CNN-ish. I'm curious if anyone with more exposure feels
the same? Also, CNN is still king for truly up to the minute breaking news.

I certainly think having a counter balance to Fox and CNN's right of center,
wouldn't hurt, and I think people should be allowed to watch what they want.
However, I'd be more inclined to petition to US government to mandate the BBC
be broadcast for free.

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JimmyMiller
CNN is right of center?

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bryanlarsen
Only Americans think that CNN isn't right of center. Many think the BBC is
fairly unbiased, and CNN is definitely well to the right of the BBC.

Another data point: the Democratic party would be considered a centre-right
party in most countries.

~~~
yummyfajitas
CNN international is also very different from CNN USA.

CNN international seems to be reading AP press releases. CNN USA is mostly
just anchors reading twitter, with the occasional story about how racist and
violent the tea party is.

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trickjarrett
Rather than demand this network, we should all demand the fixing of the dozen
news networks here in the US.

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chopsueyar
I demand à la carte cable/satellite pricing!

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michaelty
We can't have diversity in our media options, that would be too informative!

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saidulislam
Demand is too strong of a word here. America is the land of free thinking and
tolerance. People here, for the most part, appreciate and respect the
differences in opinions. If Al Jazeera wants to establish presence here, no
one would tell them to get out. In reality, this would be the best place for
any news organization.

~~~
idiopathic
They already have a presence in Washington, DC, and have invested heavily in
their newsdesk there. The problem is that no cable network will carry them,
even though plenty of people would want them carried.

From my time, I would say that America is _a_ land of free thinking and
tolerant people, but not _the_ land, and sadly not the land I had wanted it to
be. (Am an Arab who had long admired the USA.)

~~~
saidulislam
ok good to hear they already have presence. As for no cable network would
carry them is different thing. Sounds more like a business process, decision
or selling strategy that is probably not as stellar as we would like to see
from Al Jazira. If they have a good market, good news (which I am not
disagreeing) and good strategy and sales folks, I don't see any reason why
they won't be able to go thru any network. Do they give any reason or claim or
blame why they are not being carried by any cable/dish network? America is
free market economy. It is foolish to blame anyone or anything for someone's
failure. Maybe their strategy is wrong. Maybe their market research is wrong.
Maybe they are assuming a lot or maybe their assumption is wrong.

I wouldn't get into the technicality of "a land" or "the land". We all get
emotional and stuff and there is nothing wrong with that but behind all that
if you think quietly you will know it is "the land" of free thinking and
tolerant people. I am a Muslim and I can say it from my heart that I am a
better Muslim (compared to where and how I was 20 or so years ago) because I
live in this country. I can practice my religion the way I want. There is no
freakN social pressure. Yes I am sure there are people who don't like me
because of my religion or other things. That's not the mainstream America.
Those type of people exist anywhere on earth. Can you or I control that? No.
So I don't worry about it. My job is to "try" to do the best in life.
Seriously, I have been to many different countries and lived and grew with so
many different nationals. I still say there is no place on earth I would raise
my kids and call it home beside this country, the US.

My friend, you have to read the history of the world and then when you learn
the American history you would be wowed by the creation of this country and
it's systems. You would appreciate it more. Even an average American, in my
opinion, don't fully appreciate meaning of freedom and how this country was
formed. Founding of this country was a huge huge turning point for human
civilization. That's a fact. Don't try to portray America with what you see on
Fox or what Fox or other news org try to tell you. America is lot bigger and
richer than that.

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idiopathic
I live in the UK (parents were exiled as pro-democracy activists) and
appreciate the same freedom of religion that you describe and I experienced in
the USA. No social pressure, some people don't like me, but none can stop me
and nor can I stop anyone else. This is wonderful.

I spent 5 years in the USA and what I loved the most was to read US history.
Living in DC, I joined a bunch of think-tanks and saw how vibrant the
political life is. And I was an admirer of the USA because of its amazing
history, just as you say.

I just think the USA can do better than it currently is, and closer to what it
is capable of being. I think it lost its ideals and drifted from the honour of
a republic to the tragedy of an empire. The UK of course has the legacy of a
more cruel empire, and no country in the world is free of blemishes. (And the
Arab world is a basket case making its own recovery.)

But I just felt so sad when comparing what I saw Americans do - amazing
people, such a pleasure to be around - and what their government did in their
name - locally and internationally.

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baltcode
I have no idea how but I am somehow catching them with my puny little 10$
indoor antenna. I think some station in Fairfax, VA is broadcasting them along
with NHK (Japanese), Russia Today, DW, and may be a Chinese language channel.

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JimmyMiller
I have absolutely no interest in seeing Al Jazeera in the US. We're already
got the New York Times, MSNBC and CNN handling the Hamas/Hezbollah perspective
on foreign affairs.

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jcromartie
Why? We don't need news on TV anymore. Let it die.

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harshpotatoes
I see no reason to demand another 24hour news channel when the 30min nightly
national news broadcasts do just fine, along with the internet and npr to
spice things up.

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nir
When I want to know what's _really_ going on in the world, I don't watch the
government-influenced, corporate-financed mainstream western media. I tune
into the Emir of Qatar's station, where centuries old traditions of democracy
and independent journalism reporting produce quality, objective reporting.

Incredible how gullible most people are. You just need to up the
sophistication by a notch to have them eating out of your hand.

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nopal
If I were smarter, I'd call out the type of rhetorical attack you just made,
but since I'm not, I'll just point out that you provided no evidence of bias
and simply played off of stereotypes.

Al Jazeera is widely respected in the journalism world.

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chopsueyar
Parent alluded ALL corporate news organizations have bias.

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nir
Exactly.

