Al Jazeera English News Network

[way2muchcoffee]

How about a massive campaign to rebuild the infrastructure (including all private homes and buildings it destroyed), provide medical care, food, and oil to all who want it. Do these things with no strings attached.

That would be a start.

Edited April 17, 2008 by way2muchcoffee

[britmaveric]

Unfortunately this is what yanks are doing? Iraq has a massive budget surplus - oh the irony of it.

[Naam]

AJ is shi*e - completely slanted. Makes it no better than the rest and prob on par with awful CNN. However good to see what the enemy is saying....

i would like to issue a certificate for you BritM. that certificate would state that you have no idea but you possess a huge amount of that "no idea"

[madjbs]

I never mentiont the U.S, I doubt many Americans understand Arabic TV anyway.

[Naam]

Innocent is well subjective - I agree with the prev poster most of the death/mayhem is caused directly by the people themselves.

and that of course goes too for the approximately 380,000 Iraqis who were killed by shia and sunni smart/cluster bombs and cruise missiles which were fired from Iran by "dem bad Mullahs". it is well known that the GNoE (Greatest Nation on Earth™) and the "coalition of the willing" invaded Iraq twice peacefully with nothing else in mind then to liberate iraqi citizens and introduce democraZy to them.

signed

Bill O'Reilly

"we make up your mind, you comply!"

[Naam]

I never mentiont the U.S, I doubt many Americans understand Arabic TV anyway.

i watch once in a while the arabic version and have to admit that it is somehow anti-israeli biased. but that does not mean that al-Jazeera commentators or moderators present SHIT² as FAUX News does. i am just referring to the emphasis of the news.

[howtoescape]

Quite frankly, I'd rather watch Fox and Al Jazeera that the Communist News Network or the British Bullsh!t Broadcasting.

Fox is entertaining, my main issue with not watching it is that it mainly reports on American current affairs which are of no interest to me, the people that slag it off are the types who boast about knowing the difference between broadsheets and tabloids, the enightened ones.

[jayhech]

Have Al Jazeera in Pattaya with Jomtien Cable but not sure about Sopon Cable, my building doesn't allow Sopon nor UBC. Here in BKK I can't get Al Jazeera on UBC but will be interested to know if I can get one on any cable. Please advice. I like the coverage, it's different. Though I wonder for how long they've been featuring English version because for 2 days that I watched Al Jazeera, I saw the same documentaries for 8 times. The documentary was great, very interesting. Anyways, I really hope they do keep up their good work and find more staff so they can do more good stuff more often

[jstumbo]

Unfortunately this is what yanks are doing? Iraq has a massive budget surplus - oh the irony of it.

It is. They try to do all these infrastructure projects and they are just destroyed by the insurgents. If they would just stop killing their own people and destroying their own country, then the US could leave the place. The more they kill, the more they destroy, the longer the US will be there.

[Huey]

I love Al Jazeera, closest thing to real journalism out there at the moment.

[hanibal7]

It gives a different perspective on the true horrors of war and not the heavily censored usa/british news.after seeing images from the first iraqi invasion by the coalition forces,from a motorised dish(1990??) i was totaly against the second invasion as many innocent women and children got butchered,and yes it was horrible to watch.when the top notches in america were saying they could explode a bomb thru a letter box it was not nice to see that the letter boxes must have been 2 miles in dimension.

In truth the allies should be tried for war crmes after the images on tv.

[jstumbo]

It gives a different perspective on the true horrors of war and not the heavily censored usa/british news.after seeing images from the first iraqi invasion by the coalition forces,from a motorised dish(1990??) i was totaly against the second invasion as many innocent women and children got butchered,and yes it was horrible to watch.when the top notches in america were saying they could explode a bomb thru a letter box it was not nice to see that the letter boxes must have been 2 miles in dimension.

In truth the allies should be tried for war crmes after the images on tv.

"Collaterial damage" (such a terrible term) is not a war crime. Purposely targeting civilians is. An AA gun on a roof that is blown up will also destroy the building below, which houses many innocent people. But it is war and people die. If they wanted to move all of their equipment out into the desert so that it could be blown up without any human casualties that would have been great, but they did not do that. Maybe it should have been like hundreds of years ago when the two opposing armies found a nice big open area and faught away from the civilians. Could have done it if they just went out into the desert.

