Global Media Journal

Al-Jazeera: An Inside View

Review by

Badriya Al-Jenaib

Hugh Miles, Al-Jazeera: The Inside Story of the Arab News Channel That is Challenging the West, New York: Grove Press, 2005, 426 pp, $24.00 (ISBN 0-8021-1789-9)

Hugh Miles describes the phenomenon of the Al-Jazeera news channel that has recently had a major impact on world news broadcasting. The station has an audience of more than 50 million viewers, and it has quickly established itself as the leading producer of news in the Islamic world, covering events in unprecedented ways. The Al-Jazeera logo has not only become well-known by its regular viewers, it is seen regularly on such stations as CNN and Fox News whenever they are an Al-Jazeera report. In viewing the station, it has a similar appearance to other global news shows, with anchors that look like they do in the West, a ticker tape that appears along the bottom of the screen and live images from current events. However, the language is Arabic, moving from right to left in Arabic fashion, along with high-tech graphics. “In other words, Al-Jazeera’s news looks and feels like any Western news station” (p. 1). In a style similar to the BBC, Al-Jazeera reports from all over the world, twenty-four hours a day, all year round. One difference becomes evident early on, however, and that is the lack of advertisements. News is the central focus, but there are talks shows and educational programs aired, as well as sports news.

Miles explains that his interest in Al-Jazeera began in 2003 when he was covering the invasion of Iraq for Sky News. His job was to monitor news stories from several competing stations so Sky News did not miss any important pictures. He says it was especially important to watch the Arab news stations because they had better access inside Iraq, in particular Al-Arabiya, Abu Dhabi TV and Al-Jazeera. The images he received were often unedited to be packaged later for broadcast. Although Miles had other journalistic projects, he quickly became consumed by war news. Miles’ interest in the Middle East developed while he was young; his father was a diplomat and he lived in several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia where he was born. He became interested in the new voice in the Arab World, Al-Jazeera, and began to research its impact. However, this type of research is not nearly as accessible as researching a Western news organization. He explains there is no reliable means of gathering data, such as audience size, demographics and so forth. He recognized that the only way to discover how Al-Jazeera was being received by the Arab world was to travel there and find out. Luckily, Al-Jazeera’s management welcomed Miles’ request to conduct research for his book; besides, they said they had nothing to hide. Plus, such a book could help launch their upcoming English-language channel. After several months of research, Miles found a story that was more than describing a new broadcast station. He argues that the story of Al-Jazeera is “inextricably linked” to the story of the conflict and events of the Middle East, and at times, Al-Jazeera has been “at the very eye of the storm” (p. 12). Consequently, through reporting the story of Al-Jazeera, Miles also hopes to provide insight to the current struggles of this critical region of the world.

Al-Jazeera is an open voice, objective, so to speak, a “window” into the Arab world. However, it is headquartered in a country that, although relatively open and free as compared to some other Islamic states, is still shrouded in caution when it comes to free speech. Miles describes that during the first week he was in Doha, Qatar, he was asked if he had met anyone from the Qatari CID. The expat rumor is that the CID is a secret organization that sends its agents into the expatriate community to mingle with them and observe the attitudes and opinions of the expatriates toward the government. Of course, the CID do not just focus on the expatriates, but have their “ear” to the street to uncover any dissent coming from the Qatari people. Nevertheless, if an expatriate is found to have questionable opinions or motives in their visit to Qatar, they are quickly expelled from this small oil kingdom. Still, Qatar has become much more democratic than some of its neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia. It has a new constitution and voting, and Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misned, the Emir’s wife, has an important role in running the country’s affairs, and is seen by many as an equal partner, a woman who characterizes the Arab women’s movement. Since the Emir took over in 1995, he introduced a more open society, and this was easily accepted.

The region has not been without sources of news. In the 1970s and 1980s, several regional newspapers developed, and news broadcast stations began to emerge as part of daily life. However, the media was controlled by either the Ministers of Information in a particular country or by the citizens who financed them. The main interest of these news sources was to serve the interests of the respective governments. The Arab audience neither trusted nor respected most of what they viewed on local news stations because they perceived these news sources as being nothing more than “appendages” of the national governments. Consequently, Arabs looked to international news sources such as the BBC; however, these sources were still not satisfying because they did not reflect an Arab perspective. When Qataris first learned that the Emir abolished the Ministry of Information and established Al-Jazeera, most Qataris were stunned. Miles quotes a citizens of Qatar, Mostefa Souag who stated, “Then we saw it and we finally realized that this administration, this elite which came with the new Emir, had genuinely decided to do something different. These are people who had been educated in the West, know what is going on in the world and wanted to apply their ideas in real life rather than be tied down by tradition” (p. 30).

