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"Tough reception for Al-Jazeera bid in Canada"
April 3, 2009 - 1:06pm
Former CBC veteran faces several obstacles in getting CRTC nod
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/612936
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/612936
OTTAWA–It was once condemned as "propaganda" by former U.S secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld. It's been slammed by Jewish groups for airing anti-Semitic views. And now Al-Jazeera wants to air on a television near you.
Tony Burman, the Canadian who is managing director of the Al-Jazeera Network, knows he is fighting history and stereotypes as he seeks regulatory approval to get the broadcaster's English service on Canadian airwaves.
But Burman, a CBC veteran, is asking people to judge Al-Jazeera's English network on its merits rather than the sometimes controversial record of its Arabic service ...
When al-Jazeera's last attempt to broadcast in Canada was refused, the CBC radio news item on the subject mentioned how it was hoped that this move would satisfy Bnai Brith.
Anyone know if I could get it on FTA? Doesn't the US also allow this channel? I read earlier that the bid was supposed to be good. Stupid Star.
http://english.aljazeera.net/
You know, there is always another way to access it, just start the market before the product. Al Jazeera can be blocked out of this country via cable or radio but there is always the internet, and B'nai Brith can whine and biatch about that all they want. Sure it's not necessarily fair, but if you start spreading it around it will make its way here eventually.
I enjoy watching and reading Al Jazeera reports and articles. I wish they could broadcast into Canada.
I find the quality of reporting to be more accurate than the CBC or CTV.
Al-Jazeera, unlike most western networks (including Canada's CBC, CTV, Global, etc.), showed the courage to thumb their nose at the Israeli blockade/ban of foreign journalists in Gaza during the recent bombing campaign and won the respect of media around the world.
Top global media praise al-jazeera
The remarks note that Canadian Tony Burman, a former editor at the CBC, was brought in to turn things around. The many comments praising the network are worth reading...
Maybe we could qote and hyperlink this news feed as often as possible when we post on blogs and forums.
For instance this on Obama's ratcheting up "Defence" spending:
Obama seeks $83bn more for US warsUS troops to Afghanistan [AFP]
The US president has asked congress for $83.4bn for military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Barack Obama said 95 per cent of the money he was requesting would go to support US military operations in Iraq and the effort to defeat al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"The Taliban is resurgent and al-Qaeda threatens America from its safe haven along the Afghan-Pakistan border," Obama told Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, in a letter released by the White House.
The special measure also includes $3.6bn for the Afghanistan National Army.
Obama is also requesting $350m in new funding to increase security along the US-Mexico border and to combat drug gangs, and another $400m in counter-insurgency aid to Pakistan.
The US president's request, which includes money to send thousands of extra troops to Afghanistan, would push the cost of the two wars to almost $1 trillion since the September 11, 2001 attacks against the US, according to the Congressional Research Service.
I've watched Al jazeera's English language service(Youtube is so cool!) and their is nothing Anti semitic about it. It's pro Palestinian and favors the Israeli peace camp. No wonder the CJC is upset.
CBC, CTV and all those other networks can never report on issues in most 3rd world countries the way al jazeera can because al jazeera aint foreign in those countries it ppl from there reporting that they banned. The biggest enemy of tyranny is truth forget who said it but it the truth
I watch Al Jazeera on line. Not as comfy as in my easy chair but still I can see it. Good world news!
Avi Lewis is an antisemite
Just identifying the Israel lobby makes a person an antisemite. Everyone knows that.
From what I just saw on the video, and from what I've been reading here on Babble in the last few days, looks like Ziad Asali of the American Task Force for Palestine is the anti-Semite, as he equates Jews with Israel. While everybody else in the video refers to the Israel lobby, he refers to the "Jewish lobby."
You forgot to mention the so called "grand" Mufti of Jerusalem. You are slipping Joel.
So-called? You mean he was the Grand Poobah? I take it all back!
I suppose that one could be confused by all those Jews living in Israel and hearing commonplace references to "The Jewish State." Then again, Mr. Goldenberg, you may be correct in identifying anyone critical of Israel, especilly an Arab, as antsemitic, as this practice is commonplace as well.
