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[6.8]

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/07/15/jazeera040715.html

Cable companies have been eager to pick up the network, known as the CNN of the Arab world, which was already being watched by some Canadians using "grey-market" technology that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission considers illegal.

Critics of the network, including the Canadian Jewish Congress, have argued that Al-Jazeera broadcasts anti-Semitic programs.

The White House has criticized the network's coverage in the war in Iraq, saying its inaccurate and has an anti-American bias.

In its ruling, the commission said distributors of Al-Jazeera in Canada will be required to guard against the broadcast of "any abusive comment."

Several authoritarian Arab governments have also slammed its coverage and have shut down the channel's offices in several countries.

CANADA =EVIL
IN BEFORE RIPCLAWE

DISCUSS

 

[Doth Togo]

I think the more viewpoints you can get, the better idea you have on the broad scope of things.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Its about fucking time.

 

[Firest0rm]

I hate Al-Jazeera. They don't report news, they just wanna create as much anti-american and anti-israel bullshit as possible. Even if that includes saying my dog was killed by Jews.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

The funny thing is, in the Arab world they are considered puppets of the Americans. I have no real beef against it (I mean, as far as legality is concerned), and if they have a bias and that should make them illegal, then Fox News shouldn't exist.

 

[6.8]

No the funny thing is that the CRTC refused Fox News a license earlier this summer for account of biased propaganda. Not that I disagree with that, but it should've been applied the same for both.

 

[Justin Bailey]

No the funny thing is that the CRTC refused Fox News a license earlier this summer for account of biased propaganda. Not that I disagree with that, but it should've been applied the same for both.

Exactly.

 

[gofreak]

No the funny thing is that the CRTC refused Fox News a license earlier this summer for account of biased propaganda. Not that I disagree with that, but it should've been applied the same for both.

Is Al-Jazeera biased propoganda? Personally I've never seen their coverage myself, so I can't tell..

 

[MrPing1000]

its crap tbh, had it in the uk for years all is arabic so not much use really. Although i only popped it on once or twice

 

[Minotauro]

Is Al-Jazeera biased propoganda? Personally I've never seen their coverage myself, so I can't tell..

I'm speaking purely from seeing the movie Control Room but it certainly didn't seem like propaganda to me. Sure, there was an Arab slant to their news but criticizing it for that would be like criticizing Fox News for having an American slant.

The biggest complaint I've seen about them is that they will broadcast the atrocities of war. Personally, I think this is a good thing. People should have to see these images so they understand what war is and what it entails. It angers me how the US media tries to clean up war.

 

[Guileless]

Isnt' Al Jazeera exclusively Arabic language? How many Canadians are going to watch it anyway?

 

[effzee]

lol americans say its a terrorist news network and the arabs say its a puppet of the american govt because they critisize arab leaders to no end. u cant win.

im sure they have thier own bias and slant but i doubt its as bad as some people in america make it seem to be.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Isnt' Al Jazeera exclusively Arabic language? How many Canadians are going to watch it anyway?

Immigrants from the middle east that want to know about whats going on in their home country. There is a rather large arabic speaking population in North America.

 

[Hamfam]

Yikes.

 

[neptunes]

Isnt' Al Jazeera exclusively Arabic language? How many Canadians are going to watch it anyway?

I live near an arabic community, and I'm in canada.

 

[Kifimbo]

No the funny thing is that the CRTC refused Fox News a license earlier this summer for account of biased propaganda. Not that I disagree with that, but it should've been applied the same for both.

CRTC sucks. Bottom line. They just close Quebec city most popular and best radio station...

 

[Firest0rm]

I live near an arabic community, and I'm in canada.

Where do you live Neptunez? I'm in Richmond Hill. I'm guessing your near Missisauga cause thats where there's a large Arabic population. There's also a decent number where I live, and its mostly Iraqi's.

 

[neptunes]

yeah mississauga!

yeah, some of them own a fair number of stores. I go to this one convenience store that sells aracbic newspaper and I always see people buying it.

 

[Firest0rm]

yeah mississauga!

yeah, some of them own a fair number of stores. I go to this one convenience store that sells aracbic newspaper and I always see people buying it.

I know quite a few people at Missi, and my cousins live there too.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

There are arabic people in Markham too..






...not really...

 

[Firest0rm]

Markham has a small number of Persians. Its mostly Jewish there, isn't it?

 

[videogamer]

I'm speaking purely from seeing the movie Control Room but it certainly didn't seem like propaganda to me. Sure, there was an Arab slant to their news but criticizing it for that would be like criticizing Fox News for having an American slant.

The biggest complaint I've seen about them is that they will broadcast the atrocities of war. Personally, I think this is a good thing. People should have to see these images so they understand what war is and what it entails. It angers me how the US media tries to clean up war.

Hey! I just bought tickets for "Control Room". The screening is in a couple of hours. From what I've read, "Control Room" portrays Al Jazeera as having an Arab viewpoint, but it also shows people like editors who would still like to send their kids to the US or go there themselves. I'm hoping it's as good as the reviews say it is.

Honestly, I don't know how biased any of the channels are. Like effzee said, Al Jazeera is criticized for being unfairly positive to the West. It's like two Ph.Ds I know. One canceled her subscription to the LA Times because she thought it was biased toward the Palestinians while another canceled his because he thought it was biased toward the Isrealis. Heh go figure.

 

[Ripclawe]

I am totally shocked, I would have thought they brought this in at the same time the idiots approved sharia law as legal last year.

 

[darscot]

Great move! Sure is nice to be in a free county.

Just noticed the add at the bottom, it's probable random but was some work in Iraq ad that just cracked me right up.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Markham has a small number of Persians. Its mostly Jewish there, isn't it?