Over the last few years, Al-Jazeera has won viewers from all over the world, but none are so loyal as the Arab audience. This is primarily due to the content that is aired on the station. Besides news that has a decidedly Arab perspective, there are several political/news talk shows that are extremely controversial. The show The Opposite Direction is the most popular, and Miles describes that screaming, shouting, threats, insults and even guests marching off the set are not uncommon characteristics of the show. The host, Dr. Al-Qasim, commonly plays devil’s advocate, asking provocative questions that invite explosive responses. Nothing like this show has ever been seen on Arab television. “Here, for the first time, Arab rulers would be openly slated as lackeys of the US and their policies blasted as sycophantic, treacherous and corrupt” (p. 39).

Al-Jazeera’s notoriety in the West increased immediately after September 11 when Osama bin Laden faxed a statement to the station declaring that he was not responsible for the attacks, but was used to being accused when an enemy of the U.S. struck. However, this was not the first time bin Laden had appeared on Al-Jazeera. In September, 2000, a tape was aired on the station where bin Laden threatened to strike against the American forces in the Persian Gulf, and continued by presenting a list of grievances against the U.S. Other controversial events were aired, including the Taliban blowing up sacred Buddhist statues. The destruction occurred even after scholars and some members of Al-Jazeera traveled to Afghanistan to try and persuade the Taliban to change their mind, reminding them that the statues had been tolerated for centuries, and that non-Muslims are free to worship as they please under Islam. Shortly after the attacks on 9/11, Al-Jazeera replayed interviews of Osama bin Laden, and later an interview filmed in Afghanistan where bin Laden explained why it was the duty of every Muslim to fight this jihad against Israel and America. Al-Jazeera believed it was important to present Osama bin Laden and his ideology for greater understanding; however, the station has been harshly criticized for allegedly supporting bin Laden’s views.

Miles continues through several chapters in his detailed, comprehensive discussion of Al-Jazeera’s growing role in covering world events. His narrative does not just present detailed accounts of Al-Jazeera, however, but presents the insights he gained into the nature of the Arab world and Arab perspective. For example, when describing the destruction of the statue of Saddam Hussein in Fardus Square, Miles points out that while many Iraqis were ecstatic, many Arabs, although relieved, were humiliated by the speed at which America took down a powerful Arab country. Maher Abdulla, the reporter covering the event stated that many Arabs probably fantasized about destroying statues of their own dictators, but this did not take away the sting of Arab humiliation as presented by the images covering the war.

Miles also tackles the issue of freedom of speech and its democratic effects. While some perceive Al-Jazeera and other more open news sources as the “Islamic Glasnost,” Miles does not believe that democracy will necessarily follow in a straightforward fashion as some predict. While the world has opened to Arabs who are witnessing news and opinions in revolutionary ways, there is no guarantee that oppressive regimes will fade away anytime soon. Miles writes that “in the gloomiest analysis, some assert that the information revolution might actually be bolstering oppressive Arab regime’s control over their people: the public vents its anger on Al-Jazeera’s talks shows, while real power remains entrenched in the hands of the regime” (p. 328).

Miles book is a fascinating account of his insights not only regarding the workings of Al-Jazeera, but of the Arab response to the Al-Jazeera organization and a revealing look into the hearts and minds of the Arab people. The station is controversial and has caused harsh criticism from American government officials and Arab leaders alike. Miles’ book is comprehensive and detailed. It opens the door to the Arab world and allows Western readers a glimpse of a culture of which they know very little. Several books have been written about Al-Jazeera’s impact in the world of global news, but this book is told from a first-hand witness account, and does so with intelligence and awareness. As Miles learns about the Arab world, so does the reader. Book such as this one are critical in this time of conflict between East and West, highlighting issues of international concern, but presenting these issues in intimate, descriptive ways that bring to life an area of the world that has long been misunderstood and mostly unseen. With the advent of Al-Jazeera, and news organizations that are likely to follow, the Arab voice is growing in power and strength, and hopefully, this will help bridge the cultural gaps that divide us

Al-Jazeera: An Inside View

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