Al-Jazeera HD: No EchoStar, No Cable

[Poke]

http://www.tvpredictions.com/alhd11406.htm

The English-speaking Arab news network launches tomorrow lacking a serious U.S. TV provider.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (November 14, 2006) -- Al-Jazeera, the Arabic news network, will launch an English-speaking High-Definition TV channel tomorrow.

However, despite rumors to the contrary, it will not be carried by satcaster EchoStar or a U.S. cable operator. At least not yet.

Variety reported today that talks with Comcast fell through when the news network demanded that it be offered nationally. The cable operator wanted only to air it in Michigan, which has a large Arab population, according to Variety.

Al-Jazeera will also unveil a non-HD version of the channel tomorrow.

Two weeks ago, an Al-Jazeera spokeswoman told The Associated Press that at least one cable company and one satellite TV operator had agreed to carry the new channel.

However, Al-Jazeera today said it had not reached an agreement with any U.S. cable systems and the only satellite distributor will be Globe Cast, a distributor of international programming available on large satellite dishes.

EchoStar's Dish Network, the nation's second leading satcaster, now offers the Arabic-speaking Al-Jazeera. (DIRECTV does not.) In addition, EchoStar now has 30 national high-def channels, more than any other TV provider.

This has fueled rumors that EchoStar would carry the English-speaking Al-Jazeera. But there was no carriage agreement as of today.

If a major U.S. TV operator decides to carry the English-speaking Al-Jazeera, it's guaranteed to generate some controversy.

Al-Jazeera, which is broadcast through the Arab world, has been often criticized by U.S. leaders for allegedly siding with the terrorists. The network has broadcast numerous exclusive interviews with Al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama Bin Laden.

 

[Madtown HD Junkie]

good....they should not be on anyway.

 

[ripnbigc]

Terrorist HD.

 

[Charise]

I think it would be very informative to see what the Arab world gets as "news," particularly as it regards the US. We'd certainly have a better understanding of why they continue to feel about us as they do. I do have to admit though that I would almost never watch it.

 

[SonicBee777]

Influence of A-J?

I think it would be very informative to see what the Arab world gets as "news," particularly as it regards the US. We'd certainly have a better understanding of why they continue to feel about us as they do. I do have to admit though that I would almost never watch it.

It might help, but then I think you may give Al-Jazeera too much credit. I wonder how many of the "U.S.-hating" Muslims are primarily influenced by Al-Jazeera? How many (%) actually even watch television?

Hey, here's a thought. Maybe someone could rebroadcast all of the old "Tokyo Rose" shows, assuming they survive. Could that help us understand why the Japanese "hated" us during WWII?

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...

 

[ahanif]

How do you guys know it's such a bad channel if you've never watched it?

 

[Petemc11]

How do you guys know it's such a bad channel if you've never watched it?

Because we are informed people that have read and seen reports on their anti-west and anti-American "reporting".It is thought that they have connections inside Al-Qaeda.They support Hezbolla and Hamas.It's a propaganda machine.Screw them!

 

[ripnbigc]

Because we are informed people that have read and seen reports on their anti-west and anti-American "reporting".It is thought that they have connections inside Al-Qaeda.They support Hezbolla and Hamas.It's a propaganda machine.Screw them!

Hell Yeah!

 

[jerryez]

Because we are informed people that have read and seen reports on their anti-west and anti-American "reporting".It is thought that they have connections inside Al-Qaeda.They support Hezbolla and Hamas.It's a propaganda machine.Screw them!

Double HELL Yeah!!!!!

 

[sonnyboy11]

Because we are informed people that have read and seen reports on their anti-west and anti-American "reporting".It is thought that they have connections inside Al-Qaeda.They support Hezbolla and Hamas.It's a propaganda machine.Screw them!

Did becoming "informed" involve watching any Fox News? Because if it did, then you are not as "informed" as you have been led to believe! Fox News spouts propaganda as bad as any Arab news channel.

I probably would check out Al-Jazeera as a curiousity. But I don't get most of my news from TV, so it would end up getting about as much play around my house as any other news channel. Not much.

 

[ripnbigc]

Did becoming "informed" involve watching any Fox News? Because if it did, then you are not as "informed" as you have been led to believe! Fox News spouts propaganda as bad as any Arab news channel.

So now Fox News is the same as a terrorist supported News agency?????

 

[dude2]

Let the arabs go back to araba to watch their tv, not here with a war on.

 

[Posty-McPOst]

Let the arabs go back to araba to watch their tv, not here with a war on.[/QUOT

What is Araba?

 

[Tertius]

What a sad thread

Al Jazeera is just a network. It is not a terrorist organization, nor is it run by or infiltrated by any. It's news broadcasts are watched by millions of people in the Arabic world, and contrary to what some people seem to believe, we are NOT at war with them.

The world is a complicated place. Seeing things in simple black and white terms only ensures perpetual ignorance. Don't be those people.

I would like to see news programming from all over the world, including not just Al-Jazeera but from China, Canada, Brazil, Russia, Japan, England, France and so on. The different perspectives are educational at least.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

People should at least read sources like wikipedia's entry on AL-Jazeera:

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

Before they go stating grossly inaccurate statements about them.

They are not controlled by terrorists, they are widely viewed as having at least some semblence of independence and objectivity, and are held by much of the world as being an important source of news about the Mideast.

Are they completely objective and un-biased? No. But what news source is? It strikes me that having access to what they are saying would be valuable to anyone in the USA who wants a broad perspective on what is going on in Arab nations.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Let the arabs go back to araba to watch their tv, not here with a war on.

We have not declared a war on Arabs. In fact, we are assisting Arab factions in Iraq toward governing their country.

 

[enoree]

You need to give up the "Give peace a chance" stuff. There IS good and evil in this world and Islam is evil, I am not a churchgoing person by any means, but I am not so blinded by Leftist idealogy as some seem to be so as not to face the fact that there is evil out there. IF muslims really were peace loving why do they not denounce the killing in Allah's name at all levels? Al Jazeera is just a mouthpiece for all the hate and evil from that part of the world and is no different from putting on a KKK channel or another similar one.

 

[ahanif]

enoree - if you would watch other news sources you would see that mainstream muslim organizations have denounced killing as you request. Don't be so naive to think that 1 billion people in the world are bent on evil. The people who want you to think that and fear the rest of the world are using you for their own purposes.

 

[Petemc11]

They have not denounced the extremist in their religion enough for me.And simply denouncing it ain't near enough!It is thought that maybe 10% of Muslims are extremist.That would be 100 million possible terrorist spread all over the world.That would be 6 nazi Germanys.This is another 1938 and so many people don't or refuse to see it.These islamo-fascist will send their own children into a pizza shop and blow them up just to take out some innocent people.Wake up America!

 

[JBtampa]

You don't have to wait for arab media to see how we rate and how we accept our own media to provide accuracy. Go to Europe, go to South America, Australia, just get out, and read their papers, watch tv, buy a magazine. you might be in for a little wake up. and oh yeah, it's all of them, and only us.