The Al Jazeera satellite TV station
The Arabic-language satellite TV station Al-Jazeera is based in Qatar. Since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan, the Al Jazeera network became known to people in Europe through Western media. Not only in the Arabic world people think it is important to get many-sided information in times of crisis.
In this interview with Radio Netherlands Middle East editor Bertus Hendriks told Newsline about the important role Al-Jazeera has in Arabic life. (Source: Newsline, October 2001)
Newsline: Do you think it is important to get many-sided information in times of crisis?
Bertus Hendriks: Extremely important, as it's the first of the very few independent broadcasting stations since 1996, and it has acquired a great prestige as a result. The general media picture is that all autocratic governments only allow tightly controlled media outlets.
Newsline: Has it always been so controversial?
Bertus Hendriks: Well, it has fallen out with almost every conceivable Arabic government, because Arabic governments are used to controlling all the information. Al-Jazeera has been giving voices to both government and opposition spokespeople. Even Israeli right-wing politicians who speak Arabic are being interviewed, and Western politicians like British Prime Minister Tony Blair. They are broadcasting things we take for granted in the Western world, but which is an exception in the Arabic world. This is unsettling to many regimes.
Newsline: It seems to have been particularly influential in this conflict, with the Al-Qaeda connection.
Bertus Hendriks: Yes, because they have the scoop that nobody else has. It reminds me a little bit of CNN during the Gulf War 10 years ago, when CNN was the only station in Baghdad. And of course, it was used by Saddam Hussein to launch his messages. But they didn't relay these uncritically. There were all sorts of debates about the pros and cons of Al-Qaeda's statements.
Newsline: The US wants Qatar to restrict what is broadcast on Al-Jazeera. Is that likely to be very difficult?
Bertus Hendriks: Pressure is becoming very strong on the Qatar government, which is funding this station. Until now they have resisted this pressure, and many people in the Arab world hope they will continue to resist, because it would send the wrong message. It has been said that the Osama attack was an attack on all Western values. One of those values is freedom of the press, and I think it would be a very badly understood message. For all its shortcomings, I think it's still extremely important to hear from both opponents and proponents of certain views. That's a new phenomenon in the Arab world, but I think it's both necessary and healthy."
Newsline: But do many people watch Al-Jazeera?
Bertus Hendriks: Oh, it's the prime source of news for all the opinion leaders, and everybody who's interested in politics all over the Arab world and in the diaspora such as the United States and Europe.
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