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 06/12/2008 09:21:09 AM · #1
Here in VT, Al-Jazeera English is available to us through one of our cable providers. Recently it has become debate and brought up in gov't meetings to no longer carry the Arab network. Yesterday there was a meeting called to discuss the issue and it was open to the public to come and say their piece.

Some feel that we should keep it and others feel its a platform for terrorists and shouldn't be aired at all.

What do you think?
 06/12/2008 09:42:25 AM · #2
Seems to me that using TV would be a step backwards for terrorists who use the internet. The web is 2 way communication vs. 1 way communication using TV. Besides, doesn't the FCC have to monitor all cable stations for content anyway?
 06/12/2008 10:32:06 AM · #3
Originally posted by hopper:
Seems to me that using TV would be a step backwards for terrorists who use the internet. The web is 2 way communication vs. 1 way communication using TV. Besides, doesn't the FCC have to monitor all cable stations for content anyway?


I don't think that's quite the point. Al-Jazeera is a propaganda tool, just as Voice of America is (was?) for us. Its primary goal (in the English-language version anyway) is to paint the "Arab cause" sympathetically, to garner support for their POV.

So whether it is or is not allowed to stay on the airwaves is a free speech issue plain and simple. I think if the *government* got involved and said "axe it!" that would be a real problem. The people, on the other hand, can vote with their fingers, so to speak. Nobody *has* to watch it...

R.
 06/14/2008 06:12:34 AM · #4
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
I don't think that's quite the point. Al-Jazeera is a propaganda tool, just as Voice of America is (was?) for us. Its primary goal (in the English-language version anyway) is to paint the "Arab cause" sympathetically, to garner support for their POV.

So whether it is or is not allowed to stay on the airwaves is a free speech issue plain and simple. I think if the *government* got involved and said "axe it!" that would be a real problem. The people, on the other hand, can vote with their fingers, so to speak. Nobody *has* to watch it...

R.


Most of the news networks push an agenda and in that way they are all propaganda tools.

If you want objectivity, you have to take news from multiple sources - more sources gives you more viewpoints and a better chance of understanding the event and its consequences for people with a broad range of outlooks on life.

It drives me mad when people have a black & white view of the world. There is no right way to present this kind of information: there are only events and a wide variety of human reactions - the more human reactions that you get from a variety of sources, the better appreciation that you have of the event's significance.

In answer to the OP, not only should you support the availability of another source of information, you should occassionally watch it and use it to better understand the world and other people's viewpoints - and perhaps allow it to rebalance your own prejudices from time to time (we all have them).
 06/14/2008 07:50:40 AM · #5
Originally posted by Matthew:
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
I don't think that's quite the point. Al-Jazeera is a propaganda tool, just as Voice of America is (was?) for us. Its primary goal (in the English-language version anyway) is to paint the "Arab cause" sympathetically, to garner support for their POV.

So whether it is or is not allowed to stay on the airwaves is a free speech issue plain and simple. I think if the *government* got involved and said "axe it!" that would be a real problem. The people, on the other hand, can vote with their fingers, so to speak. Nobody *has* to watch it...

R.


Most of the news networks push an agenda and in that way they are all propaganda tools.

If you want objectivity, you have to take news from multiple sources - more sources gives you more viewpoints and a better chance of understanding the event and its consequences for people with a broad range of outlooks on life.

It drives me mad when people have a black & white view of the world. There is no right way to present this kind of information: there are only events and a wide variety of human reactions - the more human reactions that you get from a variety of sources, the better appreciation that you have of the event's significance.

In answer to the OP, not only should you support the availability of another source of information, you should occassionally watch it and use it to better understand the world and other people's viewpoints - and perhaps allow it to rebalance your own prejudices from time to time (we all have them).


Propaganda is not truth. Why any country like the US or Canada would allow its transmission over their territory is mind boggling and probably done so to appease the Arab Americans living in the US. Free speech and all that...
 06/14/2008 09:40:00 AM · #6
I would love to know what WESTERN corporation sells them satellite bandwith. That should come to an end. Let them get their own satellite into space. Perhaps if they strap one on a camel and it gets a good running start on a steep ramp they could get it up there. There should be an absolute ban on any sale or transfer of high technology to the Arab/Islamic world similar to our policy toward the Soviets during the cold war.
 06/14/2008 10:03:39 AM · #7
Oh, that'll solve all our problems. Marginalize the Middle East, drive it away from the global community, drive a wedge in so that they feel how exclusive the West is, and sit back and enjoy the peace and prosperity that ensues. Sure.
 06/14/2008 10:41:39 AM · #8
I'm curious (seriously curious, not just rhetorically) what the basis is for the claim that Al-Jazeera is just a dangerous propaganda outlet. If it's just that they have an arab POV, well perhaps we should ban FOX News for having a US POV. So, I'm left to wonder if they're truly a propaganda network (purposly spreading lies) or does Al-Jazeera report facts with an angle the US doesn't like?

This is an open question for me and I don't know the answer one way or the other. Still, my skeptic alert goes off when the only sources I can find for supporting the argument that Al-Jazeera is a dangerous propaganda organization is from the lips of people like Dick Cheney, the same guy who was so sure there would be weapons of mass destruction and the US would be greeted as liberators in Iraq.