I agree that the invasion was wrong and should not have happened. But they were not purposely targeting civilians just to kill them.

[Pepe']

I love Al Jazeera, closest thing to real journalism out there at the moment.

-------------------

I agree and am a bit of a news hound myself these days. I do take from BBC, CNN and FOX.

I think Fox is a very important source, comparatively, as an indicator how blind and just plain stupid most of us are here in the US.

It never ceases to amaze me, how Fox continues to shovel this "pablum" and BS down the throats of Americans and most just swallow it as reality.

I wonder which is the most popular with Thas...

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I love Al Jazeera, closest thing to real journalism out there at the moment.

-------------------

I agree and am a bit of a news hound myself these days. I do take from BBC, CNN and FOX.

I think Fox is a very important source, comparatively, as an indicator how blind and just plain stupid most of us are here in the US.

It never ceases to amaze me, how Fox continues to shovel this "pablum" and BS down the throats of Americans and most just swallow it as reality.

I wonder which is the most popular with Thas...

I also watch Fox. O'Reilly and Hannity are some of the best comic news commentators out there. They rival Colbert and Stewart. After I watch O'Reilly, I watch Keith Olbermann so that I make sure I got all of O'Reilly's jokes.

If it wasn't for O'Reilly, I would have never discovered www.mediamatters.com. O'Reilly calls it a left-wing fascist smear site, but its actually quite accurate in its factual critique of televised news broadcasting. No wonder O'Reilly hates it so much.

[Beardog]

If it wasn't for Paul Gigot (used to be pronounced Paul Gigot as in "got milk')) Old time school buddy when the Green Bay Packers & Vince Lombardi were happening .Being with The Wall street journal as top editor & news commentary. Fox would be worthless.

Paul used to be heavy pro- Republican- But since he is the only one there who is fair - He sees through the rederick & brainwashing Fox doles out. If you want less biased news about your home country -get it from another country.

[kmart]

Here in the Middle-East (Saudi to be precise) I'm watching the Arabic version sometimes. You get to see a lot of wounded people, children with shot off limbs etc. most of which is censored by the BBC, CNN etc..

And who doesn't want to see maimed children?!

You people are sick.

My point was that the Arabic version is less censored and more focused on the plight (for lack of a better word) of for example the Palestinians while CNN, Fox and to a lesser extend the BBC are more supportive of Israel.

Don't know what you mean with "you people"; anyway not really related to Thailand so better quit here.

Censoring of horrific scenes has nothing to do with the focus of a news channel, rather their ethical standards.

The hunger for gore and the complete lack of respect for victims, shown both by the programme makers and the audience is what makes me sick and was who i was refering to with "you people".

Currently occupying the highest moral ground^^.

I agree. (I also enjoy natural history / wildlife programs made by Disney. I don't much care for all that "red in tooth and claw" nonsense).

[DirkGently]

I have seen it and it is Ok, but they are obsessed with israel. Plus I have little interest in what they do to each other in the sandy countries.

However, they give far too much soap box time for nutters and terrorists to rail against 'the west'.

[zaza]

It gives a different perspective on the true horrors of war and not the heavily censored usa/british news.after seeing images from the first iraqi invasion by the coalition forces,from a motorised dish(1990??) i was totaly against the second invasion as many innocent women and children got butchered,and yes it was horrible to watch.when the top notches in america were saying they could explode a bomb thru a letter box it was not nice to see that the letter boxes must have been 2 miles in dimension.

In truth the allies should be tried for war crmes after the images on tv.

"Collaterial damage" (such a terrible term) is not a war crime. Purposely targeting civilians is. An AA gun on a roof that is blown up will also destroy the building below, which houses many innocent people. But it is war and people die. If they wanted to move all of their equipment out into the desert so that it could be blown up without any human casualties that would have been great, but they did not do that. Maybe it should have been like hundreds of years ago when the two opposing armies found a nice big open area and faught away from the civilians. Could have done it if they just went out into the desert.

I agree that the invasion was wrong and should not have happened. But they were not purposely targeting civilians just to kill them.

