The way we communicate is changing fast
As President Barack Obama prepared to make a major address to the Arab and Muslim Worlds recently, I expanded my access to the Arab World media. For a long time, I would obtain access to Arab media through the internet, either accessing web pages or online live video broadcasting.
One of the only options for most Americans is to purchase a satellite dish and order the "Arab World or Middle East" package of programming. American Arabs already use Satellite TV to access major Arab World media to get news, movies and more in the Arabic language.
One of the most informative resources on news from the Middle East is AlJazeera English TV. It is broadcast on Satellite and it has effectively been banned from broadcast on mainstream cable systems like Comcast, for example. Comcast says the reason is that it could not reach an agreement with Aljazeera but everyone believes the real reason is politics.
Why else is Aljazeera not shown on any mainstream Cable TV systems? You can get every other country on cable TV, including Israel's Shalom TV, which is available on Comcast Cable and other systems. But not Aljazeera English. (Ironically, when I visit Israel, Aljazeera is one of the main options available to viewers on local cable. But then Israel has always had a freer debate on Middle East issues than the poor, oppressed and information deprived United States.)
I should note, I do produce online video reports for Aljazeera English's Listening Post segment and have helped them add journalists to their stable of video bloggers.
I didn't want the Satellite option because it was too expensive and it requires a lot of "parts." I have to put a satellite dish on my house. That's almost like putting a sign on my house that I am Arab. It's bad enough I have a natural sign on my face, in my name and my writing. I don't need another. Still, the hassles of satellite seem overwhelming, especially since I already connect to Comcast Cable in the Chicago suburbs.
Recently, though, I came across a new option that seems to work great. JumpTV and NeuLion Inc have partnered to produce streaming video from foreign countries using the Internet and an iPTV cable box. It's $29 a month. They offer a Middle East option that provides 35 Arabic channels. Most are in Arabic. Aljazeera English is the only 24/7 English language broadcast but there are other programs. I think it would benefit the Arab media to expand their broadcasts from Arabic language to English, but that is another challenge and another column. You can get information at www.Talfazat.com if you are interested.
I got one. It took less than 20 minutes to set up. It plugs in to the HD TV. I connected it to the Internet in my home. And tuned the TV to the Auxillary channel.
And since then, I think I understand the Middle east issues far better than I did when I relied on the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and CNN. I understand a little bit of Arabic (my mother being from Bethlehem and father from Jerusalem) but I am addicted to Aljazeera English TV. Watching on my big screen TV and being able to record programs is far more convenient than trying to watch it on my computer screen. (Ironically, I understood the Conan O'Brien pre-Tonight Show marketing campaign where he introduces the audience to the TV set. It's like an iPod and a computer except that it has better audio and video quality.)
I watched Obama deliver his speech to the Arab World and immediately got reaction from the Arab World. I didn't have to wait until the news was filtered by the political spin in the mainstream American media.
I also watched the elections take place in Lebanon and better understand the dynamics of that country's problems. While we in the United States focus almost exclusively on Iran and Hezbollah, the militia they helped found during the Israeli occupation of Lebanon years ago, news reports in Lebanon are nore sophisticated. Many Lebanese said their votes were inspired by Obama's speech the week before at Cairo University. Others said that Hezbollah is not that major force that it is made out to be in the Western media. Of the 128 seats vyed for in the elections, Hezbollah only fielded 11 candidates -- who all won by the way.
I don't know. I think when we Americans have ALL the facts and ALL the information from ALL the available sources, our decisions become more sound. More reasoned. And our conclusions become more accurate. Our actions become more effective.
I know it is a new way to do things. But maybe, just maybe, we should set aside the hatred that has built a wall to separate us from news and information from the Middle East and start listening, learning and using what we learn to make our nation even better. Well, it may or may not become better, but we sure will be smarter people.
I'm addicted to Talfazat programming and to Aljazeera English. I think you should be too.
This is not a paid Ad at all. Just an attempt to increase your knowledge about a region of the world that has so much influence on our daily lives that we have so little access to understand.
-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com