Media and the East

Few months back the Al-Jazeera have launched their 24/7 English news channel. It’s a Middle-East based channel which was the leading Arabic news channel since decade. Their popularity sprung after 9/11 when all the footages of terrorist attack was first received by them which they sole at premium prices to western media and earned very well. Their Arabic channel was very popular and everyone used to know about it. With their launched of the English news channel which was highly publicized in whom they have invested heavily and have their offices from Washington to their hometown Doha (if I am lucky enough that my memory is working well). Initially there was some problem in getting broadcasting license in US but is settled and now being watched everywhere.

I had been for the fast days had been watching Al Jazeera vigilantly and found it awesome. When I watched Al Jazeera there they are giving news which is absolutely not present in BBC or CNN (BBC and CNN usually have the same content). The Al-Jazeera is giving alternate news, it seem as it is showing a different opinion, absolutely different news. At one time being a Muslim or Pakistani or South Asian or a resident of the third world country one feels as if Al Jazeera is telling their views, their story, their views. I watched their program WITNESS which made me see the Gaza Strip as never before. Since I was child all the news channel always show Palestine and Israel in their news and even today CNN and BBC shows them but the way I have seen in Al Jazeera is tremendous. I felt as If I was standing jut next to Gaza Strip and watching the people spoke their views was mind blowing.

Al Jazeera has already become too successful too popular and it should be because they have given international voice to the East. Watching Al Jazeera I could think how different it would be if East has been dominant over media. It is truly different experience and Al Jazeera is just a glimpse of it.

There might be a time when East may dominate the media and the reason I am saying this might be of numerous factors. One of them is that recently I was reading an article that all the American channels international correspondents were around 350(didn’t remember exactly) two year back and now they were just employing around 150 (didn’t remember exact number) which shows that they are having lesser chance of capturing first hand knowledge of more then half of the world where most of the things happen themselves.
The other factor that had played part in influencing me a lot is the way Al Jazeera has been successful and one of the most reputed newspaper of Pakistan DAWN is also coming up with their English news channel. They are already planning for the last couple of years and they have the experience, money, repute and networking to be successful. On the other hand just I guess 6 years of deregulation o electronic media in Pakistan they have been turning factor.

With this which is the ultimate needed for any field is underway that is a huge amount of trained workforce. Many Pakistani institutes have started courses and degree programs on media and broadcasting. Lot of Pakistani students are pursuing degree programs in the developed world on media and broadcasting thus within years to come we could witness a trailer of the dominancy of the Eastern media.