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malaise

(269,043 posts)
Sun Jul 2, 2017, 10:16 AM Jul 2017

Al-Jazeera, insurgent TV station that divides the Arab world, faces closure

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/jul/01/demand-al-jazeera-closure-shows-how-much-enemies-fear-it
<snip>
On Monday a bold and controversial experiment in Middle Eastern media and politics may be abruptly brought to an end. Al-Jazeera – once heralded as the beacon of free Arab media that broke the hegemony of the western networks and reversed the flow of information from east to west for the first time since the middle ages – faces closing its doors for good.

On 23 June, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt subjected Qatar to unprecedented diplomatic and economic sanctions, followed by an aggressive blockade and threats of further action if Qatar fails to meet a list of 13 demands, one of which is to shut down the al-Jazeera network.
The Guardian view on al-Jazeera: muzzling journalism
Editorial: In the Arab world, freedom of speech is being curbed to stop old and new media from raising questions about the way in which countries are run. This is wrong
Read more

If Doha capitulates – and there are no signs it will – it will effectively have lost its sovereignty and become a vassal state of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Yet defying the deadline could lead to regime change in Qatar, or even war.

Whatever happens, it is a credit to al-Jazeera that, 21 years after its launch, it is still so disruptive and challenging to those in power. Few other media outlets can claim to be so influential. But al-Jazeera is not like other broadcasters. It is a unique phenomenon which, since it started broadcasting in 1996, has revolutionised the Arab media, and in 2010 played a major role in bringing about a real political revolution across much of the Arab world.

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I love Al Jazeera - this must not happen. I knew this entire Qatar mess was about Al Jazeera.
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Al-Jazeera, insurgent TV station that divides the Arab world, faces closure (Original Post) malaise Jul 2017 OP
One of my top 3 most trusted sources of news. defacto7 Jul 2017 #1
Same here malaise Jul 2017 #2
Al Jazeera was doing investigative octoberlib Jul 2017 #3

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
1. One of my top 3 most trusted sources of news.
Sun Jul 2, 2017, 10:31 AM
Jul 2017

This would be tragic. Over the years it's been stable and unwavering in it's portrayal of world news. Probably the most unbiased news source available today.
It would be a great loss for journalism.

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