Dynamics of An Alternative Media Power: A Case Study of Al Jazeera Satellite Channel

초록

Even though a more fair distribution of influence among world media was recommended in various occasions, it has been, for many, a conventional idea that the global environment of news media would be inevitably predominated by a few of major news groups like AP, UPI or, more recently, by some specialized 24 hours news corporation like CNN and BBC World. The advent and success of Al Jazeera Satellite Channel was, in this context, revolutionary. Based on a small emirate of Qatar in Persian Gulf, Al Jazeera became, soon after its` first emission, an Arab broadcasting phenomenon. With its hard-hitting programming and its often controversial coverage of news and events, this channel became a nightmare of Arab authoritarian governments. There are several key factors for the success of Al Jazeera. The crisis of credibility for other Arab media, often jealously controlled by governments, is one of them. In this sense, Al Jazeera`s success was a byproduct of traditional Arab media`s failure. Direct speaking tones and exchange of open critics among panel members in debate program strongly reminded Arab TV viewers about the censorship of conventional government channels. As the freedom of press being rare, watching Al Jazeera channel was, for Arab public, more than just getting information which had been inaccessible before; it was a kind civic education. This feeling of emancipation for Arab public was even more enhanced during the period following 911 New York terrorist attack and the first periods of Afghanistan Warr. Al Jazeera channel, an Arab speaking media with dominant Arab nationalist view point, became, in this time, a globally accepted information source offering some unique and fastest news on hot events of the globe. For many intellectuals and critiques outside Arab World, Al Jazeera became a synonym of an alternative media power. But what are actual reasons of Al Jazeera`s success? What was the internal mechanism of this unique Arab media corporation? And what was the condition of existence for this exceptional media group? Analyzing available data, it became clear that the relative freedom of Al Jazeera was a very conditioned one, connected indeed with the media policy of the Emirate of Qatar. Even though Al Zajeera proclaims its` independence from any political power group, this news agency was founded by the government of Qatar, and has been financially dependent on it. Being a pioneer of Arab democracy, Al Jazeera itself was definitely relying on the strong will of a not so democratic Emir of Qatar. Its` severe critics on the American foreign policy and `War on Terrorism` in general was paralleling with Qatari government`s strongest support on that very `war on terrorism`. The conditions and mechanism of Al Jazeera as an alternative media power need, in the result, a more close attention with some holistic and contextual view.