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AL-JAZEERA This page intentionally left blank AL-JAZEERA The Story of the Network That Is Rattling Governments and Redefining Modern Journalism MOHAMMED EL-NAWAWY ADEL ISKANDAR A Member of the Perseus Books Group The authors wish to acknowledge the Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel, which has generously given permission to use the pictures and JSC logo in this book. Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distin- guish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designa- tions appear in this book and Westview Press was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial capital letters. Copyright © 2003 by Mohammed el-Nawawy and Adel Iskandar All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Cataloging-in-publication data is available from the Library of Congress ISBN 0-8133-4149-3 Westview Press is a member of the Perseus Books Group. Find us on the World Wide Web at http://www.westviewpress.com Westview Press books are available at special discounts for bulk pur- chases in the U.S. by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142, or call (800) 255-1514 or (617) 252-5298, or e-mail j [email protected]. Text design by Janice Tapia Set in 11.5-point Janson Text by the Perseus Books Group First paperback printing, August 2003 12 345678910—06050403 Dedicated to all those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. To the victims of a disaster that touched all walks of life; every race, creed and gender. To the hundreds of children orphaned on this tragic day and all those who have suffered from similar heinous acts of terror and war around the world, we pray for a safer tomorrow where freedom and democracy thrive. This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS Preface ix 1 We Are What We Watch 1 2 A Major League Channel in a Minor League Country 21 3 The Battle for the Arab Mind 45 4 Big Voice, Tiny Country: Al-Jazeera in Qatar 71 5 Boxing Rings: Al-Jazeera's Talk Shows 91 6 Hero or Heretic? Al-Jazeera and Arab Governments 113 7 Al-Jazeera Scoops the World 143 8 Al-Jazeera and the West: The Love-Hate Relationship 175 Epilogue 197 Notes 217 Sources and References 225 Index 231 This page intentionally left blank PREFACE In a time when opportunists in politics point to the writings of a handful of doomsday writers who warn of an inevitable clash of civilizations between the Western world and the Arab Middle East, we see the need for mutual understanding. The attacks of September 11, 2001, and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq reflect an absence of meaningful understanding between peoples. We do not subscribe to such prophecies of doom, yet they are increasingly difficult to counter given all the rhetoric about "unbridgeable differences" between West and East, Americans and Arabs. The true clash of civilizations, however, is not being forged on the battlefields of war but in our very own living rooms and in our mind-sets. Contentious ideas about "the other" are the staple of modern war coverage in the media, each idea promising to tell something more real about the enemy. Although we try to avoid shoehorning people into generalized groups, we promise here to reveal a glimpse of the Middle East in a way that helps readers comprehend the origins of strife and explain the roots of turmoil. We wholeheartedly believe in intercultural, interreligious, and interracial dialogue for better understanding our common hu- manity. This book should be read as not only a historical ac- count of how a satellite television network emerged in the Middle East; it is also the story of peoples' quest for freedom of opinion and expression, a quest that if curtailed—as it has been IX x PREFACE for many years—can lead to catastrophes like those the world witnessed on September 11. The emergence of militant religious fundamentalism is a product of decades of oppressive regimes and the virtual nonexistence of a public sphere where issues are discussed and resolved. Since the original publication of this book, Al-Jazeera has be- come a global trendsetter among mass media networks, shaping public opinion and politics from London to Jakarta. The war on Iraq has also served to place Al-Jazeera among the elite of televi- sion broadcasters worldwide. Likewise, the remarkable attention this book has received has been extremely encouraging, offering us a glimmer of hope that public opinion in the Arab world mat- ters to the American people and to the future of peace. We are gratified to know that this volume provides the only meticu- lously concise, fair, and balanced account of this unique and rev- olutionary phenomenon to date. The success of the "Al-Jazeera effect" is evident in the way it has transformed the media environment in the Middle East, giv- ing rise to several similar and semi-independent satellite sta- tions, while at the same time maintaining the Al-Jazeera trade- mark of holding world governments from Washington to Islamabad accountable for their foreign policies. The realization that there is a definite dearth of information about media in the Middle East, and little data about how the Arab public living there responds to current events, provided the greatest motivation to undertake this project. Although a book of this sort is overdue, the need was accelerated by the recent crisis. It not only catapulted the Al-Jazeera network to interna- tional celebrity; it also demanded a deeper understanding of the media's effect on the Arab world's religious, political, and eco- nomic communities. More important, in a world where agendas are determined by channels of interest, readers should understand that the authors PREFACE XI of this book remain independent, autonomous of any govern- mental or personal influence; they are not connected to any vested media interest. If we have any agenda, it is to support and promote free democratic expression in the Arab world even as we illuminate realities about this world to Americans. We have conducted extensive research on Al-Jazeera for years, monitor- ing virtually every aspect of the station's operation. Here we at- tempt to bring forth all possible perspectives on Al-Jazeera and its audience, reserving our opinions for the most important is- sues in the debate. We also take care to present as many other opinions as possible and have labored to present the reader a perspective that is fair, untainted, and insightful. Sometimes the only way to accomplish these goals was to as- sure confidentiality to our sources. Therefore, we use pseudo- nyms when necessary to protect sources' privacy and ensure their anonymity. We see this as the only way to present an un- varnished view of Al-Jazeera, its audience, and recent world events. While we were putting this book together, countless people have supported us throughout. Our sincere appreciation goes to both our families. We offer our deepest regards to Rasha El-Gendi (Mohammed el- Nawawy's wife) for her continuous support and encouragement. Thanks to Adel Iskandar's family, Dr. Talaat I. Farag, Essam Farag, and the late Magda El-Badramany for their unceasing support. We are also thankful to the renowned Egyptian car- toonist Ahmed Toughan for his generous contribution to this book. Special thanks go to Dr. Douglas A. Boyd at the University of Kentucky for his continuous support of this proj- ect. We are indebted to Holly Hodder, our extraordinary pub- lisher and editor, our publicist, Greg Houle, and all the staff at Westview Press and the Perseus Books Group. We owe much gratitude to Davide Girardelli for his innovative ideas from the xii PREFACE very inception of the book. We would also like to thank Khalid Al-Jaber, a Qatari graduate student at the University of West Florida's Communication Arts Department, for his help with facilitating interviews between the authors and Al-Jazeera's management. Mohammed el-Nawawy Adel Iskandar Easton, MA Lexington, KY April 25, 2003 1 WE ARE WHAT WE WATCH Sherif Helal, a Muslim Canadian of Middle Eastern descent, barely stirs when his alarm clock goes off at the same time every Wednesday morning. Even though the clock is set at its highest volume, the entire household sometimes wakes before Sherif lifts his head from the pillow. The snooze button is within strik- ing distance, but lately Sherif hasn't been using it. His sleep is intermittent and shallow, interrupted occasionally by night- mares of falling buildings, exploding bombs, and mass graves. On one occasion, he dreamed he was trapped in the basement of one of New York City's World Trade Center towers, in absolute solitude, rubble all around, listening to shouts and rescue calls overhead. With his shirt covering his mouth and nose, he screamed at the top of his voice "Here! I'm here!" The images he's seen on television—of the motionless escalators and ghostly white debris blanketing everything—flash back constantly. Like the millions who watched the events of September 11, 2001, un- fold in utter disbelief, Sherif's life had changed. Now he wakes on the first ring of the alarm and rushes straight to the living room to find out any news he may have missed overnight.

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