Al-Jazeera America was launched yesterday

[graciegirl]

Al-Jazeera America prepares for Tuesday launch: Associated Press Business News - MSN Money (http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20130819&id=16818782&ocid=ansmony11)

[Madelaine Amee]

Al-Jazeera America prepares for Tuesday launch: Associated Press Business News - MSN Money (http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=AP&date=20130819&id=16818782&ocid=ansmony11)

I saw that too - has to be interesting and thought provoking. Should lead to some lively discussions on this website! I gotta get off here, got work to do ................

[billethkid]

let's hope we can have some discussions without the plug being pulled.....

also let's watch to see how many will come to the aid and support of what jazeera peddles. There is a sucker "born" every minute.

For me? There is absolutely nothing I need from that station or network or any like them.

btk

[DianeM]

I'm not sure what I think of this. Part of me thinks "what the heck " and part of me thinks this is not good. Conflcted. Mostly I'm not comfortable about this.

[ilovetv]

'Unbiased' news from Aljazeera America? I doubt it.

(CNN) -- So Al Gore starts a liberal cable network, which turns into a complete and utter flop, then sells it to a Middle East potentate in a deal that will bring him an estimated $70 million.

Is America a great country or what?

There is something highly unusual -- OK, just plain weird -- about a former vice president of the United States doing this deal with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Al Jazeera, owned by said emir's government, is trying to buy its way into the American television market by purchasing Current TV for a half billion dollars. The only thing stranger would be if Gore had sold Current to Glenn Beck -- oh wait, Beck did try to buy it and was told no way within 15 minutes.

So the sale was in part about ideology, which opens the door to examining why Gore believes Al Jazeera gives "voice to those who are not typically heard" and speaks "truth to power.".....


Why Al Gore's Al Jazeera deal doesn't seem right - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/07/opinion/kurtz-gore-al-jazeera)

[MikeV]

I for one will not watch.

[donb9006]

What's wrong with hearing the other sides propaganda for a change? Lord knows we get enough from our side. If you think our media is telling you the truth...we'll let me assure you...they're not. Our media is as full of propaganda as the village sun.

[CFrance]

We watched Al Jazeera for six months while overseas. Actually really liked it. We thought it was not biased one way or another. Comes out of Qatar, a non-radical protectorate of Saudi Arabia. Their commentators were Westerners--guys from US, Europeans, at least back then (2010). My husband watched them 15 years ago when they were just available on the internet. (He is a political science major who used to vote Republican up until last election, so don't start!) More balance than FOX.

But we have enough cable news stations. Can't imagine why AJ would try for foothold in this market.

Direct TV, Comcast, Brighthouse would drop them in a heartbeat if they ever hinted about becoming radical Muslim, so no worries there.

[Monkei]

'Unbiased' news from Aljazeera America? I doubt it.

(CNN) -- So Al Gore starts a liberal cable network, which turns into a complete and utter flop, then sells it to a Middle East potentate in a deal that will bring him an estimated $70 million.

Is America a great country or what?

There is something highly unusual -- OK, just plain weird -- about a former vice president of the United States doing this deal with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

Al Jazeera, owned by said emir's government, is trying to buy its way into the American television market by purchasing Current TV for a half billion dollars. The only thing stranger would be if Gore had sold Current to Glenn Beck -- oh wait, Beck did try to buy it and was told no way within 15 minutes.

So the sale was in part about ideology, which opens the door to examining why Gore believes Al Jazeera gives "voice to those who are not typically heard" and speaks "truth to power.".....


Why Al Gore's Al Jazeera deal doesn't seem right - CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/07/opinion/kurtz-gore-al-jazeera)

Ahh, but did Al ever hold hands and take a stroll with him?

[Monkei]

We watched Al Jazeera for six months while overseas. Actually really liked it. We thought it was not biased one way or another. Comes out of Qatar, a non-radical protectorate of Saudi Arabia. Their commentators were Westerners--guys from US, Europeans, at least back then (2010). My husband watched them 15 years ago when they were just available on the internet. (He is a political science major who used to vote Republican up until last election, so don't start!) More balance than FOX.

But we have enough cable news stations. Can't imagine why AJ would try for foothold in this market.

Direct TV, Comcast, Brighthouse would drop them in a heartbeat if they ever hinted about becoming radical Muslim, so no worries there.

Probably because not all Muslims are killers and some want to hear some unbiased news from their own part of the world.

