The book The Al-Jazeera Phenomenon (2005) edited by Mohamed Zayani discusses various viewpoints about the new voice in the world of broadcast news, the Al-Jazeera Broadcast station of Qatar. The book is divided into three subject areas: 1) "Al-Jazeera, Regional Politics and the Public Sphere; 2) "Al-Jazeera Programming," and 3) "Al-Jazeera and Regional Crises." The book also includes an introduction by Mohamed Zayani who does an excellent job of presenting some of the most important issues to be addressed by the various voices found in each chapter. Zayani begins his introduction by stating that Al-Jazeera is a relatively free channel "operating in what many observers perceive as one of the regions that are less included toward freedom of expression," a vast understatement in my opinion, which underplays the importance of Al-Jazeera operating as an uncensored source of Arab reporting. When Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al-Thani, the Chairman of the Board of Al-Jazeera, announced that Qatar was dismantling its Information Ministry, he made an unprecedented announcement: "The Ministry of Information…is the Ministry that controls the news media, be it television, radio or newspaper…WE don’t see that a Ministry of Information has any positive role to play in future media projects" (p. 2). Consequently, Al-Jazeera has become a source of free speech in a region of the world that has suppressed freedom of speech for several decades (depending on the country, maybe for much longer. Kuwait, for example, had a free press until the 1980s). The network addresses social issues which the Arab governments are not discussing openly, such as Islam and democracy, Islamic law, government corruption, persecution of political dissenters, and it lends a voice to those dissidents who dare to criticize the non-democratic, autocratic systems of the Arabian Gulf region. Zayani argues that this forum has forced the leading policy makers of the region to become more accountable rather than be attacked in the media.

Not surprisingly, Al-Jazeera has been met with reprisals because of its challenge to political restraint, some regimes even going so far as to ban the network from its borders. Nevertheless, Zayani points out that while governments have not been happy with the coverage presented by Al-Jazeera, it has attracted a wide Arab audience. For example, in 2002 (and it has become more popular since this time), 56 percent of the population of Kuwait preferred the station over others, and 47% of the population of Saudi Arabia chose the station as their preference. Ultimately, despite harsh criticism from some groups, Al-Jazeera is regarded positively in the Arab World. One reason given for this growing popularity is that Al-Jazeera is perceived as being the first on the site of events and so provides instant and direct information which might not be available from other sources. Al-Jazeera first gained this reputation due to its reporting on the war in Afghanistan, and its reputation for being at the forefront of news events has grown steadily ever since. Al-Jazeera has also been a "window" for news and events from organizations that are not approved by the West, such as Al Qaida and the Taliban. Consequently, Al-Jazeera has come to be accepted by the Arab world as presenting news that matters to them. Part of this reputation has been built on the station’s commitment to provide live, unedited news and images, and viewers have witnessed "unfiltered" news, especially in times of conflict. The audience perceives Al-Jazeera as balanced and objective because it also provides a variety of viewpoints by inviting guests that have a diversity of opinion and political stances.

Zayani describes Al-Jazeera as "Pan Arab," which may be one of the reasons that outside viewers perceive it as biased. Arab issues dominate the news, but you will also find the very "issue of Arabness" as a part of its format. As described by Zayani, "Al-Jazeera plays off and even feeds an Arab nationalist trend in its viewers" (p. 7). However, the rhetoric is "wrapped in a democratic style" (Zayani, p. 7) which is appealing to its Arab audience. Still, Al-Jazeera, although enjoying freedom of speech that is unprecedented in the Arab world, especially in the Arabian Gulf, is not without its limitations. Zayani points out that it is suspicious that the network rarely reports on events in Qatar, its host nation. In other words, the station rarely criticizes or even addressed policies and events involving the Qatari royal family. So, while Al-Jazeera has been touted as an autonomous network, these are relative concepts. The Chairman of the Board is part of the ruling family, after all. And although rated favorably in polls, its objectivity is its weakest area, even though it ranks higher than other Arab news broadcast stations.

Zayani’s introduction is 41 pages long and offers a comprehensive analysis of Al-Jazeera, considering politics, its relationship with the West, its Pan-Arab qualities and so forth, but there are several other essays included in the text that provide a variety of viewpoints about the qualities of Al-Jazeera. For example, Mohammed El Oifi describes the influence that Al-Jazeera has had on the Arab public sphere. He argues that Al-Jazeera has played a primary role in liberating Arab discourse. Arab regimes no longer have control of the news media in their region, and it has changed the way media affects the politics of the region. He believes that Al-Jazeera has also affected political relationships between neighboring states, "disturbing the nature and logic" of these relationships. Arab governments are no longer able to impose their interpretations of events on the Arab audience. El Oifi goes so far as to suggest that the ability of Al-Jazeera to stir sentiment against current regimes has caused those same regimes to lose their sacred aura. Still, some believe that Al-Jazeera is part of the "global mediascape" created by American hegemony. Pluralism is thought to result in moderation, according to El Oifi, and "Al-Jazeera seems to be part of the American recipe for a media liberalism that is capable of producing political moderation" (p. 68). Nevertheless, Al-Jazeera is the most effective critic of American policy.

Gloria Awad analyzes the impact of Al-Jazeera.Net, which has brought the electronic version of the satellite channel to an international audience. It allows the international community to become familiar with the Arab voice. Faisal Al Kasim argues that Al-Jazeera has brought a new and novel format to the Arab world—the talk show where guests exchange ideas. This is revolutionary in that individuals can exchange opinions and express opinions in ways not viewed by an Arab audience before. Live talk shows that discussed politics, and religious, social and cultural issues were not allowed on Arab television in the past, everything being "canned." The content is what makes these new shows revolutionary. The show The Opposite Direction, for example, pitted Dr. Nawal El Saadawi, a well-known Arab feminist against Sheikh Yussef Al Badri, representing the clergy, where she made "mincemeat" of him, according to Al Kasim. Needless to say, there was an angry outcry, but this did not stop Al-Jazeera from airing such shows. The format used by Al-Jazeera is unnerving to current regimes because for the first time, dissidents living abroad now have a format to air their views so that all Arabs can listen, if they choose.

The book The Al-Jazeera Phenomenon presents a comprehensive discussion that cover the politics, agenda, programming, and coverage of the broadcast station. Its social and political effects on its Arab and international audience are examined, and it helps to not only bring understanding to the news organization itself, but to the Arab self-image and identity that is associated with this media voice. The Arab world has faced rapid modernization, and it was only a matter a time until technology and ideas from the Western world would affect its relatively secluded and traditional societies. Change is taking place, and current regimes no longer have the same type of control as in the past to monitor, censor and impose information on their societies. This "phenomenon" is opening the door for more diversity in perspective and dialogue, and it is clear that Arab people will not turn back to a time when they had little access to current, international, diverse news sources. Al-Jazeera is a new voice, a new channel, and a new influence in the Arab world and other spheres, and more Arab media sources of this nature will surely follow.

The Al-Jazeera Phenomenon. (2005). Zayeni, M. (Ed.) Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers.