Al Jazeera accepted by CRTC for cable broadcast

[paisley]

man, I can not believe how up in arms people are about this... is Canada really this full of racists? have a look at the blind, unfounded rage on the National Canada.com discussion about this

comments at the bottom of the article

I've watched Al Jazeera online and found it well informed and generally unbiased... yes they sometimes have awkward news to present (living in a war zone and all) but I was amazed how level-headedly the news was presented... is it occasionally against american policies? of course, any ethical news station in the world has a right to be

wow

ps. my reply

I've watched Al Jazeera online out of curiosity for an alternate viewpoint on dealings in the middle east. There are many broadcasts in english and the reporting seemed objective, open minded and well informed. I certainly did not notice any blatant anti-Jewish propoganda.

what is the point of America being in Iraq? To invite arab society to be a part of the rest of the world or to be beaten into submission and silenced?

Shame on anyone who condemns this who hasn't even watched the programming on this network. I thought we lived in a free society.

The Canadian Gestapo? How does allowing all viewpoints to be heard constitute fascism?

I find most of the responses in this column saddening, I didn't realize Canada was so full of rascist sentiment against the middle east. I, for one, welcome their cultural and ethical influences into my world.

Don't condemn an entire culture based on the actions of extremists.

[Guest Low Roller]

Wow. Those are a lot of misinformed opinions filled with absolute hate... Kinda sad to read on a Canadian website.

[Alexis]

i wonder how they'll fill their cancon.

[Esau]

Wow. Those are a lot of misinformed opinions filled with absolute hate... Kinda sad to read on a Canadian website.

Agreed.

But it makes me wonder if its due to the filtered CNN thanks to good ol' GWB.

[Del]

Wow. Those are a lot of misinformed opinions filled with absolute hate... Kinda sad to read on a Canadian website.

Are you talking about the CRTC page or The Sanctuary?

[bouche]

I'd like to follow up with this Yahoo and see if he actually cancels his internet and tv just because they added a channel.

Name: Sid Smith

Occupation: marketing

Location: Toronto

If Rogers thinks they are going to add this new garbage station to my programing and make me pay for it they have an other thing coming, I will cancel my cable and internet. I can live without cable rather than watch and pay for the hate they air just like there web site.I will not contribute to it no matter what the CRTC says. We pay there way and they have no right to force this on to us.

[Guest Low Roller]

But it makes me wonder if its due to the filtered CNN thanks to good ol' GWB.

I think the main cause is complete and utter ignorance.

[Esau]

But it makes me wonder if its due to the filtered CNN thanks to good ol' GWB.

I think the main cause is complete and utter ignorance.

Your probally right.

I saw on the 6pm news here on CHTV Hamilton that it will possibly be running on channel 11 here which is CHTV Hamilton.

They had the heated debate on it....too much.

[paisley]

I'd like to follow up with this Yahoo and see if he actually cancels his internet and tv just because they added a channel.

Name: Sid Smith

Occupation: marketing

Location: Toronto

If Rogers thinks they are going to add this new garbage station to my programing and make me pay for it they have an other thing coming, I will cancel my cable and internet. I can live without cable rather than watch and pay for the hate they air just like there web site.I will not contribute to it no matter what the CRTC says. We pay there way and they have no right to force this on to us.

apperently he hasn't figured out how to work his block channel button

and his television automatically flips to the channel he ends up watching (which would explain a lot)

as the mis-informeds are rallying to write the CRTC and Rogers to express their fury I guess I'll write them too and express my pride in their actions promoting free speech

as whats happening in the middle east is one of the most important factors affecting the modern world it'll be great having access to news from the region

[larry jr.]

[color:"black"]

I was pissed off when I got back from my trip and turned to channel 25 here in Ottawa and lo and behold, YTV (channel 25) had turned into some religious station spewing forth stuff about Jesus and what have you. But that's what the remote control is for. No offence to Jesus or anything. I'm sure we would have gotten along fine.

With Al Jazeera, you've got people who don't know a damn thing about it who just figure it's an Al Qaeda mouthpiece, or various closet fascists who only believe in free speech when they agree with it.

However, there are also legitimate concerns about anti semitism, aside from the idiots who equate any criticism of Israel with Jew hating. As a Jew myself, I can't stand that sort of thing. Still, there have been some reported cases of Al Jazeera talk shows inviting guests on who say things that do offend me, like peddling 9/11 conspiracy theories about how the Jews were behind it, and according to a CBC documentary I saw, one of their talkshow hosts is an unreserved Holocaust denier. One of their hosts also read an e-mail from a viewer that described Jews as monkeys and some other animal. I don't know how frequent crap like this gets broadcast on their network, but I understand why people are sensitive to this kind of thing. Here's one example of sh!t that CNN or the CBC would never be allowed to air:

http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=antisemitism&ID=SP22501

I have a pretty thick skin and all, but that sort of crap shouldn't be in my cable package. If a CNN host denied that slavery ever existed, or read an e-mail describing Latinos in some horribly deragatory way, there would be an uproar about it.

In the end, I agree with the CRTC decision but I'm glad they're putting the station and the cable providers on a leash. Free speech yes, but CRTC doesn't need to give a license to anyone who broadcasts hate speech.

[paisley]

definately, good points Larry Jr.... and cheers to your thick skin

I'm absolutely against hate propaganda and against dishonesty in any form... to hear these people talk about it you would think that hate was the rule on Al Jazeera, not the exception

there's a good documentary about Al Jazeera that plays on PBS or something where they address the anti-semetism that makes its way onto the network and it seemed more like the Howard Stern types of the station... the majority of the journalists seemed to want a better world and seemed to strive to achieve that through honest reporting

in any case, I say pull it if it ends up inciting hate or spawning terrorists but don't ban it without even looking at it... the shows that I watched I liked a lot because the journalism was less sensationalist than many western reporters, it was kind of refreshing... had a no agenda ring to it (will have to see more to validate that but thats how it seemed to me)

[bradm]

[color:"black"]

I was pissed off when I got back from my trip and turned to channel 25 here in Ottawa and lo and behold, YTV (channel 25) had turned into some religious station spewing forth stuff about Jesus and what have you. But that's what the remote control is for. No offence to Jesus or anything. I'm sure we would have gotten along fine.

For the record, CTS isn't all Christian programming. In particular, they run The Muppet Show (long-vanished from any other station) weeknights at 7pm.

For-er the record, YTV in Ottawa wasn't removed, it was moved, to cable channel 65.

Aloha,

Brad

[larry jr.]

[color:"black"]

Yeah, I remember seeing Mr. Belvedere on that CTS channel and a roundtable of rabbis talking it up. Not my cup of tea but to each their own. What happened to Carleton's ITV? That used to be channel 65 and I can't seem to find it, but maybe it's just off for the summer.

Also, I should have mentioned that there are lots of double standards at play with the people criticizing Al Jazeera. Ever since 9/11, there has been all kinds of Muslim bashing on the airwaves. I've seen Jerry Falwell types talking about the prophet Muhammed being a pedophile, debates on whether or not Islam itself (and/or the Koran) promotes violence, etc. There are also some right-wing radio hosts in the U.S. (like Michael Savage) who say plenty of blatantly racist things who still haven't gotten pulled.

Anyhoo, there will be plenty of scrutiny so we'll see what happens.