[CFrance]

Probably because not all Muslims are killers and some want to hear some unbiased news from their own part of the world.

Agreed.

[JeffAVEWS]

Qatar is a staunch ally of the US. They host many US troops there including US Air Force and US Army. When we were asked to leave Saudi in 2003, we were invited to Qatar and are still there. I'll bet there are Villagers that have Grandkid's there and I want to tell them it's a pretty safe place.

[l2ridehd]

And any news station that does the live broadcast of terrorists be-heading an American journalist and the news commentator thinks it's a good story is one I will not watch. Or did our short term memory folks forget that happened?

[nitehawk]

I am happy to see some of TOTV still have there head in the sand - have another kool aid and turn on rush limbough - so you can get and unbiased opinion of the news
Gracie what was your reason for starting this post ???? and what is your opinion
Gracie we all love you -- you must have been brought up in a "leave it to beaver" home ----- you remind me so much of Gracie Allen of the George Burns and Gracie Allen show which was on after Leave it to beaver

[graciegirl]

I am happy to see some of TOTV still have there head in the sand - have another kool aid and turn on rush limbough - so you can get and unbiased opinion of the news
Gracie what was your reason for starting this post ???? and what is your opinion
Gracie we all love you -- you must have been brought up in a "leave it to beaver" home ----- you remind me so much of Gracie Allen of the George Burns and Gracie Allen show which was on after Leave it to beaver

Nitehawk.

I wanted to hear the opinions of people that post on here about this new network.

Here is my "Leave it to Beaver Life". My mother died when I was born. My grandmother who took me then to raise and who I adored died when I was 12. My beautiful stepmother and handsome father were not involved in my life at all but in being socially prominent, they didn't even contribute money to my grandparents. I lived then with my grandfather, a retired policeman who I loved and who died when I was 18. I was a serious kid who studied hard and worked after school and met the love of my life at 18. Sweetie has made my life so wonderful as we raised two beautiful daughters of very different abilities. We worked hard and had the usual sadness and some serious illnesses and we saved and hoped for the best. I was raised Lutheran and became Catholic when I was 18 and have not continuously attended Church. My faith comes and goes, but I am respectful of the solace and hope religion can bring.

I am very happy to be where I am with my treasured Sweetie and our dear daughter Helene.

It wasn't a Leave it to Beaver life, but pretty darn good for a little girl from the south side of Columbus, Ohio.

[Bucco]

I am happy to see some of TOTV still have there head in the sand - have another kool aid and turn on rush limbough - so you can get and unbiased opinion of the news
Gracie what was your reason for starting this post ???? and what is your opinion
Gracie we all love you -- you must have been brought up in a "leave it to beaver" home ----- you remind me so much of Gracie Allen of the George Burns and Gracie Allen show which was on after Leave it to beaver

Can't speak for Grace, but I think the voice of the Arab world on our TV' is news. This is the channel that both left and right mocked.....this is the folks that Gore sold to.

Why would this not be newsworthy ? Did someone say it was not somewhere ?

With the constant harangue everywhere you turn on networks, I think a network based in, and theologically driven by the Arab world, and once found to be vile by ALL political sides in this country is worthy of discussion for sure.

Unless you have your head in the sand and have done zero research on this subject.

We sure have moved in "some" direction to now mock discussion of the beheading live channel coming to our homes as if normal.

[CFrance]

And any news station that does the live broadcast of terrorists be-heading an American journalist and the news commentator thinks it's a good story is one I will not watch. Or did our short term memory folks forget that happened?

Did you actually view that? Because here's what Wikipedia said:

A widely reported criticism is the unfounded allegation that Al Jazeera showed videos of masked terrorists beheading western hostages in Iraq.[25][citation needed] When this was reported in other media, Al Jazeera pressed for retractions to be made.[30] This allegation was again repeated on Fox News Channel in the USA on the launch day of Al Jazeera's English service, 15 November 2006.[31] Later The Guardian apologized for incorrect information that Al Jazeera "had shown videos of masked terrorists beheading western hostages".[

[Bogie Shooter]

Did you actually view that? Because here's what Wikipedia said:

A widely reported criticism is the unfounded allegation that Al Jazeera showed videos of masked terrorists beheading western hostages in Iraq.[25][citation needed] When this was reported in other media, Al Jazeera pressed for retractions to be made.[30] This allegation was again repeated on Fox News Channel in the USA on the launch day of Al Jazeera's English service, 15 November 2006.[31] Later The Guardian apologized for incorrect information that Al Jazeera "had shown videos of masked terrorists beheading western hostages".[

That explains a lot!

