The Al Jazeera Phenomenon: Critical Perspectives on New Arab Media [Paperback]

Mohamed Zayani (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2005 | ISBN-10: 1594511268 | ISBN-13: 978-1594511264

Few phenomena in the Arab world are more controversial than Al Jazeera - the satellite television news channel that, despite its brief history, has made its impact known throughout the world and changed the face of a formerly parochial Arab media.

This timely collection of articles, many by Arabic-speaking scholars, gives us more information and analysis of the network - and how it has affected the public and even the foreign policies of Western governments - than any other of the very few books published in English up to now.

The book provides rare insights into Al Jazeera's politics, its agenda, its programs, its coverage of regional crises, and its treatment of the West. The authors attempt to gauge the station's impact on ordinary Arab viewers, understand its effect on an increasingly visible Arab public sphere, and map out the role it plays in regional Arab politics. The image of Al Jazeera that emerges from this book is much more complex than its depiction in American media. It reveals the powerful role that the network plays in shaping ideas and reconstructing Arab identities during a crucial juncture in Middle Eastern history and politics.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Given the headline-generating announcement that Al Jazeera plans to open an English-language news operation available throughout the United States, this collection of 11 essays about the satellite television channel based in Qatar is especially timely. Editor Zayani, whose long introduction and essay about Al Jazeera's coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict dominate the collection, is an associate professor of critical theory at the American University in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Recognizing that Al Jazeera is usually "adored and championed or vilified and bashed," he has chosen a set of contributors who rarely do either. French journalist Olivier Da Lage, for example, shows how the pro-American foreign policy of Qatar's rulers and the sometimes anti-American editorial content of Al Jazeera broadcasts result in a complex balancing effect. British lecturer Naomi Sakr analyzes "Al Jazeera's contribution, if any, towards rectifying the women's empowerment deficit" and Faisal Al Kasim, the host of Al Jezeera's talk show The Opposite Direction, contends that the channel has "helped reduce Saudi influence" and that "taming Al Jazeera can only bring trouble to the Emir of Qatar." Though eight of the ten contributors are of Arab descent, all have studied Western news media as well as Arab media and, thus, are able to place Al Jazeera in contexts familiar to American lay readers. Worthy books about Al Jazeera aimed at a popular audience are easily available, but few offer the range of perspectives that Zayani's collection presents.
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Review

Especially timely....Few [books] offer the range of perspectives that Zayani’s collection presents. -- Publishers Weekly --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Paradigm Publishers (March 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594511268
• ISBN-13: 978-1594511264
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #757,159 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful essays on the Almost Free Press, December 21, 2005

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Al Jazeera Phenomenon: Critical Perspectives on New Arab Media (Paperback)

This is a serious collection of 10 academic essays about Al Jazeera, the 24-hour Arabic satellite-broadcasting network. In a sentence, Al Jazeera has transformed the way Arab nations get their news. The essays, edited by Mohammed Zayani, explain how the network and its state sponsor, Qatar, have created political and media turmoil of a scope well beyond the size of the network or the nation. The essays cover the network's history, Arab journalism, the role of women, the war in Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how the network has affected the media and governments of other Arab nations. The writers explain how other Arab states and the West perceive this new media outlet and its coverage. An outstanding essay by Faisal Al Kasim, the host of a popular Al Jazeera show, 'The Opposite Direction,' gives some powerful reasons why the network is a threat to other Arab nations. Basically, he writes about the power of a free press and how it could transform traditional secular Arab culture. Of course, to U.S. eyes, Al Jazeera often seems polemic, biased and political, but according to these essays, it is by far the freest media outlet in any Arab country. We recommend this book to anyone seriously interested in the Middle East, broadcasting or the impact of technology on shaping public opinion.