Page 245 - Mass Media, Mass Propoganda Examining American News in the War on Terror

Catapult the Media 235

has been far more balanced than its competitors in the Arab World. The channel
has traditionally operated without restrictions from the Qatari government, and
is well known throughout the Arab world for its open mindedness in exploring
multiple sides of complex issues such as Israel's occupation of the West Bank
and Gaza Strip, and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and ~ra~.~~
Nabeel
As
Khoury, Spokesmen for the U.S. State Department, explains: "A1 Jazeera has
been critical [of the U.S.], but at the same time they have been quite open to us,
inviting U.S. government officials to speak directly on their channel and express
the American point of view."85
A1 Jazeera is also wildly popular, in part, because of its promotion of the
idea of pan-Arab unity. As Mohamed Zayani discusses: "A1 Jazeera has effec-
tively put an end to an era marked by what may be described as a one-size-fits-
all media. Issues now lend themselves to a different perspective-in fact an
Arab perspective that has been absent" from much reporting throughout the re-
gion.86 A1 Jazeera's reporting, however, should not be expected to serve as the
primary agent of democratization through pan-Arab transformation of the Mid-
dle East. Rather, the station seems to serve more as a catalyst for change in
terms of questioning the state borders throughout the Middle East that were
drawn after the end of formal colonial rule. A1 Jazeera seems to be most effec-
tive in providing a means of informing the Arab world about important issues of
the day. In this sense, it is a vital institution in a region that has traditionally
suffered under extreme government censorship of the media and repression of
popular movements critical of government actions and authority, often with the
support of Western leaders.
Many national leaders throughout the region have tried to punish the net-
work as a result of what they see as its biased and critical reporting against their
governments' activities. But A1 Jazeera has not singled out any one government;
it has been critical of most governments in its reporting. A1 Jazeera considers
criticisms of no political regime (perhaps with the exception of Qatar) to be out-
of-bounds, as it has been kicked out of a large number of countries and areas as
a result, including Jordan, Kuwait, U.S. occupied Iraq, the West Bank, Iran, Su-
dan, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Aside from its critical report-
ing of the U.S., British, and Israeli foreign policies, A1 Jazeera has made numer-
ous efforts to show viewers "the other side" by broadcasting speeches and
interviews from U.S. political officials including George W. Bush, former Sec-
retary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of State Colin Powell,
Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, and other high level representatives from
the Pentagon and Centcom, as well as American allies such as former Israeli
Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon, and British Prime Minister Tony
Blair.
Rather than reinforcing Ba'athist propaganda at the expense of U.S. war
aims in Iraq (a claim made by U.S. leaders), the network has been critical of the
governments of both George Bush and Saddam Hussein. Hugh Miles, author of
A1 Jazeera: The Inside Story of the Arab News Channel That is Challenging the
West, explains that, "Despite all the allegations of bias issued from both sides
during the invasion of Iraq, the simple truth is that A1 Jazeera did not favor any-