[Bavarian]

Wishing them the best! It would be nice to see some real unbiased journalism.

Fox News Channel and Fox Business Channels are Fair and Balanced. I also watch Glenn Beck on The Blaze, he is one sided, but he predicted the troubles in Egypt over a year ago, He is no worse than MSNBC.

[Bogie Shooter]

I am happy to see some of TOTV still have there head in the sand - have another kool aid and turn on rush limbough - so you can get and unbiased opinion of the news
Gracie what was your reason for starting this post ???? and what is your opinion
Gracie we all love you -- you must have been brought up in a "leave it to beaver" home ----- you remind me so much of Gracie Allen of the George Burns and Gracie Allen show which was on after Leave it to beaver

How so? I see now comparison with the character that Gracie portrayed.

[RedChariot]

and any news station that does the live broadcast of terrorists be-heading an american journalist and the news commentator thinks it's a good story is one i will not watch. Or did our short term memory folks forget that happened?

i will not support this station by watching. I have not forgotten.

[Bucco]

Did you actually view that? Because here's what Wikipedia said:

A widely reported criticism is the unfounded allegation that Al Jazeera showed videos of masked terrorists beheading western hostages in Iraq.[25][citation needed] When this was reported in other media, Al Jazeera pressed for retractions to be made.[30] This allegation was again repeated on Fox News Channel in the USA on the launch day of Al Jazeera's English service, 15 November 2006.[31] Later The Guardian apologized for incorrect information that Al Jazeera "had shown videos of masked terrorists beheading western hostages".[

I hate when I get my facts wrong and I alluded to the beheadings in a small part of my post defending Gracie for starting this thread...for that I apologize. I really hate to have facts distorted and it appears I may have been a party to that no matter other questionable items that were aired. I was wrong.

Having said that...there was an interesting piece in the WSJ this year on this network.....

" Al Gore and his co-investors just sold liberal cable channel Current TV to Al Jazeera, the network bankrolled by the emir of Qatar. How much in carbon offsets does Mr. Gore need to balance his estimated $100 million from the sale to an oil sheik?

But there's a more serious issue here than hypocrisy. Current's owners could have simply said they sold to the highest bidder, with the emir paying an estimated $500 million for a network with viewership of only 22,000. Instead they glorified Al Jazeera."

This is not meant to be political and is not at all....a few examples because I am beginning to think that nobody on here ever reads links supply and thus cannot possibly learn anything.....

"More due diligence might have included a review of the close journalistic coverage over the years of Al Jazeera's Arabic and English broadcasts, which discloses the unsurprising fact that the network reflects the interests of the government that runs it—making it akin to Vladimir Putin's Russia Today and Beijing's Xinhua. The emir of Qatar, Hamid bin Khalifa Al Thani, appointed his cousin as chairman of Al Jazeera. The emir was last in the news for donating $400 million to Hamas, a terrorist organization.

Mr. Gore could have read the Middle East Quarterly profile titled "The Two Faces of Al Jazeera." The network gets good marks for programming in areas outside the emir's direct interests, but the article concludes that Al Jazeera continues "to inflame Arab resentments in its promotion of anti-Americanism, Sunni sectarianism and, in recent years, Islamism."

There is much more to read on this network !!!

I do not think it is a good thing for this country to allow outside influence in our media.......

"l Jazeera's coverage of the Arab Spring has been uneven, reflecting the emir's interests. Former Al Jazeera journalist Ali Hashem wrote in London's Guardian in April that government officials had "asked the channel to cover up the situation in Bahrain," Qatar's neighbor, where a Sunni monarch is brutally suppressing a pro-democracy uprising led by majority Shiite protesters.

Judea Pearl, whose son Daniel was the Wall Street Journal reporter kidnapped and beheaded in 2002 by al Qaeda terrorists, once had high hopes that Al Jazeera would be more open than other Arab government media. But he has written that the network has "committed itself unconditionally and unabashedly to the service of Hamas and Hezbollah. . . . It is no longer a clash with journalistic standards but a clash with the norms of civilized behavior."

Crovitz: Inconvenient Truths About Al Jazeera - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323874204578221932173414130.html)

Grace made a good choice in beginning this thread and it needs to be thought about in a very serious manner.

[Bucco]

In the last post, I apologized for erring in including a comment about the beheading that was broadcast. I apologized because I thought it had been broadcast live.

To make sure the facts are out there....in 2004. NBC did a story on how it was covered in the middle east.....from that story...

"Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, the big two satellite networks, aired carefully edited versions of the video. In Al-Arabiya’s edit, a militant is seen drawing a knife and jerking Berg’s body to one side. The rest is not shown."

Part of it did make the air on Al Jazeera but not complete.....

Arab media play down beheading - World news - Mideast/N. Africa - Conflict in Iraq | NBC News (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4961118/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/t/arab-media-muted-coverage-beheading/#.UhZKWj-ZaCg)

[l2ridehd]

They did show the beginning. They did show the knife. They did show the body slumping. And we know the final results. So go ahead and deny they showed it. That is almost like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denying the Holocaust ever happened. But I have been to Dachau and Buchenwald and seen that it really did happen. And oh yes, they also broadcast his speech denying that on Al -Jazeera as well. So yes I will never watch that network. I will even go so far as to search out who advertises on that network and never buy their products.

[jblum315]

Just as well I couldn't see it if I wanted to. Not available on CenturyLink Prism apparently

[Bucco]

They did show the beginning. They did show the knife. They did show the body slumping. And we know the final results. So go ahead and deny they showed it. That is almost like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denying the Holocaust ever happened. But I have been to Dachau and Buchenwald and seen that it really did happen. And oh yes, they also broadcast his speech denying that on Al -Jazeera as well. So yes I will never watch that network. I will even go so far as to search out who advertises on that network and never buy their products.

"In 2008, Al Jazeera threw an on-air party for Samir Kuntar when he was released from an Israeli prison. Kuntar led a Palestine Liberation Front terrorist team that kidnapped an Israeli family in 1979. He shot the father and killed the 4-year-old daughter by smashing her head against rocks along the beach. In footage available on YouTube, Al Jazeera's Beirut bureau chief hands Kuntar a scimitar to cut the celebratory cake and says: "This is the sword of the Arabs, Samir."

Crovitz: Inconvenient Truths About Al Jazeera - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323874204578221932173414130.html)

If you wish to watch the birthday party for the killer...

Al Jazeera Throws Party for Child Killer (Samir Kuntar) - YouTube

You might also want to check on the litany of journalists who left them in 2012 as a result of the bias coverage on Syria !!!!

[l2ridehd]

"In 2008, Al Jazeera threw an on-air party for Samir Kuntar when he was released from an Israeli prison. Kuntar led a Palestine Liberation Front terrorist team that kidnapped an Israeli family in 1979. He shot the father and killed the 4-year-old daughter by smashing her head against rocks along the beach. In footage available on YouTube, Al Jazeera's Beirut bureau chief hands Kuntar a scimitar to cut the celebratory cake and says: "This is the sword of the Arabs, Samir."

Crovitz: Inconvenient Truths About Al Jazeera - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323874204578221932173414130.html)

If you wish to watch the birthday party for the killer...

Al Jazeera Throws Party for Child Killer (Samir Kuntar) - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIkrQGz5ats)

You might also want to check on the litany of journalists who left them in 2012 as a result of the bias coverage on Syria !!!!


Good post Bucco. Just one more reason to never watch them and to boycott who ever advertises on that station.

[Shimpy]

And any news station that does the live broadcast of terrorists be-heading an American journalist and the news commentator thinks it's a good story is one I will not watch. Or did our short term memory folks forget that happened?

I agree. Funny how they were always on the spot with cameras just before bombings. You don't think they had inside info do you???

[justjim]

Anything that you feel is inappropriate to watch you have the option to push the button on your remote and find something better to watch. Sometimes I find it difficult to find anything worth watching!

[Markam]

Before we 'rush to judgement', maybe it might be in order to just see what all the fuss is about by actually watching the network a few times. I occasionally see what is being reported on the Al Jazeera (http://america.aljazeera.com) US centered website and find their take to be informative but sometimes disturbing. They report a lot of world events that we don't always hear about on the mainstream media. BBC is another good alternative.

BTW, I can't blame Gore for selling the way he did. I've created a few losers in my life and if someone offered to buy just one of them for $70,000,000.00 I just might have let them take it off of my hands. Did Beck offer that much?

[perrjojo]

Nitehawk.

