How does Al Jazeera get its funding? I've been watching the Live Feed

[gateley]

and I don't recall one single commercial.

They are outstanding! :headbang: A REAL news reporting organization! Like the CNN of old!

Edit: Oops, wrong Smiley!

[Cleita]

1. They've had commercials. They aren't as frequent as

on TV but they are there. I think you probably were thinking of other things when the commercials ran and didn't remember them.

[gateley]

19. Maybe I was actually doing my J.O.B.for a moment! :-) nt

[yurbud]

2. like the CNN that never was! More like BBC but with a newcomer's edginess

[gateley]

20. I think in its heyday, CNN was pretty edgy, too. They were the

first all-news-24-hour organization - unheard of previously. They were probably a little more restrained in their reporting than what we're used to today.

[Lint Head]

22. CNN lied us into war.

[gateley]

23. When? nt

[social_critic]

25. CNN lied us into war in late 2002 and early 2003

I was analysing their coverage very closely, and they definitely were peddling the Iraq war - not as strong as say Fox and the WSJ, but they were peddling. The only US news organization to point out the WMD stories being sold by the government were fake was McClatchy.

If you want to understand a bit better how they do it, just note the people they put on as talking heads, interview, and are allowed to pontificate. If one tapes CNN and analyses the script, it's easy to show how they lie. It's constant, pervasive, repetitive, and it shows its stripes: CNN's handlers realize the majority of the US public lacks the education or the ability to understand they are being flooded with propaganda.

I'll give you an example from today. They had this guy Fareed discuss Egypt. He distinctly said the rebellions taking place now were the first since the Arabs did it against the Ottoman Turks in 1916. But this is such a dumb statement - and it comes from an educated "orientalist", so evidently they're grinding away. It seems he forgot the Iraqis rebelled against the British in the 1920's, the Algerian rebellion to him must have been a prom, and the rebellions by shiites against the Israeli occupation in Southern Lebanon were non events. And I'm not even going to bring up the rebellions in Iraq against the US occupation, by both Sunnis and Shiites. Or the ongoing rebellion in Somalia against the puppet government installed by the US after the Ethiopian invasion failed. Should I go on?

[gateley]

26. I was referring to the "good" CNN during the early days - the '80's and

'90's. The movie I referenced was the story of CNN coverage of when George HW Bush bombed Baghdad (January, 1991). But the change was disastrous after Turner merged w/Time Warner/AOL. I don't even know WHO owns it now, but it's just another irrelevant media network.

I'm in total agreement that currently CNN pushes the views with which it agrees. So you don't have to convince me of that, which is why I don't watch it. This current incarnation wasn't even on my radar in my previous post.

[yurbud]

24. they were good for getting cameras on scene and covered more of the news than networks but

I don't remember hearing anything on CNN that challenged the establishment narrative.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. from wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera#Organization

The original Al Jazeera channel was started in 1996 by an emiri decree with a loan of 500 million Qatari riyals (US$137 million) from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa.<2><3> By its funding through loans or grants rather than direct government subsidies, the channel claims to maintain independent editorial policy.<4><5> The channel began broadcasting in late 1996, with many staff joining from the BBC World Service's Saudi-co-owned Arabic language TV station, which had shut down in April 1996 after two years of operation because of censorship demands by the Saudi Arabian government.<6>

Following the initial US$137 million grant from the Emir of Qatar, Al Jazeera had aimed to become self-sufficient through advertising by 2001, but when this failed to occur, the Emir agreed to several consecutive loans<3> on a year-by-year basis (US$30 million in 2004,<7> according to Arnaud de Borchgrave). Other major sources of income include advertising, cable subscription fees, broadcasting deals with other companies, and sale of footage.<8> In 2000, advertising accounted for 40% of the station's revenue.<9>


