Comments on: International Broadcasting News http://politicsandpress.com/2006/international-broadcasting-news/ The interaction of the press and politics; public diplomacy, and daily absurdities. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:32:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Jeff http://politicsandpress.com/2006/international-broadcasting-news/#comment-51 Fri, 17 Nov 2006 21:45:27 +0000 http://politicsandpress.com/2006/international-broadcasting-news/#comment-51 right on Jr.! I for one would like to be able to tune into Al Jazeera International and see what the competition is saying. It is almost impossible to be worse than most of what we get from the networks and the cable outlets and if nothing else gives us the opportunity to see things through a different prism. We do not have to agree but we do a disservice to ourselves when we close our eyes and ears. It will be interesting to see if there is any kind of demand generated in the U.S. - end of the day, there wold have to be demand for the cable providers to react. right on Jr.! I for one would like to be able to tune into Al Jazeera International and see what the competition is saying. It is almost impossible to be worse than most of what we get from the networks and the cable outlets and if nothing else gives us the opportunity to see things through a different prism. We do not have to agree but we do a disservice to ourselves when we close our eyes and ears.

It will be interesting to see if there is any kind of demand generated in the U.S. - end of the day, there wold have to be demand for the cable providers to react.

]]> by: Jr. http://politicsandpress.com/2006/international-broadcasting-news/#comment-49 Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:27:05 +0000 http://politicsandpress.com/2006/international-broadcasting-news/#comment-49 It is probably a good thing that Al Jazeera will be very difficult to get. Concerned citizens, with a curiosity about the climate in the Arab world, may be tempted to tune in. This could land the viewers on a government watch-list, subject to wire taps and investigations. If the Justice Department is keeping track of library patrons, they would certainly be interested in Al Jazeera subscribers. There are larger and more troubling national attitudes behind this conventional wisdom. The first is the general idea that all of America is good, while the rest of the world, most notably, the Middle East (with the exception of Israel) is somehow innately bad. Because of this underlying sentiment we set ourselves up for an uninformed public, and immoral behavior. The second attitude that that undermines our public knowledge is the attitude of fear. I would argue that most all of the Americans who would tune in to AJI would be afraid at the minimum to be perceived as un-patriotic, and the maximum of being subjected to some sort of government intervention. Where will all our future statesmen (not to mention voters) come from? An informed public is vital to keeping our great country, well, great. Greatness is not a birth right; it must be earned by each generation. It is not enough to wave a flag, put a sticker on the back of the car, and go to church every Sunday. Just as in any relationship, people, citizens and nations can not be changed from the outside in. Our best hope is to lead the world by example, as we have done for hundreds of years. That example certainly starts with our freedoms, and quite likely the 1st Amendment. It is probably a good thing that Al Jazeera will be very difficult to get. Concerned citizens, with a curiosity about the climate in the Arab world, may be tempted to tune in. This could land the viewers on a government watch-list, subject to wire taps and investigations. If the Justice Department is keeping track of library patrons, they would certainly be interested in Al Jazeera subscribers.

There are larger and more troubling national attitudes behind this conventional wisdom. The first is the general idea that all of America is good, while the rest of the world, most notably, the Middle East (with the exception of Israel) is somehow innately bad. Because of this underlying sentiment we set ourselves up for an uninformed public, and immoral behavior. The second attitude that that undermines our public knowledge is the attitude of fear. I would argue that most all of the Americans who would tune in to AJI would be afraid at the minimum to be perceived as un-patriotic, and the maximum of being subjected to some sort of government intervention.

Where will all our future statesmen (not to mention voters) come from? An informed public is vital to keeping our great country, well, great. Greatness is not a birth right; it must be earned by each generation. It is not enough to wave a flag, put a sticker on the back of the car, and go to church every Sunday. Just as in any relationship, people, citizens and nations can not be changed from the outside in. Our best hope is to lead the world by example, as we have done for hundreds of years. That example certainly starts with our freedoms, and quite likely the 1st Amendment.

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