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Following the screening of the documentary ‘Control Room’, choose one of the following questions/statements and write a short commentary (200- 300 words).
1- How do you see Al Jazeera (news channel and news site) as a global product and as a driving force of globalization?
2- The launch of Al Jazeera was a turning point in the history of Arab media. What changes has Al Jazeera brought to the Arab media scene? You could look at its effects on the democratization of Arab media, the quality of news making and media-government relationship.
8 comments:
2- The launch of Al Jazeera was a turning point in the history of Arab media. What changes has Al Jazeera brought to the Arab media scene? You could look at its effects on the democratization of Arab media, the quality of news making and media-government relationship.
Al Jazeera is the largest and most aggressive Arabic News Channel in the Middle East, offering news coverage 24 hours around the world, with a focus on the hottest regions of conflict. The channel that sent shockwaves through the whole Arab world from its first day on air has become a global name which people, governments, and decision-makers cannot afford to ignore.
Al Jazeera’s availability throughout the Middle East changed the television landscape of the region. Before the arrival of Al Jazeera, CNN was the main TV Channel that Arabs relied on for world news. Al Jazeera introduced a level of freedom of speech on TV that was previously unheard of in many of these countries, which makes people keen to always watch Al Jazeera news.
As a reason, Al Jazeera meets our need through providing live news, even if, it is against government politics or religion. It only serves the fact and truth to people of different believes and views.
It broadcasted the latest news regarding the governments of many Persian/Arab Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, in addition to controversial views about Syria's relationship with Lebanon. Many Arabs, including myself, see Al Jazeera as a trust worthier source of information than government and foreign channels.
Moreover, I think Al Jazeera has a vision on quality work through presenting programs and talk shows that allow different views meet to argue and discuss which in turn offers the viewers across the world a clear perspective on news. Yet, being the exclusive channel to release the fresh and exciting television news enhanced the quality work they presented. I strongly believe that Al Jazeera succeeded in achieving this goal.
Shaikha Bukhashim
Amira Saaed
200321905
Year 3
There are various news channels around the world; most of them have their own policies and rules. Unfortunately there were hardly any Arabic news channels, which in my opinion is a little unfair to leave the Arab world’s opinion out. Surely Al Jazeera was a turning point in the history of Arab media. Al Jazeera speaks, listens to Arab people, and addresses their expressions, thoughts, issues, problems and points of view. Some international channels would be with or against certain issues, as a result, they are more likely to show what they want and hide what they don’t want to show the audience. Now many international news channels started getting information about the Arab World and other areas from Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera shows almost all angles of an issue and covers all sides of the main characters in a story and finally make the audience make their own judgments. Another good point about Al Jazeera is that they have wide range of news in many different aspects which in result many reporters and cameramen get spread in a lot of places which helps them get news rapidly. Nowadays many foreign people around the world watch Al Jazeera T.V news because many channels that are available in their part of town don’t show everything beyond doubt likewise Al Jazeera T.V news. That’s why almost all government support Al Jazeera T.V news is very proud of them as an Arabic T.V news.
Nourah Abdulla
H00020384
Al Jazeera Channel brought in controversial topics (regarding the governments of the Middle East) in the Arab media and the freedom of speech. It is a good channel but it got its own negativities.
Al Jazeera covers topics and issues that local Arabic channels (and news channels) would never talk about because people don’t want to reveal their errors that can cause big embarrassment to themselves and their country. Al Jazeera also allowed others to come on air and talk about anything they please, even if it was about their hatred towards their government.
As much as it Al Jazeera channel is the first Arabic news channel to talk about anything, I wonder how is it that it is an “Arabic” channel when it focuses on very few countries like Iraq and Afganistan and forgets about the rest of the “Arab” countries. It is great that it’s educating the other channels about these countries that are in grave danger, but what about educating their countries? That may remain an unanswered question or a question that will have a wrong answer.
Personally I think that the launch of Al Jazeera channel was a big changing point. Though it is an Arabic channel yet many foreign news channels get their visual materials regarding the Middle East region from Al Jazeera news channel.
Al Jazeera channel have added a new perspective to the Arab media which is objectivity, though, the channel is not fully objective, and I think that all of the news channels have something subjective in what they show during the news, but to have a channel which tries to deliver the massage without any clouds which might distract the flow of the news .In order to reach democratization. Democratization is the freedom of expressing an opinion, and opening peoples’ eyes is Al Jazeera’s main goal, and launching Al Jazeera website is a very big step in order of freedom. Beside the ability of reading and looking at the news people get to post their opinions and ideas in the website, and that help people to exchange their ideas and to be aware or what’s happening in their region and in the world. The relationship between any news channel and any government is always distracted by some kind of political restrictions that the news channel is breaking by showing something that the government is not happy with.
By: Eman
1- How do you see Al Jazeera (news channel and news site) as a global product and as a driving force of globalization?
