Al jazeera in Myanmar

I was looking for on-the-ground video of the Myanmar Typhoon affected area, so I naturally turned to You-Tube. It looks like the best footage is coming from Al jazeera (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXAF8AjgiWM), which I find interesting – not surprising mind you as Al jazeera is far and away the most popular media outlet in the “muslim world”.

 

They are a complex phenomenon and I am having a tough time deciding whether I applaud or cringe at their success. They are obviously spending a lot of time and money trying to create a legitimate global media brand, but they are also clearly a tool for the dissemination of hateful anti-global and anti-western rhetoric, especially within the middle-east. I’d like to believe that over the long term, their impact will be decidedly positive - after all, a free press is really at the core of a democratic society.

 

What is clear is that they have a distinct editorial advantage in some parts of the world and on some subjects. That kind of leverage is going to keep them around for quite a while.

 

Some interesting background reading…

 

FP, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3497 

M. Malkin http://michellemalkin.com/2007/10/25/jihadists-turn-on-al-jazeera/

AIM http://www.aim.org/press-release/aims-charges-of-anti-american-bias-at-al-jazeera-are-vindicated/