All About Al Jazeera (Robert Wright & Adel Iskandar)

[Bloggingheads]

[Don Zeko]

Come on Bob. Arabic is a difficult language with lots of unfamiliar sounds to a native English speaker, but this is awful. You get much closer to the correct pronunciation with a straight phonetic approach.

EDIT: And again here!

[Ocean]

This was an excellent discussion. The role of traditional, but expanded media like Al Jazeera, together with new means of communication seem to have instrumental to the recent and ongoing risings in the Arab world.

As many will know, authoritarian / totalitarian regimes limit access to information and limit communication. These are fundamental strategies to control people and keep them misinformed and powerless. The new media provide means to counteract these measures.

I still remember the times when under military dictatorship, it was forbidden to be in groups larger than three or four chatting. As a HS student, we had to be careful because the security guards (ex policemen and military) who monitored the school, would approach the students to break up larger groups, would ask what we were talking about or would stand nearby to listen to the conversations. Interesting, right?

It would have been so much more civilized to have cameras and microphones and other more modern monitoring devices. Cheaper, less intrusive and creating the illusion of privacy! Good modern times.

So yes, technology can be liberating or enslaving. It depends on how it's used.

[stephanie]

Originally Posted by Ocean

This was an excellent discussion. The role of traditional, but expanded media like Al Jazeera, together with new means of communication seem to have instrumental to the recent and ongoing risings in the Arab world.

Agree. I also thought the general background about Al Jazeera and media in the Arab world was quite interesting. I'd enjoy further such diavlogs.

[sapeye]

Hmmm, I believe this would be a leading question: http://bloggingheads.tv/diavlogs/344...5:13&out=25:21

The analysis Bob refers to at minute 30 makes sense. Facebook/Twitter were very important in creating a sense of solidarity between the individuals who initiated the revolution. Linking with each other online allowed each person to recognize that s/he was not alone and that others were also committed to head into the streets. Then, using their voices and bodies, that initial group animated others to come out from their homes to join in the demonstrations.

[DenvilleSteve]

reports on what was done to Lara Logan are pretty scarce here in the West. Did Al Jezeera report on the incident? Here is a report saying she was stripped and beaten with poles by the celebrating egyptians.

http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-mo...-egypt-emerge/

[bjkeefe]

Originally Posted by DenvilleSteve

reports on what was done to Lara Logan ...

Oh, yes. Your people are frothing with delight.

We find your fantasies disturbing.

[sapeye]

Originally Posted by bjkeefe

Oh, yes. Your people are frothing with delight.

We find your fantasies disturbing.

Could you provide a link to a reputable report about whether Ms Logan and other reporters were assaulted by protesters or by counter protesters introduced into the crowds by Mubarak? Thanks.

[AemJeff]

Originally Posted by sapeye

Could you provide a link to a reputable report about whether Ms Logan and other reporters were assaulted by protesters or by counter protesters introduced into the crowds by Mubarak? Thanks.

How would somebody have made that determination?

[sapeye]

Originally Posted by AemJeff

How would somebody have made that determination?

Good question. I haven't kept up with reports from/about other journalists who have been attacked in Egypt. I have a vague sense (always risky) that the attacks were instigated by government agents and intended to suppress reporting. Has there been informed reporting about the source of the various attacks?

[bjkeefe]

Originally Posted by sapeye

Could you provide a link to a reputable report about whether Ms Logan and other reporters were assaulted by protesters or by counter protesters introduced into the crowds by Mubarak? Thanks.

Nope. Sorry. Last I heard, she wasn't talking and no one had any solid information on who did what beyond "men in the crowd." And I'm not interested in making this sad event into a political football.

[sapeye]

Originally Posted by bjkeefe

Nope. Sorry. Last I heard, she wasn't talking and no one had any solid information on who did what beyond "men in the crowd." And I'm not interested in making this sad event into a political football.

I haven't seen anything substantive either.

[DenvilleSteve]

Originally Posted by bjkeefe

Nope. Sorry. Last I heard, she wasn't talking and no one had any solid information on who did what beyond "men in the crowd." And I'm not interested in making this sad event into a political football.

she has an irish name, just like yours. Where is the solidarity?

[bjkeefe]

Originally Posted by DenvilleSteve

she has an irish name, just like yours. Where is the solidarity?

