U.S. cable companies aren’t budging on Al Jazeera

[JohnyCanuck]

At a recent event on the Middle East at Harvard, Ayman Mohyeldin, an Al Jazeera journalist, responded to a question about Al Jazeera on US cable systems. He said that the cable companies were out of arguments against carrying AJ, but still wouldn't budge. From company gossip about the negotiations, which he doesn't attend, he said that the cable companies say "there is no market". But the negotiators then show that AJ viewership in the US, online and on community access cable, has grown 25-fold in recent months. So there is a market, alongside the cooking channels. The cable companies then say that AJ is "too controversial." The AJ negotiators then show video of Hilary Clinton praising AJ. Still the cable companies won't budge. Something is keeping them from embracing AJ.

http://mondoweiss.net/2011/04/u-s-cable-companies-arent-budging-on-al-jazeera.html

[RKP5637]

1. One more reason to just dump traditional cable TV in the US. It's obsolete Dino crap. n/t

[RevStPatrick]

4. TV? That's the big tubie thing in old people's living rooms, right?

I don't know a single person under the age of about 35 who pays for TV. Yet I and MANY people I know watch AJ on the interwebz. AJ and RT are becoming quite popular with younger people who choose to pay attention.

[RKP5637]

8. Yep, easiest to just use Roku roku.com, for one example, and stream it to the obsolete TV.

[elocs]

22. You can get Al Jazeera using Roku and watch it on your tv.

All you need to buy is the Roku box and to have a cable speed internet connection. Add to that another $8 a month and you can get thousands of movies, tv series, and documentaries to stream from Netflix. http://www.roku.com/

I haven't had cable or satellite for years now and there's always something to watch.

[RKP5637]

23. Yep, been doing the same and it works extremely well! n/t

[elocs]

24. I'm sure you have, I meant for all of the other you's here.

It's really simple and is about the best bang for my buck that I've ever gotten for anything involving tv entertainment or information.

[RKP5637]

31. You never know which you is the you! LOL

:hi:

[tavalon]

25. Except for my son,

There is no one under forty and all of our friends are about the same age and none of us would consider having cable. The tv is for watching movies and al Jezeera is for getting our news.

[brandywine]

30. Try Justin.tv

Live streaming and free ;)

[demosincebirth]

2. Lets all, just, do that.

[sasha031]

3. I am delighted they let us stream

also happy I don't have cable.


what will happen if the repukes get a chance to destroy Net Neutrality.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

5. AJ shows the US cable companies as the horrible "news" outlets they are

They don't DO news. They do scandal, sensationalism, corprat propaganda and "infotainment" (with little emphasis on the 'info' bit).

AJ makes them look bad. And they can't say that, so they use other excuses instead.

[RevStPatrick]

15. I believe you are right!

That, and the fact that if AJ were on US cable companies there would be a few nut-jobs complaining about the al Qaeda news trying to brainwash them.

[roamer65]

6. It's called censorship...just like the Soviet Union.

[DBoon]

10. except in the Soviet Union 100% of the population knew Pravda was all lies

Here at least 30% actually believe Fox News tells the truth

[RKP5637]

11. Yep, and the masses are brainwashed in the US to believe we have journalism. All

we have is propagandistic tabloid MSM that passes itself off as investigative news. What a F'en laugh. Most MSM is like watching SNL.

[howaboutme]

7. The US mass media doesn't even attempt to be about diversity

or diverse views. They want consolidated control of the message that they can create on Sunday that they then spoon feed us for the rest of the week. When the cable news and mass media start giving us views from the broad ethnic and cultural diversities of the USA, and the availability of international news from the world, then I'll believe they represent the broad interests of the USA. Until then they don't represent most Americans.

[DBoon]

9. This is why we need net neutrality

Can you imagine these same cable companies doing this to your Internet access?

They will, believe me, they will

[RKP5637]

12. Exactly!!! This is their agenda, and STILL, when you try to explain this to

many Americans they get this deer in the headlight look. I hate to be negative, but I really think many Americans are dumber than a bag of rocks!

[PDJane]

13. Were I to pay a small monthly fee.........

And it is small, I could get Al Jazeera, euronews and MSNBC. Unfortunately, the package also comes with Cluster Fox. I'm really reluctant to pay for Fox.

[upi402]

14. blame CLINTON

The Telecommunications Act cemented the propaganda organ.

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... Clinton was a Republican.

[RKP5637]

18. Many have said that about Clinton and I'm inclined to believe similar on a number of issues. n/t

[backscatter712]

16. Yet these subhumans always manage to find room for the Jesus channels and Home Shopping Network. n/t

[RKP5637]

17. And endless infomercials! n/t

[Balbus]

19. Good.

Al Jazeera is a waste of time.

[tavalon]

26. Perhaps a waste of your time.

Not mine.

[brandywine]

29. Bad

Competition, and multiple sources is GOOD.

[girl gone mad]

20. Cable?

I dumped that overpriced garbage years ago. Never missed it.

[and-justice-for-all]

21. "There is no market"???? bullshit. nt

[brandywine]

27. They will NEVER tolerate a competing narrative.

IMO

[Shagbark Hickory]

28. "Too controversial?" And what exactly does that make fox news?

[RKP5637]

32. Fox News, really creepy, very creepy and seriously subversive! n/t