As far as I can tell, no broadcast news service has done a better job covering this year's exciting events in North Africa and the Middle East than Al Jazeera English. I love it not only because it provides great coverage and analysis, but it's also accessible 24/7 and delivers news from a more interesting perspective than I've seen in a long time.
Lately, the AJE portal into Tunisia, Egypt and Libya has been mesmerizing; lately I always seem to tune in around the time Dareen Abughaida is on via the Doha, Qatar desk (that's her above in an AJE screen shot). Abughaida herself is mesmerizing, the events are mesmerizing and the times, well, certainly quite interesting.
Other AJE news desks reporting around the clock include ones based in London and Washington, D.C. And what's completely amazing is you can access Al Jazeera English via streaming video on the internet, bypassing any need for the "normal channels." High speed internet helps but is not necessary. Or, one can key in "Al Jazeera English" in a search engine and the main website will pop right up, complete with live blogs and Twitter posts, etc., from Libya and across the region.
Live stream here: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
(Map: AJE). These are big time historical events and processes crackling across North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, way out of the old box. What better way to understand this than by checking out what's going on via Al Jazeera English?
Today's Rune: Partnership.
6 comments:
Awesome, I don't really watch TV much anymore so this is great, because I am not politically aware at all and have no freaking clue what's going down in Libya.
Al Jazeera has been a regular part of my news cycle since they first came to my awareness during their reporting of W's invasion of Iraq.
Not always seemingly balanced but it is a source to consider when trying to not get fooled again.
I've not watched it but I probably should. I could see it would be close to the situation and maybe have an interesting view we wouldn't normall get over here.
Hey thanks all for the comments, m much appreciated! AD, cool~ WM ~ also cool. AJE seems more "in the middle" than many US outlets, and from a definitely more cosmopolitan perspective, which I love. Charles, definitely worth a gander!
I hear some of it on BBC radio on NPR. Real insight US reporters don't have.
"[T]raditional ways of shaping global politics have been superseded by the influence of new media -- satellite television, the Internet, and other high-tech tools. What is involved is more than a refinement of established practices. We are seeing a comprehensive reconnecting of the global village and reshaping of how the world works." - Philip Seib, The Al Jazeera Effect: How the New Global Media Are Reshaping World Politics [and Culture] (2008)
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