I wanted to hear the opinions of people that post on here about this new network.

Here is my "Leave it to Beaver Life". My mother died when I was born. My grandmother who took me then to raise and who I adored died when I was 12. My beautiful stepmother and handsome father were not involved in my life at all but in being socially prominent, they didn't even contribute money to my grandparents. I lived then with my grandfather, a retired policeman who I loved and who died when I was 18. I was a serious kid who studied hard and worked after school and met the love of my life at 18. Sweetie has made my life so wonderful as we raised two beautiful daughters of very different abilities. We worked hard and had the usual sadness and some serious illnesses and we saved and hoped for the best. I was raised Lutheran and became Catholic when I was 18 and have not continuously attended Church. My faith comes and goes, but I am respectful of the solace and hope religion can bring.

I am very happy to be where I am with my treasured Sweetie and our dear daughter Helene.

It wasn't a Leave it to Beaver life, but pretty darn good for a little girl from the south side of Columbus, Ohio.

Gracie, I find it amazing how people jump to conclusions about others that they know nothing about. It seems especially easy on annoynomus forums.
Thank you for sharing your story.

[buggyone]

'Unbiased' news from Aljazeera America? I doubt it."



Anyhow, if you do not want to watch Al-Jazeera America, just do what I do about Fox News - DON'T WATCH IT!

[capecodbob]

Jazeera is the modern day Tokyo Rose.

Imagine the President, during WWII allowing Tokyo Rose to broadcast on U.S. radio stations nation wide!!

[Bavarian]

Before we 'rush to judgement', maybe it might be in order to just see what all the fuss is about by actually watching the network a few times. I occasionally see what is being reported on the Al Jazeera (http://america.aljazeera.com) US centered website and find their take to be informative but sometimes disturbing. They report a lot of world events that we don't always hear about on the mainstream media. BBC is another good alternative.

BTW, I can't blame Gore for selling the way he did. I've created a few losers in my life and if someone offered to buy just one of them for $70,000,000.00 I just might have let them take it off of my hands. Did Beck offer that much?

Glenn Beck and maybe others offered more, but Algore wanted to make the sale before the Capital Gains Taxes went up. Wanted to sell it right away before end of year. Glenn Beck pointed out how bad they were but welcomed them as freedom of Speech. Al Jaezra Russian TV and others have been broadcasting on Ch 56 in NOVA for years, MHz Network, carried by DirecTv as a local station, I watch the DeutscheWelle programs.

[De Lis]

I read last month that Solidad O'Brien (from CNN) signed onto A.J. Gosh, that's a strange combination!

[kittygilchrist]

I've watched Al Jazeera for some time as well as BBC news. I enjoy varied perspectives and have not found their coverage to be offensive. Most news in the US in my lifetime seems to have turned into politically biased censorship and outright persuasion, which used to be called "yellow journalism," though I'm not so naïve as to think control of media was absent.

[nitehawk]

I've watched Al Jazeera for some time as well as BBC news. I enjoy varied perspectives and have not found their coverage to be offensive. Most news in the US in my lifetime seems to have turned into politically biased censorship and outright persuasion, which used to be called "yellow journalism," though I'm not so naïve as to think control of media was absent.

:BigApplause::BigApplause::BigApplause::bigbow::bi gbow:

[CFrance]

:I've watched Al Jazeera for some time as well as BBC news. I enjoy varied perspectives and have not found their coverage to be offensive. Most news in the US in my lifetime seems to have turned into politically biased censorship and outright persuasion, which used to be called "yellow journalism," though I'm not so naïve as to think control of media was absent.

:thumbup:

[Golfingnut]

I've watched Al Jazeera for some time as well as BBC news. I enjoy varied perspectives and have not found their coverage to be offensive. Most news in the US in my lifetime seems to have turned into politically biased censorship and outright persuasion, which used to be called "yellow journalism," though I'm not so naïve as to think control of media was absent.

Very true. Watch the reporting of any topic on MSNBC and FOX. You will see and hear extremes from both sides neither of them reporting anywhere near the truth. Yet, loyal followers of both channels believe their version. I am open minded enough to listen to all viewpoints and make my own opinion. If either side would be correct,it would be time for a civil war. Great news is they are both full of hot air and only the small number of extremists on the two tracks buy into the lies. America is just fine.

[TOTV Team]

Since users can't follow the site guidelines by not making political references this thread has been closed.