Al Jazeera Source Reveals New Details About Egyptian Government's Efforts At Suppression

[Turborama]

Source: Huffington Post

Sam Stein | Updated: 02/1/11 10:29 AM

WASHINGTON -- As Al Jazeera continues to be one of the few, if not lone, sources of live coverage and comprehensive reporting on the protests in Egypt, the state government there is resorting to new methods of diminishing the reach of the network's broadcasts.

According to a source at the network who is working in Cairo, the state-run television station has, for the past few nights, been conducting deliberately slanted man-on-the-street interviews regarding media coverage of the massive protests. "Al Jazeera is continually singled out for blame and criticized for telling 'lies,'" the network source said. That would, of course, be editorial cherry-picking. What didn't make it onto state TV, the source added, was another protester addressing a throng of 700 or so onlookers on Monday night in Tahrir Square, using a bullhorn to lead the chant, "Long live Al Jazeera."

As the streets of Cairo continue a week's worth of demonstrations against Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, an intense discussion has begun over the press' handling of the events. No unit has been more scrutinized, or applauded, than Al Jazeera. The Qatar-based network, which was http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6848728">routinely vilified in the United States during the Bush years, has quickly come to be considered indispensable source of Mideast news. This has in turn spurred http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/30/al-jazeera-english-us_n_816030.html">critical questioning of domestic cable providers who have declined to offer the network to much of the United States.

Little is known, however, about how the Al Jazeera staff has managed to stay operational with all the pressure coming from Egyptian authorities. The source at the station, who spoke anonymously out of fear for his own safety, described the personal concern he felt when he returned to the network's Cairo office on Monday only to see that his colleagues had been detained. He emailed the following account of the events:

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/al-jazeera-egyptian-government-suppression_n_816827.html

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Related OP: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x315131">There Are A Number Of Misperceptions And Myths That Exist About Al Jazeera English In North America

[randr]

1. State run media is a propaganda tool of the oppressive

Hear that faux?

[howaboutme]

6. It's all the MSM

Not just Fox. None of the MSM is open and candid. It is censored and the public is manipulated. It is effectively the state/PTB propaganda media; it just isn't called "state media".

That's why every media outlet from Verizon to Comcast to Dish to Direct TV limits our news to the controlled USA MSM, and not the English international versions of AL Jazeera or other international news.

[bemildred]

2. Real journalism is revolutionary. and refreshing to see for a change. nt

[Donnachaidh]

3. kick and Rec! n/t

[defendandprotect]

4. k/r

[Tx4obama]

5. Egypt State TV Anchor Soha el-Nakash Resigns Over Protest Coverage

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/egypt-state-tv-anchor-soha-el-nakash_n_817101.html