I'm not a tribal wingnut like you.

[DenvilleSteve]

Originally Posted by sapeye

Could you provide a link to a reputable report about whether Ms Logan and other reporters were assaulted by protesters or by counter protesters introduced into the crowds by Mubarak? Thanks.

the attack took place after Mubarak had resigned. The Egyptians in the square were celebrating their victory and freedom. Why would Mubarak supporters be in the crowd?

You have to question what Arab society is all about when so many in the crowd can attack someone like they did, no one comes to the defense of the victim, and the al jazeeras of the world dont try to explain it.

[popcorn_karate]

Originally Posted by DenvilleSteve

You have to question what Arab society is all about

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

[sapeye]

Originally Posted by DenvilleSteve

the attack took place after Mubarak had resigned. The Egyptians in the square were celebrating their victory and freedom. Why would Mubarak supporters be in the crowd?

You don't think the Mubarak progaganda that came before might have had ongoing consequences?

E.g. "Witnesses have said the mostly peaceful protests to end Mubarak's rule had taken a more violent turn after the Egyptian president announced his resignation on Feb. 11, the night Logan was attacked.

As the protests had escalated, Egyptian state media began publishing negative stories about foreign journalists, with many reports alleging that Israeli spies were posing as news crews.

About a week before her attack, Logan and her crew had been among the many journalists rounded up and held on suspicion of being spies."

[bjkeefe]

This diavlog was a bit disappointing. I wish Bob had spent more time asking good questions and less time looking for ways to push his familiar view that new technology is causing the positive evolution of humanity. (See sapeye's post for a good example dingalink.)

I'm not saying it was all bad. I did get something out of it. But usually when Bob does an interview of someone who is outside the predominate focus of Bhtv -- punditizing about American electoral politics -- he does a better job at steering the discussion to produce answers that give new information to the listeners.

[DenvilleSteve]

Originally Posted by bjkeefe

This diavlog was a bit disappointing. I wish Bob had spent more time asking good questions and less time looking for ways to push his familiar view that new technology is causing the positive evolution of humanity. (See sapeye's post for a good example dingalink.)

I'm not saying it was all bad. I did get something out of it. But usually when Bob does an interview of someone who is outside the predominate focus of Bhtv -- punditizing about American electoral politics -- he does a better job at steering the discussion to produce answers that give new information to the listeners.

none of the muslims on this station have much interesting to say. it is all politics and process. pretty much democrats talking to each other, not challenging their own ideas. What do Arabs want for their countries now that they are free? I think they are super majority democrats, want a large nanny state style government, but don't know how to achieve it in a competitive world market.

[seaviews7]

Originally Posted by DenvilleSteve

none of the muslims on this station have much interesting to say. it is all politics and process. pretty much democrats talking to each other, not challenging their own ideas. What do Arabs want for their countries now that they are free? I think they are super majority democrats, want a large nanny state style government, but don't know how to achieve it in a competitive world market.

nanny crap will never fix anything. The problem is in the internet. But that is crazy to say unless you include the people. These corporate turkeys fold up links left and right, destroying everything everyday now, just so there system keeps up with new operating shit from jerk microsoft. BUT, the old one worked just fine...? Even on new systems... The destruction it does to economics is just unbelievable.... and devistating. No one makes any speech about it... But they just go and fix links as if they need them, at the cost of whom? As long as the people erase links that do work, they continue to rip a hole in economics worse then the atmosphere itself from air polution. And these turkeys think just nanny it is ok... I dont think anything will help until a stop is put to the internet. Stop it cold... With a leave it alone law. Then you can talk about all the other stupid shit that may help. And it may change eventually... But tommorow when you get up, the dam thing will not work again, as long as you permit them to get away with it all. Does a journalist really think bull shit works? Democrats today are just lying republicans.... That is the fact of it all.... And honestly, they dont give a dam about the poor.

[bjkeefe]

The first two segments of this week's On The Media may be of interest to those who enjoyed this diavlog.

You've probably gotten sick of people casually tossing off phrases like "the Twitter revolution," but give these a chance. The first has to do with trying to get information out of Libya, which does not allow journalists anywhere near the ability to get into the country as, say, Egypt. It's quite moving.

The second is not quite as good, but it's interesting to hear someone from NPR's back office pushing against the traditional practices of that outfit. And hey, as long as you're already there ...