Customer Reviews

Al Jazeera: How the Free Arab News Network Scooped the World and Changed the Middle East

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Al Jazeera is giving us a vivid and moving picture of a New Arab World in the making. There is no way to go back in times. This media channel is succeeding to keep one step ahead of many others advancing, foreign or local, TVs.
Live transmissions are notably courageous in their way struggling so hard to persuade local (and influential) governments to let them work into the `heart' of the stories being anchored, against the background of petty local political bickering and futility.
It is not easy, but the beauty about it is that it is also challenging, and a source of pride to millions of Arabs

This book is the only book out there that looks at the media and politics in the Arab world. I would have liked to see a more detailed discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but with the day-to-day events and quick escalation in the Middle East, it is difficult to keep up. Either way, this book is as as detailed, unbiased, and current of an analysis as one could find. Its about time! hats off!

As everyone has seen Al-Jazeera logos on Western TV stations after September 11's tragegy when they played Bin Laden videos, people have yearned to know more about this controversial Arabic satellite channel. El-Nawawy & Iskandar's book is not only the first on this station, but I think is also a very balanced, comprehensive and interesting read. It covers the role of the media in the Arab World, and the view of Al-Jazeera through Western eyes. I recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about the important role of media in creating democracy and better understanding the views of Arab civil society.

Since September 11, I've been looking for any book out there to tell me about Arab audiences and what they watch. With the pervasive power of modern communication, media are helping shape the way we see ourselves, others and conflict. I found what I was looking for in this book. A well-written and courageous review of the hottest and most contested TV network on earth, this book leaves no stone unturned. I commend the authors particularly for their critique of the "Clash of Civilization" which seems to have taken over all our debates on the Middle East. I recommend this book for anyone who is confused about the turmoil in the Middle East and wants a refreshing optimistic view of how communication can bridge gaps rather than create them

Al-Jazeera is the all-Arabic TV news channel which burst on to the international scene in the wake of September 11 and the war in Afghanistan. Its unfettered access to that country during the war and its showing of the bin Laden tapes made it an automatic force on the world stage.Based in the Gulf state of Qatar, it came from the remnants of the BBC Arabic TV service. With the help of startup money from the Emir of Qatar, Al-Jazeera was to have complete editorial independence.In a part of the world where the press is usually government controlled, Al-Jazeera is not afraid to get specific and name names. At one time or another, it has been criticized or condemned by seemingly every government in the Arab world, for broadcasting things that the local government would prefer not be broadcast. Every local editorial of condemnation and every denial of press credentials to Al-Jazeera reporters just increases its audience all over the world by satellite.One of the things that Al-Jazeera is most known for is its talk shows, especially a nightly, two-hour show called The Opposite Direction. Two guests appear on the show, with totally opposite opinions on a certain issue, and with help from live phone calls, the sparks fly. Even by American TV standards, things get pretty loud and lively. Arab governments have noticed, and have begun imitating the format on their tame and boring government TV channels.Even though Al-Jazeera is an Arab TV channel, it has tried very hard to be impartial, hosting members of the Bush Administration, after September 11, and government officials from Israel.For those who want to decide for themselves if Al-Jazeera is a legitimate news broadcaster or a terrorist mouthpiece, this book is highly recommended. It's comprehensive, clearly written and is quite enlightening.

All the reviews I've read for this book have been unequivocally complimentary. One newspaper said it should be required reading for Bush's entire cabinet! Quite bold, but rightly so. After reading this book, I came to the realization that everything Al-Jazeera is courageous enough to air, my own country's media is petrified of. I wonder why our government is so afraid of a democratic Arab world? While the dozens of titles coming out on the Middle East are regurgitating the same history and concepts, this book is a refreshing new look at a MODERN Middle East, not a primitive and orientalized one.

I saw the book featured on Politically Incorrect. The authors provide a rigorous study of the network and are not shy of presenting every perspective on Al-Jazeera. This is the only book out there about this topic. I would like to see the authors address the current developments in the Arab-Israeli conflict in the book's reprint.

This is a great book and I highly recommend it for everyone striving to know about the Arab media from an objective perspective. The book will inform you about the Arabs' struggle for freedom of speech through an unbiased Arab network that is not subject to the control of any government. The authors have succesfully portrayed the true picture of the Arab media scene through Arab eyes.

Bought the book directly when it came out. Got it this morning and I haven't stopt reading it eversince. The books gives great insight in the role Al-Jazeera plays in the middle east. Will directly continue reading it after typing this.

A definite bestseller!

Matthijs

Collaboratively written by Egyptian born Middle East journalist Mohammed El-Nawawy and Middle East media expert Adel Iskandar, Al-Jazeera: How The Free Arab News Network Scooped The World And Changed The Middle East is a fascinating and informed history. This is a superbly presented account of Al-Jazeera, a modern, independent, entirely Arab television news network based in Qatar, which since the September 11 attacks, gained high profile prominence through daily exposure on CNN. This is also the compelling story of Al-Jazeera's struggle to keep its independence as an international news network, beholden to none. Overall, Al-Jazeera is an engaging, unique, detailed study of the origin of the Al-Jazeera network, its broadcasts, its effect on Arab viewers, and its struggle for a free press. Al-Jazeera is very highly recommended for Journalism Studies and Mideast Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.