It is almost impossible for a product of globalization to exist without it, itself, being a driving force of globalization. In the case of Al Jazeera, it is more of a “supply-and-demand” relationship. The relationship is one in which both parties or factors, being a product of globalization and a driving force of globalization, are completely dependent on each other. Al Jazeera is a result of globalization, because it could not have been launched without the help of globalization, but at the same time it is also its driving force. It fuels globalization, in the sense that Al Jazeera creates more even more globalization; i.e. globalization supplies to a world that demands globalization, which in turn creates even more globalization.
To further elaborate on this point, Al Jazeera, supplies news that touches on previously overlooked subjects as well as criticizes Arab governments and their politics. With the influence of new technology and digitization, both direct products of globalization, the Arab world was exposed to new media channels and the way they work. This brought insight into how other, be they western or eastern, media channels operate. Al Jazeera then modified their models and created its own kind of news channel. Another reason why Al Jazeera is a product of globalization is because it uses mediums like, Internet and satellite technology to surpass geographical, and sometimes political, boundaries. This would not be possible if Al Jazeera was not a product of globalization.
On the other hand, while Al Jazeera is clearly an outcome of globalization, it also plays a role in the forward movement of globalization. Al Jazeera was the first channel of its kind to report news the way it does and has become a yardstick that most, if not all, Arabic news channels are measured against. In order for other news channels and organizations to become more like the example set by Al Jazeera, it must embrace and contribute to the globalization movement, and itself become a driving force of globalization. This can be seen through other media organizations like Abu Dhabi Television and Al Arabiya. Al Jazeera also launched international channels and, thus, became an even bigger contributor to globalization. Personally, I think that Al Jazeera has become part of a cycle begins and ends with globalization.
Afra Atiq
The second answer to the second question
2- The launch of Al Jazeera was a turning point in the history of Arab media. What changes has Al Jazeera brought to the Arab media scene? You could look at its effects on the democratization of Arab media, the quality of news making and media-government relationship.
The launch of Al Jazeera brought with it a whirlwind of change. Its arrival, for some, was a sign that the times were changing and that Arab media was becoming more democratic and liberal. For others, it set off alarm bells by showing and discussing and openly criticizing political issues that had been previously ignored- a concept mostly unheard of in the Arab media world up until the formation of Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera delivers hard-hitting news about middle-eastern affairs and has now become a popular news channel and website for people all over the world. It has had a tremendous impact on the quality of news making in the Arab world because it has set new, higher, standards. Now, most media organizations aspire to be Al Jazeera.
In terms of media-governments relationships, Al Jazeera has had, and continues to have, controversial relationships with various governments. In the west it is perceived, by some, as an anti-American media outlet and has been criticized for it. However, what these people don’t realize is that just like American channels that broadcast American news, Al Jazeera is just focusing on Arabic news. The Arabic news just happens to have a lot to do with America. This does not mean that it is anti-American and biased towards Middle Eastern news. After all, isn’t it expected that an Arabic news organization will broadcast Arabic news and affairs?
In terms of media-governments relationships, Al Jazeera has had, and continues to have, controversial relationships with various governments. One example of this is that Al Jazeera is an organization funded and run by the Qatari government, however it does not report on Qatari news and/or its government. It has been heavily criticized for this. Al Jazeera’s lack of censorship and delivery of hard political news lead it to be banned in several Algerian cities in the summer of 2004. Earlier on, in 2002 the Bahraini Information Minister, Nabeel Al Hamer to banned the channel’s reporters form reporting from within Bahrain. With the killing of Tareq Ayoub, after an attack on Al Jazeera’s Baghdad office, the media-government relationship of Al Jazeera with the US was made even more fragile. In conclusion, Al Jazeera has, forever, changed the way Arab media is produced and viewed. Although it is very controversial, its launch was a step in the right direction of more democratic media.
Afra Atiq
hafsa Al mutawa
h00011524
Al jazeera channel has realized that all the arabic channels have become competent news stations, so they decided to talk about political and controversial issues. What makes Al Jazeera channel special and unique, it is the first Arabic news channel to broadcast controversial issues, which encouraged other Arabic channels such as Al arabya channel to talk about politics and sensitive issues. More than that, Al Jazeera channel uses a creative and interesting way in sending news to the Arab world. Moreover they bring the hottest and fresh issues to the audience, so that a lot of people watching Al Jazeera channel can follow the news. The quality of news making and media-government relationship has changed because Al Jazeera brought freedom and criticized the government. They democratized the media.
Moza Al Flasi
H00010600
Al Jazeera is the first arabic news channel that broadcast many different kind of issues especially controversial issues and is always the first channel to receive the latest news.
The launch of al Jazeera was a major turning point for the Arab Media, because it not just broadcast the news itself but it more of a documentary that explores in depth about everything .
The channel broadcast footage that many people thought was offending and were unhappy with. Others thought that it was a good idea and were happy.
Another turning point was when Tareq died in a bombing
as Arabs viewers were not used to seing this.
Al Jazeera doesn't censor the news and is objective that is why all other arabic channels want to be like it.
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