From Library Journal
Most Americans first heard of Qatar-based Al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite television news network, when they saw the October 2001 broadcast of the Osama bin Laden video. The Al-Jazeera bureau in Kabul gave the network exclusive footage on the war in Afghanistan, and with its access to Arab spokesmen and audiences it has emerged as a powerful player on the world stage. In an entertaining and accessible journalistic style, El-Nawawy, a former journalist in the Middle East and a journalism professor (Univ. of West Florida), and Iskandar, a communications professor (Univ. of Kentucky), examine the history of the network, its operation, and its effects on Arab viewers across the world. The authors also chronicle the negative reaction of Arab governments to some of the political coverage, such as Kuwaiti complaints that the network is too sympathetic to Iraq, and analyze several of the controversial talk shows, including The Other Direction, modeled on CNN's Crossfire, to highlight the radical nature of Al-Jazeera programming in Middle Eastern media history. Given ongoing world events, this timely book will be a welcome addition to academic and public libraries. Judy Solberg, George Washington Univ. Lib., Washington, DC
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
David Barsamian, Alternative Radio
"An important book chronicling the rise to global media prominence of the Qatar-based satellite station."