Animation showing the calligraphic composition of the Al Jazeera logo.The Al Jazeera logo is a decorative representation of the network's name written using Arabic calligraphy. It was selected by the station's founder, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa, as the winning entry in a design competition.<10>

[gateley]

16. Thanks! It's so nice having my own researchers. I don't even

have to type "google". I'm such a dolt. Thank you so much for doing what I should have done myself! :hi:

[Dennis Donovan]

21. No prob - I wasn't sure myself...

:hi:

[upi402]

4. CNN is crap now, huh?

I remeber when it had some real jounalaism going on too. I still watched McNeil-Lehrer News Hour though. Frontline used to be hard investigatory journalism too. So sad for our republic that the 4th estate is vacant.

[gateley]

11. Did you ever see Live from Baghdad? A story about how during

GHWB's attack on Iraq CNN was the only news org there, they were reporting constantly and all the other networks were going "According to CNN" "CNN reporting". It was pretty awesome.

NOW they're all referring to Al Jazeera! As usual, Corporate America misses out on a great provider and revenue producer. :eyes:

PS -- If you never saw the movie, I'd highly recommend it. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

[Change Happens]

5. What cable company or dish company carries it in the US?

[justiceischeap]

10. I have it on Verizon FiOS

[gateley]

12. I don't think Comcast does, or at least my package. I watch it

streaming live:

http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

[dipsydoodle]

6. Yes -

Outstanding.

[nc4bo]

7. Wondering outloud....

Do we have an Al Jazeera-like network left here in the U.S. Like you mentioned, the CNN of old but now most of it is nothing but an empty shell of propaganda with a little news here and there.

The internet seems to be the real news provider.

In that '08 Salon article, it mentioned that AJ was sponsored by the Qatari government but I do see commercials on the online version not sure about the teevee version. Not sure how much has changed since the article was written.

It's a good question you asked, not sure how easy it will be to find a complete answer.

[gateley]

13. Sadly, I think our real "news" services have gone the way of the Dodo.

For my first hand news I usually - seriously - come to DU -- and now Al J!

[Ian David]

8. From Wikipedia

The original Al Jazeera channel was started in 1996 by an emiri decree with a loan of 500 million Qatari riyals (US$137 million) from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa.<2><3> By its funding through loans or grants rather than direct government subsidies, the channel claims to maintain independent editorial policy.<4><5> The channel began broadcasting in late 1996, with many staff joining from the BBC World Service's Saudi-co-owned Arabic language TV station, which had shut down in April 1996 after two years of operation because of censorship demands by the Saudi Arabian government.<6>

Following the initial US$137 million grant from the Emir of Qatar, Al Jazeera had aimed to become self-sufficient through advertising by 2001, but when this failed to occur, the Emir agreed to several consecutive loans<3> on a year-by-year basis (US$30 million in 2004,<7> according to Arnaud de Borchgrave). Other major sources of income include advertising, cable subscription fees, broadcasting deals with other companies, and sale of footage.<8> In 2000, advertising accounted for 40% of the station's revenue.<9>
Animation showing the calligraphic composition of the Al Jazeera logo.

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera

[gateley]

17. And thank YOU! I always type the thought that's going through my

tiny little brain and don't take the moment to go look it up myself first. I appreciate your help! :hi:

[hlthe2b]

9. If you never saw the documentary, "Control Room," you should...

(documentary on Al Jazeera that really exposed how US officials had marginalized it and done everything possible to keep it out of the US market, as well as to prevent its very accurate reporting on Iraq from "sticking").

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Room_(film)

There was an interview with a US military spokesperson, that pretty much revealed what was going on. He later expressed regret for his role in hiding or at least "shaping" the truth while undermining Al Jazeera.

[Dennis Donovan]

14. That same military spokesman (Josh Rushing) went to work for Al Jaz...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Rushing

[gateley]

18. Cool! nt

[gateley]

15. Wow - thanks! Never did, and since I'm here at work watching

Al J online, I'll check this out, too! :hi: