AL JAZEERA AS A COUNTERFLOW ON THE GLOBAL MEDIA SCENE

1. AL JAZEERA AS A COUNTERFLOW ON THE GLOBAL MEDIA SCENE Tine Ustad Figenschou January 30 2006

2. The development of satellite television in the Middle East: • Arab broadcasting media have been government-owned • A political struggle between Egypt and Saudi Arabia over regional influence • Arabsat 1976 • CNN’s coverage of the Gulf War 1991 • Remarkable concentration of satellite channels in Saudi hands

3. Al Jazeera Channel • BBC Arabic and Orbit clashed over editorial independence • Funded by the emir of Qatar • Staff: Arabs who have worked in the West • Since 1999: 24-hours a day • Today it employs around 750 people

4. Media freedom in the Middle East: • The Middle East: “the region with least press freedom in 2003 • Four taboos / ”red lines” that cannot be crossed • ”Offshore democracy”? • None of the Arab satellite broadcasters “break even” – financial dependencies

5. How free is Al Jazeera Channel? • ”Undeclared economic boycott” GCC • Still dependent on government funding - a “state-backed channel” • Liberal trend in Qatar? • Domestic issues are seldom a topic in the Qatari media • omestic political change in Qatar may impact Al Jazeera

6. How free is Al Jazeera Channel? • ”Undeclared economic boycott” GCC • Still dependent on government funding - a “state-backed channel” • Liberal trend in Qatar? • Domestic issues are seldom a topic in the Qatari media • Political change in Qatar impacts Al Jazeera

7. Challenging taboos • TV-discussions of sensitive political, social, economic and religious subjects • The second intifada (Palestinian uprising) • Infuriated, provoked and frightened governments in the Middle East • Criticised for being sensationalist, populist and speculative • The Qatari government balances powers and pressures

8. Al Jazeera and the ‘war on terrorism’ • A counter-flow in the global media: • 1)Exclusive access to the Taliban-controlled areas • 2) Exclusive tapes of Osama bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda-members • 3) Showing images of civilian casualties • Al-Qaeda: sophisticated and professional media campaign • Tayseer Alouni sentenced to jail September 2005 • US Authorities: put pressure on the Qatari government • US broadcasters flew to Doha

9. War in Iraq: The Arab perspective • Most media-covered war • USA: warned, criticised and pressured Al Jazeera: • 1) Images of dead and wounded US soldiers and overestimating US losses • 2) A propaganda tool for the Iraqi authorities, • 3) Inciting Arab public opinion by showing graphic images of civilian casualties • Systematic analysis: framing and sources

10. Frames: • The Iraqi heroes frame • The humanitarian catastrophe frame • The liberation frame • The peace activist frame

11. Relations on the ground: • Level of killings of journalists: unprecedented • 16 dead journalists and media staff • Al Jazeera staff experienced several attacks from the Coalition forces • Double pressure: Attacked by Iraqi Officials

12. The attack on Al Jazeera’s Baghdad bureau: • April 8 2003 • Correspondent Tariq Ayoub was killed and cameraman Zouhair Nadhim was injured • US: Responded to enemy fire • The attack has not been investigated • Reports: unintentional, but equally, avoidable

13. Implications of the attack: • Top level of the US government must bear some responsibility • Feeling Al Jazeera: Attacked because of critical reporting • Feelings of being under attack are passed on to the viewers

14. The struggle for the Arab heart and mind: • Increased US presence on Al Jazeera • Public diplomacy • “Carrot and the stick” • The US administration’s contradictory policies have led to scepticism on the part of Arab media, and fuelled widespread Arab beliefs about American double standards