[Ulysses G.]

It is interesting to see how many of us are absolutely conviced that only stupid people watch Fox News. Makes me wonder just who is stupid and has actually been brainwashed.

Edited April 18, 2008 by Ulysses G.

[britmaveric]

It is interesting to see how many of us are absolutely conviced that only stupid people watch Fox News. Makes me wonder just who is stupid and has actually been brainwashed.

Fox is no worse than any of the others news channels, all comes down to jealousy - most popular cable news network in yankland. When you are on the top - easy for others to criticize.

[zaza]

I have seen it and it is Ok, but they are obsessed with israel. Plus I have little interest in what they do to each other in the sandy countries.

However, they give far too much soap box time for nutters and terrorists to rail against 'the west'.

Were those news or pictures that were broadcasted in that (Israel-Palestinian) coverage were made up or lies?

Why don't some people refuse to see or hear the others' view or side of a story?

Why we always end up to the same exact hypocritical attitude against anything comes from Arabs or (deserts)? Everything good and white are from west and everything which is bad and absurd are from that region, right??

If those "maimed kids" (that had been mentioned by other member) are from the other side of the conflict, the world would tremble and shake from rage and anger but as long as they are Arabic kids (who cares!), we would say ::'' how rude of their channels to tell abt it and view it on our screens?""

Unfair and injustice are the most dangerous poisons you could feed people with and the results would be devastating by either killing them directly or turning them to be killers who will have the same criteria in judging(unfair and injustice) when they have the chance to pay you back .

Speaking out (or uncovering what is supposed to be hidden) is one of the rights that press and media should try to promote anytime anywhere.

P.S. this topic was covered here by an old thread. Al-Jazeera

Edited April 18, 2008 by zaza

[Naam]

It is interesting to see how many of us are absolutely conviced that only stupid people watch Fox News. Makes me wonder just who is stupid and has actually been brainwashed.

Fox is no worse than any of the others news channels, all comes down to jealousy - most popular cable news network in yankland. When you are on the top - easy for others to criticize.

shit is something good as it is most popular with billions of flies

joke aside. FAUX News is doing the right thing making money by catering mostly to brainless masses and "educating" them according to the guidelines set by Rupert Murdoch.

[zaza]

It may come as a surprise to you but those kind of gruesome scenes are part of everyday life for some people, if you want to go back to just seeing all the nicey nicey images and how great the war is going watch Fox.

Thanks madjbs; I can never use words to tell this sad (fact) as you have done in your post.

[geriatrickid]

I never mentiont the U.S, I doubt many Americans understand Arabic TV anyway.

wanna bet? I know it comes as a surprise to some folks but the American Arab community is quite robust and growing. There is a reason why a great many arabs have moved to the USA and they didn't go there because of hatred, but because of a genuine love for America, the freedoms and the opportunities that are available. These "arabs" are American and watch the news in their native language. True, most 3rd (& greater) generation arab americans don't give a rat's ass about the middle east and would prefer to be as far away from that crap, but the arab american community is big enough to support a profitable media distribution system.

[koheesti]

I watch AJE on and off and find it to be less Al Qaeda Network than previously thought. Then again, their audience is different from the arabic version. I've noticed Riz Khan and some other familiar faces from CNN so that helps me stick around when I channel surf (it's one of my "favorites" programmed into my remote). The more I watch the more sensible they seem. Last night they had some black professor from Princeton and he explained away Obama's gaffes much better than Obama himself.

As for Fox, it's my favorite to watch (especially Britt Hume's Special Report). Sure, most of the Fox presenters lean to the right but unlike other news channels, they are usually talking/debating with someone with an opposing view. That's their format. I see this on BBC in Dateline London (although they all agree) or The Doha Debates (good stuff). On CNN, they used to have that cartoon debate show Crossfire but with that gone they never offer opposoing views. They literally just tell you what to think and are never challenged on air. So it's ironic that as right wing and "biased" as Fox is, no other channel gives so much time to Dem strategists and other liberals than they do.

Edited April 18, 2008 by koheesti

[Ulysses G.]

As for Fox, it's my favorite to watch (especially Britt Hume's Special Report). Sure, most of the Fox presenters lean to the right but unlike other news channels, they are usually talking/debating with someone with an opposing view. That's their format. I see this on BBC in Dateline London (although they all agree) or The Doha Debates (good stuff). On CNN, they used to have that cartoon debate show Crossfire but with that gone they never offer opposoing views. They literally just tell you what to think and are never challenged on air. So it's ironic that as right wing and "biased" as Fox is, no other channel gives so much time to Dem strategists and other liberals than they do.

Exactly!

[rixalex]

Making entertainment (dressed up as news) out of people who are in suffering is just wrong, no matter what your culture or background. Yes my standards are RIGHT and BETTER than yours if you think otherwise.

Why are they making entertainment? If it happens to be the truth then it's news isn't it? Like I said before, if you can't cope with the reality of the situation then thats your problem, go and watch Fox, perhaps it might make people think twice before supporting gruesome wars and attacks on innocent people.

My dislike for the unsensored journalism that disregards respect for the victims has nothing to do with me not being able to cope with it, nor as you seem to assume any support for the perpetrators, but the empathy i feel towards the victim and sorrow for the victim's family having not only to cope with their loss, but also having it out there for the media to use as they wish. Seems this doesn't concern you however.

Perhaps you feel the reason why other news networks don't use such images has nothing to do with respect, but rather part of a big cover-up, despite the fact that these sorts of images are never shown regardless of the story. Perhaps you like the fact that Al Jazeera shows these images because you think people are unable to grasp or really understand a story without having pictures, and you are prepared to forego the family of the victim some privacy and dignity because such horrific images serve your cause of showing how bad the Americans and their allies are.

Your comments on "you people" were very poorly thought out as you were referring to people watching an Arabic news channel which would obviously lead to the assumption to who exactly you were referring to. Poor excuse in my opinion.

My comment "you people" wasn't poorly thought out, but poorly interpreted by someone looking to try and make this a racial issue. For your information, Arabic news in English is not only watched by Arabic people, just as news coming from the West is not only watched by Westerners.

For the sake of misunderstanding, next time i'll be sure to spell out every word for people like you... "you people who think it's ok to watch unnecessarily gratuitous images of people in great pain and suffering whilst you sit in the comfort of your sitting room, make me sick - whether you be Arabic, European, American, Asian, whatever race or creed".

No different from people who stop their cars and get out, not to help, but for a better look at some poor helpless soul who's been run over. Or those who buy Thai newspapers to have a good gawp at the latest rape victim or bloody car crash, splashed all over the front pages. I personally don't need that sort of a graphic image to understands someone's plight, and i suspect those that do need to see those sorts of images, aren't doing so to better comprehend plight, but rather to get a kick for themselves.

[madjbs]

You still don't understand that in some cultures showing peoples body's on T.V is NOT seen to take away the victim's privacy and dignity, the victims family may WANT the news to show that so they can get across to the world the awful things that have taken place. You assume because in your culture it is not acceptable to show unedited footage that it must be so elsewhere and everywhere. Very small minded but not surprising really.

[Richb2004v2]

I first watched Al jazeera in Saudi during the 9/11 attacks. I could not believe the coverage I was seeing. I can not speak Arabic, but that wasn’t needed to get the idea of their particular slant on the event. The imagery together with the triumphant music conveyed their take on things. This together with the mad mullahs I used often to see ranting on that channel and being interviewed were enough for me to form a very negative opinion of the whole enterprise. Regardless of who is presenting the program and how good it is I will get my news elsewhere

[zaza]

You still don't understand that in some cultures showing peoples body's on T.V is NOT seen to take away the victim's privacy and dignity, the victims family may WANT the news to show that so they can get across to the world the awful things that have taken place. You assume because in your culture it is not acceptable to show unedited footage that it must be so elsewhere and everywhere. Very small minded but not surprising really.

....and most of the times the offender and his media doesn't like to be reminded of the crimes he'd committed so how would it be if he was exposed just like what had happened in Abu Ghraib jail in Baghdad or Al-Ameryiah shelter in the first gulf-war or many other similar cases.

So, let them rest peacefully in their sofas enjoying watching the ME&ME-Only channels that do the required patting on their flattened egos and beaten conscious.