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Charlie Beckett

March 7th, 2007

Watching Aljazeera watching us

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Charlie Beckett

March 7th, 2007

Watching Aljazeera watching us

0 comments

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

If TV news is so important why isn’t there a single radio or TV programme devoted to analysing or commenting on broadcast news and the way it covers events? Not even the marvellous Media Guardian has a dedicated TV news column although they do have them for advertising, radio, online etc. Well there is one programme that goes out weekly and looks at new media and broadcast news across the world. Listening Post on Aljazeera English is a full-blown media analysis show that attempts to watch the news media watching us watching the news media – if you see what I mean. It’s a lively mix of lengthy and short features with a slot for public voices as well. The tone is much like the rest of AJE. It is very international and takes a mildy counter-intuitive editorial line which tends towards criticism of the mainstream news media along with some funny videos off YouTube.
Richard Gizbert, Presenter

I popped in for a brief interview looking at the way that the news media is covering the recent stock market fall in China. Listening Post was asking whether the US and Western Media was being a bit Orientalist in blaming immature Chinese neo-capitalism for the Wall Street losses. All very interesting. And although Listening Post can occasionally sound a tiny bit censorious it is a welcome addition to the world of media commentary and deserves a wide audience. It’s made by the Indy company Moonbeam Films who, perhaps unsurprisingly, used to make programmes about the media for the BBC who now don’t make programmes about the media….

About the author

Charlie Beckett

Posted In: International | Journalism