Al Jazeera

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Six hours ahead - Rated
A TV channel that offends EVERYBODY must be doing something right. Since its quiet appearance in 1996, Al-Jazeera has continuously added viewers. It wasn't long before TVs in Europe and North America were tuning in to the one station that seemed to speak with a plausible Arab voice. What immediately distinguished this from other Arabic news and discussion programmes was its willingness to broadcast everybody's views. Although funded by the Emir of Qatar, Al-Jazerra was not a voice of its host government. It kept its news strictly factual and offered air time to voices dissenting from government policies. Anything going on the Arab world was discussed. Consequently, many contrasting views were aired, some of which criticised various governments in the region. But opinions and news were, and are, kept separate.

Discovering the phenomenon of Al-Jazeera had been discussed but had never been given an overview, Hugh Miles set out to rectify that lack. This son of a diplomat had solid credentials for researching the history of the new news channel. Fluent in Arabic, Miles was able to talk to station management, reporters and viewers in various places. His summation is an excellent example of investigative reporting, well presented. By the time Miles began his project, the subject had already undergone both amazing growth and intemperate vilification. He explains how Arab governments find Al-Jazeera a fomenter of sedition and rebellion. Some see it as a tool of the Isreali government seeking to destabilise Arab rulers, while others are certain it's an arm of the CIA. Americans, especially the Bush regime, view it as a mouthpiece for terrorist societies and probably anti-Isreal. Viewers, Miles finds, all have their own opinions about Al-Jazeera's political orientation, but still make it their first choice for Middle East news.

The key event in Al-Jazeera's progress was, of course, the 9/11 attacks on the WTC and Pentagon. Any news from the Arab world suddenly became of great importance and Al-Jazeera was clearly the leading voice. That situation probably led Al-Queda to use it as a conveyance for pronouncements to the world. Al-Queda tapes broadcast on Al-Jazeera immediately led to the branding of the station as a "voice of terrorism". Station management laughs at that, particularly when the western news channels are breaking down the doors to use Al-Jazeera news clips they cannot obtain elsewhere. The competition at one point was stiff enough to lead CNN to write a contract giving it Al-Jazeera video clips six hours ahead of the other broadcasters. The invasion of Afghanistan intensified the situation, since Al-Jazeera was the only news source on the ground when attacks began.

There's a risk being at the forefront of a battle to report events. Americans, certain that Al-Jazeera was "the mouthpiece of Al-Queda", "accidently" destroyed the Kabul office. Later, in Baghdad, more "accidents" occurred, this time killing one reporter. Al-Jazeera was the sole occupier of the Palestine Hotel, which was also attacked. No "accidents" happened to other news agencies. And the attacks occurred after Al-Jazeera had informed the Defence Department of their locations in the city. Correspondents are supposed to be immune from assault by military forces. Iraqis themselves avoided being interviewed because the station was presumed to be a target of American military forces.

It says much that the United States has demanded the Emir "tone down" the station's material. He has rejected these admonishments, both because they're self-defeating and because he funds the station without managing it. Meanwhile, the viewers increase daily and the addition of an English-language channel will broaden it further. Viewers now look for the "golden plum" logo on one corner of the screen to ensure they're watching an authentic news source. Subscription to Al-Jazeera is a minimal cost, considering you'll see news unavailable elsewhere. The Opposite Direction, a talk show airing a multitude of outlooks, may not be as valuable for facts, but it will likely give you information you wouldn't find elsewhere. Read Hugh Miles and learn why this new station is so important and so admired. And vilified. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

A good antidote to stereotypes - Rated
Just finished Hugh Miles' excellent book on Al-Jazeera. It's well-written and easy to read, quite gripping in places, and gives much more than just the story of the Al-Jazeera network, it's really the story of the last ten years in the Middle East, and counters so many of the stereotypes we have in the West about Arabs.

Principal among these is that Arabs hate America. Far from being a mouthpiece for Bin Laden or for anti-Western propaganda, Jazeera was the first media outlet in the Middle East that allowed free discussion, investigative journalism and 'one opinion and the other' - talk shows where opponents debated freely and uncensored phone-in calls were accepted. What emerges is that Arabs love America in many ways - they lap up its TV programmes, its sport, Hollywood and, most important, this kind of open argumentative media. Emotionally Arabs are very attached to America and its ideals, and to Britain and its reputation for objectivity and education. But - and it's a big 'but' - they are passionately opposed to its foreign policy, which in their eyes contradicts the values America has always espoused. Palestine is closer to the heart of ordinary Arabs in shops and cafes than we could ever imagine any foreign-policy issue since World War II. They really care about it, even if to some of them it's an issue of sentiment and idealism rather than practical politics. They see double standards coming out of America all the time - WMD: no country should have them, we'll attack anyone who's trying to develop them but we won't even talk about Israel's nuclear bomb; free speech: Arabs almost all suffer under restrictive, almost despotic regimes where the media are forced to toe the government line slavishly but the US supports these regimes and attacks Jazeera.

Arabs see the US say one thing, and do another; espouse free speech but support the dictators, talk anti-terrorism but turn a blind eye to Israel's 'targetted killings'. Jazeera was the first Arab station to invite and broadcase Israeli leaders, yet they are still decried as 'spreading poison'. If you've ever feared the Arab world, do yourself a favour and read this book - then go there and talk to people.

Very good - Rated
This is a lucid and readable book on an important and interesting contemporary subject. Hugh Miles has clearly done a lot of research, and he has got to the heart of the increasingly influential news channel. As he suggests, this is not just the story of a news channel, but the story of today's Middle East. For anyone interested in current affairs - and specifically in the Middle East - this book is indispensable. Miles writes seriously, but even manages to have a sense of humour.

Illuminating - Rated
This book is remarkable in many ways and reveals much about UK and USA media control as it does about Al-Jazeera.

P>Like many books that I have read and are at a tangent to historical events, they often reveal not just the subject matter but cast much light the event it'self.

This book is no exception. Competent, well written and absorbing from begining to end.

Highly recommended! - Rated
A fascinating expose of the history of Al-Jazeera, an Arab news channel regarded as a pariah in the West but which Miles argues is a very important example of the emergence of free media in the Middle East. A gripping read and a wake-up call for those of us who unthinkingly accept the images portrayed through Western media!