Last night, during a bit he did on swine flu, Jon Stewart referred to Israelis as "The Jews."
That must make him an antisemite too. It's time to shut down The Daily Show and The Comedy Network.
If you are into FTA satellite you can already get A Jazeera ... you'll need a 39" dish (and a motor if you want to try viewing different satellites) and an FA receiver ... just point at 97w satellite and one of the free feeds is Al Jazeera. (With a motor and a good FTA receiver you can also get what's known as "Feeds" .. these are the live remote feeds used by the networks ... you get to see all the live action, including before and after the parts the networks show you, which can be very interesting.)
Also, google "miro" and get the miro player (a mixture of a video player and bittorrent downloader) that has all kinds of free and legal video sources, including Al Jazeera play lists ... but it also has many interesting documentaries well worth viewing.
Hi everyone,
We want Al Jazeera English!
Al Jazeera English is being considered for airing in Canada by the CRTC, Canada’s broadcast regulator. Tell the CRTC to give its approval to list AJE as an “eligible” service so that Canadian cable and satellite companies can carry it.The CRTC has begun a 30-day consultation period when Canadians are being asked whether AJE should be allowed in Canada. Comments must be received by the CRTC no later than June 8, 2009
Tell the CRTC that you want to see Al Jazeera English in Canada.
TAKE ACTION: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/al_jazeera
Also, for more info please visit
http://democraticmedia.ca/aljazeera
Just go to their website and get it for free.
The implication being that unjustifiable CRTC censorship of the prime means of TV distribution is OK as long as one can watch a tiny blurry image, or subscribe to it online? I don't think so.
al-Qu'Bong - Avi Lewis's peice on neo Nazis was better - and you even see him talking and hanging around with them.
Inside USA - Rise of Hate
I wonder what JUDES has been up to lately - Oh yes, JUDES is going to be the keynote speaker for the Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) - along with Rachael Corrie's parents. Wasn't Rachael Corrie the Pat Benetar fan? I wonder if JUDES will bring Al-Jazeera up?
The Star (www.thestar.com) has an online poll today on whether Al Jazeera should be allowed in Canada. We all know it is bound to be freeped - but let's see what we can do to limit the damage, eh?
The freep is already in.
But notice also the wording of the poll.
It's not: "Do you believe Al Jazeera English should be given a license to broadcast in Canada? "
but instead the ambiguous:
"Do you think the Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera should be given a license to broadcast in Canada? "
And since problems were only alleged for the "Qatar-based" Arabic version of the network, (and this license request is only for Al Jazeera English) the poll is misleading--as well as milking every last racist respondent.
my only complaint is that if AJE does get their licesne how much will i have to pay bell or rogers for the right to watch the channel
my cable bill is already so high that mrs. miles just wants to throw out my hd tv hd box and wait for it my pvr
the inhumanity of it all.
:-)
Yeah I've done mine LTJ. It is definitely being freeped.
Miles, consider that you are probably already paying for Fox News (I point I brought up in the Star's comments section). I wanted that station to be removed form my stations but guess what? It can't be removed. I am stuck with that hateful channel and I am paying to fund it! I would gladly pay for AJ instead if we actually had a choice.
It boggles my mind how people are okay with Fox but freaked out by Al Jezeera (not aiming that at you miles, just in general)
I really, really like the Frost interviews that they have!
actually stargazer although fox is part of the package i asked them to not free the signal. they have kept it off my tv. i wont allow that crap in my house. so they gave me the golf channel instead....then i got it for free as part of hd
Rogers can actually take one station out of the package but the call centre people do not know how to do it. i had a problem and a rogers tech at my house joked that it is easy to do
What?? I can do that now? Last time I called them (which was when I switched to bell) they said I wouldn't be able to. Now I can get them to take it off!! Woot! happy day.
Thanks miles.
NP -- I had the tech guy at my house call someone to do something.
as I said i could not do it by calling the rogers call centre.
Bloody hell, I just got off the phone with Bell and they told me that Fox News is a part of the "basic programming option" and that I cannot remove it!!
Two things: why is Fox news considered a part of "basic programming" and why am I not allowed to get rid of it? I am pissed. I feel like I am in Orwell's 1984.