by AlicetheCurious » Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:09 pm
As a regular watcher of the Arabic Al Jazeera, I'm very excited about Al Jazeera International. Although it's not going to replace the net as a news source for me, by tv standards it's brilliant.<br><br>It's so irritating to hear all those disparaging remarks and innuendo about Al Jazeera, by people who have no way of knowing what they're talking about, and have never watched it. It will be interesting to see what happens to all the big English-language "news" networks when Al Jazeera shows up in their backyard, with its dynamic, energetic professionals and puts them all to shame.<br><br>The contrast between the way they cover the news and the way it's done on Al Jazeera couldn't be greater. First, "the news" is a whole hour long, with very brief commercial breaks. The story is announced, and then it's covered by the field reporter, then usually they go for an interview with a spokesperson who can provide details, or they bring spokespersons for opposing views, when there are opposing views. They often bring in spokespersons for the Israeli and US governments, for example.<br><br>Second, there is almost no fluff at all on Al Jazeera, no heartwarming stories of dogs finding their way home, no stories of wives & husbands suspected of murdering each other, no warnings that your bathroom cleaner may simply not be enough to "protect your family", no coverage of celebrities at all... Just news.<br><br>Then, there are all the great hour-long feature shows, like "From Washington", an interview show located in BC that brings guests in to discuss issues of importance to the Middle East.<br><br>There's "The Opposing View", a show often caricatured here because the guests, chosen for their mutually exclusive (often hostile) views, frequently end up unwilling to let each other talk and the whole thing deteriorates into a shouting match.<br><br>They have "Witness to History" where the interviewer goes to the home of someone who was present at a time significant to the history of the Middle East, and gets them to reminisce. These could be anything from retired military people, to journalists, philosophers, to ex-guerillas, to retired government officials, etc.<br><br>There's "Without Borders", similar to the BBC's "Hardtalk", a confrontational political interview show...<br><br>And that's just a sampling -- unlike with American tv, the more you watch, the more informed you are, not only politically, but culturally as well. <br><br>Aaanyway..I do hope all of those swarming to Al Jazeera International from American news networks are only looking for a chance to do "real" news... Remember "Operation Mockingbird"?:<br><br><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>In an October 1977, article published by Rolling Stone magazine, Bernstein reported that more than 400 American journalists worked for the CIA. Bernstein went on to reveal that this cozy arrangement had covered the preceding 25 years. Sources told Bernstein that the New York Times, America’s most respected newspaper at the time, was one of the CIA’s closest media collaborators. Seeking to spread the blame, the New York Times published an article in December 1977, revealing that “more than eight hundred news and public information organisations and individuals,” had participated in the CIA’s covert subversion of the media.<br><br> “One journalist is worth twenty agents,” a high-level source told Bernstein. Spies were trained as journalists and then later infiltrated – often with the publishers consent - into the most prestigious media outlets in America, including the New York Times and Time Magazine. Likewise, numerous reputable journalists underwent training in various aspects of “spook-craft” by the CIA. This included techniques as varied as secret writing, surveillance and other spy crafts. <br><br> The subversion operation was orchestrated by Frank Wisner, an old CIA hand who’s clandestine activities dated back to WW11. Wisner’s media manipulation programme became known as the “Wisner Wurlitzer,” and proved an effective technique for sending journalists overseas to spy for the CIA. Of the fifty plus overseas news proprietary’s owned by the CIA were The Rome Daily American, The Manilla Times and the Bangkok Post.<br><br>...<br><br> Meanwhile, however, Wisner had “implemented his plan and owned respected members of the New York Times, Newsweek, CBS and other communication vehicles, plus stringers…” according to Deborah Davis in her biography of Katharine Graham – wife of Philip Graham - and current publisher of the Washington Post. The operation was overseen by Allen Dulles, Director of Central Intelligence. Operation Mockingbird continued to flourish with CIA agents boasting at having “important assets” inside every major news outlet in the country.” The list included such luminaries of the US media as Henry Luce, publisher of Time Magazine, Arthur Hays Sulzberger, of the New York Times and C.D. Jackson of Fortune Magazine, according to Constantine.<br><br>...<br><br> As these stories hit the news, Senate investigators began to probe the CIA sponsored manipulation of the media – the “Fourth Estate” that supposedly was dedicated to acting as a check and balance on the excesses of the executive. This investigation was, however, curtailed at the insistence of Central Intelligence Agency Directors, William Colby and George Bush – who would later be elected US President. The information gathered by the Senate Select Intelligence Committee chaired by Senator Frank Church, was “deliberately buried” Bernstein reported." <br><br></strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--><br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.deepblacklies.co.uk/subverting_the_media.htm">www.deepblacklies.co.uk/s..._media.htm</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--> <p></p><i></i>