Jewish? Never really noticed many jewish people. Mostly Chinese, and white people(non jewish). But recently there's been a lot south asian people moving here. Its becoming the new Brown Town.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

its only the FOX News of the middle East.

 

[Firest0rm]

Jewish? Never really noticed many jewish people. Mostly Chinese, and white people(non jewish). But recently there's been a lot south asian people moving here. Its becoming the new Brown Town.

Well along Bathurst there's a large Jewish community, doesn't Bathurst go through Markham?

 

[6.8]

Great move! Sure is nice to be in a free county.

I agree! It kicks ass! Unless...

CRTC sucks. Bottom line. They just close Quebec city most popular and best radio station...

No the funny thing is that the CRTC refused Fox News a license earlier this summer for account of biased propaganda. Not that I disagree with that, but it should've been applied the same for both.

 

[GodsTyro]

does it really matter? no one takes news seriously these days anyway in america the worst that could happen is that the broadcast of such a station will fuel even more racism towards middle-easterners

the fact is, those who have the anti-middle eastern, america is the only country in the world mentality, are those who would have been againt desegregation in the 40's and are now using that same hot-headed mentality to fuel even more hatred..those who are open-minded have no problem with disseminating of any information..competitive of knowledge is the ideal..and it is just my personal observation, but those who are open-minded often seem to be "liberals" in this society.

 

[Ripclawe]

well forget Al Jazeera airing in Canada

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040716.wxjazeera16/BNStory/Entertainment/


http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...=968332188774&col=968350116467&tacodalogin=no

and the bigger complaint is refusing to carry RAI for Italians in Canada because it would destroy the canadian based italian channel.

 

[The Faceless Master]

i'm american and i wish i could watch al-jazeera, if only just to see what they're saying

 

[FightyF]

These restrictions make it highly unlikely that cable providers will pick it up.

I don't see the point having it here to begin with. Non-Arabic speaking Canadians won't understand a word, and most Arabic speakers have satellites anyways.

 

[FightyF]

Yeah, I heard about that Quebec station too...the "Isra-Heil." sketch (compares Nazi Germany and Israel) got a lot of negative attention. The stations should be fined big-time rather than being shut down.

 

[FightyF]

3rd response in a row...but here is an equally important article explaining why FOX was not allowed earlier.

http://www.thestar.ca/NASApp/cs/Con...032&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467

It's all Asper's fault, blame him.

 

[NLB2]

Yeah, I heard about that Quebec station too...the "Isra-Heil." sketch (compares Nazi Germany and Israel) got a lot of negative attention. The stations should be fined big-time rather than being shut down.

Why should they even be fined?

 

[Chrono]

i'm american and i wish i could watch al-jazeera, if only just to see what they're saying

but it's in arabic... how would you know what they're saying? (unless you know the language..)

 

[FightyF]

Why should they even be fined?

To discourage it from happening again.

As far as that particular case goes...I agree that the political statement made has some merit, but that station apparently had a history of stuff that offended people.

 

[Slurpy]

I hate Al-Jazeera. They don't report news, they just wanna create as much anti-american and anti-israel bullshit as possible. Even if that includes saying my dog was killed by Jews.

Let me guess, how many times have you watched Al-jazeera?

Oh, that's right, you're an idiot. Seriously, nothing is worse than ignorant comments.

 

[Azih]

The stupid compromise the CRTC came up with pretty much means that the arab population will continue watching it illegaly via sattelite and the mainsteam won't get to watch it because no cable provider will pick it up. Bah.

Edit: Frankly both should be let in without any censoring bull. While it would be unfair to Canadian channels that they have to follow Canadian regulations but the foreign imported Al-Jazeera doesn't, it's a small price to pay.

 

[ZILLION]

If any Americans are interested,you can watch(or Tivo) an hour of Al Jazeera news on ICN between 9 and 10 am.

ICN shows tv shows from around the world including news,music,films and variety shows . If you have Charter Cable you already have ICN..

 

[ManDudeChild]

The restrictions on Al-Jazeera seem to have been inspired, in part, by concerns from the Canadian Jewish Congress and B'nai Brith Canada, which objected to the Al-Jazeera bid, saying it would bring "hateful messaging and anti-Semitic themes" to the country's TV sets if approved unconditionally. Yesterday B'nai Brith said the CRTC was showing "an inconsistent approach," providing "official approval for incendiary programming" from an off-shore broadcaster just two days after it decided to shut down Quebec radio station CHOI. But the CJC "welcomed the conditions" placed on the Qatar channel, saying it struck a balance between the right of free speech and the need to protect minorities.

I don't know about anyone else, but imo the statements above are more likely to send "anti-semitic themes" (I'm really getting sick of everything being anti-semitic) than the actual stations being here themselves. Kind of like the whining about The Passion.

 

[FightyF]

The BB was supposed to show proof of Al Jazeera being Anti-Semetic and apparently they used quotes and instances from 7 years ago.

After 9/11, Al Jazeera was thrown into the international spotlight, and I wouldn't be surprised that they would have eliminated, since then, any broadcasting of material that would be considered hateful.

 

[Sirpopopop]

I hate Al-Jazeera. They don't report news, they just wanna create as much anti-american and anti-israel bullshit as possible. Even if that includes saying my dog was killed by Jews.

I bet he's a Nintendo fan.

 

[videogamer]

its only the FOX News of the middle East.

Heh did you get that out of "Control Room"? I remember one of the military spokesman saying that Fox and Al-Jazeera are the same in that they pander (can't remember the word) to the nationalist sentiments of their respective countries.

Side note: "Control Room" was pretty good. I cried like twice during the movie.