If it's just disliked news rather than evil propaganda, then I don't see the point in trying to ban it.
 06/14/2008 10:55:17 AM · #9
Originally posted by JMart:
If it's just disliked news rather than evil propaganda, then I don't see the point in trying to ban it.


Right. Not only is there no point in trying to ban it, it's seriously wrong, even "un-American", to do so. Freedom of speech isn't something that's conditional, and if we establish the precedent that it IS, we have destroyed one of the fundamental planks of our constitution.

R.
 06/14/2008 10:58:34 AM · #10
Originally posted by Louis:
Oh, that'll solve all our problems. Marginalize the Middle East, drive it away from the global community, drive a wedge in so that they feel how exclusive the West is, and sit back and enjoy the peace and prosperity that ensues. Sure.


There are other news sources that even Arabs trust more than Al-Jazeera.

//www.sahafa.com/

//www.gulfnews.com/home/♦

This is an all around cool news site which offers dozens of different newspapers to choose from.

//www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/viewer.aspx
 06/14/2008 12:21:16 PM · #11
Originally posted by photodude:
I would love to know what WESTERN corporation sells them satellite bandwith. That should come to an end. Let them get their own satellite into space. Perhaps if they strap one on a camel and it gets a good running start on a steep ramp they could get it up there. There should be an absolute ban on any sale or transfer of high technology to the Arab/Islamic world similar to our policy toward the Soviets during the cold war.

I think it must be Hughes Network Systems. That would explain why my satellite internet connection is always screwed up. It's an arab plot to prevent the voice of reason (me) from telling the world how things really are. :)

06/16/2008 09:08:48 AM · #12
This is pretty much the debate going on here in VT almost word for word. Some feel its propaganda others feel its just news w/ a different view.

I personally didn't know I had access to it until the debate started. I hope they keep it, it really is just news. Its not a terrorist platform where they can spread their word and recruit, its just news. Its not more propaganda than FOX news is. It is OK to hear that not everyone in the world is fond of Americas foreign policy.

I feel that if you don't want to watch it, change the chanel and watch something else.

If nothing else, this keeps us tuned in to what is happening in that region of the world. If a few people learn something about their culture and who they are its worth it.

To be honest, most of the people who oppose it have never seen it and are the people in the mindset that the middle east is nothing but an underdeveloped culturally backwards region who are not worth listening to.
 06/16/2008 10:22:41 AM · #13
If the US can support FOX and CNN then supporting Al-Jazeera is no different. All news stations spin the news.

Another source of world news is the Jerusalem Post. Anyone want an Israeli (or other) point of view?
 06/16/2008 10:29:08 AM · #14
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
Originally posted by hopper:
Seems to me that using TV would be a step backwards for terrorists who use the internet. The web is 2 way communication vs. 1 way communication using TV. Besides, doesn't the FCC have to monitor all cable stations for content anyway?


I don't think that's quite the point. Al-Jazeera is a propaganda tool, just as Voice of America is (was?) for us. Its primary goal (in the English-language version anyway) is to paint the "Arab cause" sympathetically, to garner support for their POV.

So whether it is or is not allowed to stay on the airwaves is a free speech issue plain and simple. I think if the *government* got involved and said "axe it!" that would be a real problem. The people, on the other hand, can vote with their fingers, so to speak. Nobody *has* to watch it...

R.


I can't think of any news media organization that isn't a propaganda tool.

Should we also ban CNN, MSN et al?

Or is it only propaganda if you don't agree with their POV?
 06/16/2008 11:09:42 AM · #15
Originally posted by photodude:
I would love to know what WESTERN corporation sells them satellite bandwith. That should come to an end. Let them get their own satellite into space. Perhaps if they strap one on a camel and it gets a good running start on a steep ramp they could get it up there. There should be an absolute ban on any sale or transfer of high technology to the Arab/Islamic world similar to our policy toward the Soviets during the cold war.


I could say that I am speechless, but truth be known I am NOT.

I could proffer a retort, but best that I bite my tongue lest I get suspended for making rude comments.

Wonders will never cease.

Ray
 06/16/2008 04:51:09 PM · #16
Originally posted by RayEthier:
Originally posted by photodude:
I would love to know what WESTERN corporation sells them satellite bandwith. That should come to an end. Let them get their own satellite into space. Perhaps if they strap one on a camel and it gets a good running start on a steep ramp they could get it up there. There should be an absolute ban on any sale or transfer of high technology to the Arab/Islamic world similar to our policy toward the Soviets during the cold war.


I could say that I am speechless, but truth be known I am NOT.

I could proffer a retort, but best that I bite my tongue lest I get suspended for making rude comments.

Wonders will never cease.

Ray


Wonders might not cease, but maybe education has in some areas. Given the amount of algebra and algorithms in general that underpin most space programs the original comment is even funnier.

The fact that there are already quite a few Middle Eastern and Muslim countries already with satellites in space might be worth mentioning too. Perhaps they could stop sending us oil at the same time if you plan on pushing an isolationist foreign policy. Let's just shut all the borders for trade to everyone?

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