[A-List] Britain/US split: al-Jazeera

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Such are the subtleties of Blair's poodle act that it is difficult to know
exactly what he's playing at. A large section of UK establishment opinion is
clear about the need to escape the US embrace and jump into Europe instead,
but there remain serious structural barriers to that, not least the
influence of Wall Street and the IMF, together with military interests.
Nevertheless expressions of independence, however futile or forlorn, are
evidence of a kind, and this development is noteworthy, not least because tv
viewers will remember how the "precision bombing" of al-Jazeera's Kabul
offices was caught on camera by the BBC correspondent next door, filing his
report when his office blew up around him. Recently the pathetic Democrat FT
columnist Gerard Baker moaned about the proliferation of anti-US reportage
from the BBC (can't say I've noticed) without specifying clearly any
examples of such "bias". Obviously certain US interests take a dim view of
British behaviour -- this should add to their irritation. In consolation,
the heavy reliance by the BBC on the reporting of Disney-owned ABC is highly
visible, extending to fake "Panorama" programmes in which ABC pictures are
merely voiced over by a suitably English-accented announcer (another aspect
of the decline of current affairs reportage at the BBC).

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BBC signs deal with al-Jazeera
By Louise Jury
The Independent
17 January 2003

The BBC has signed a news-gathering deal with al-Jazeera, the television
news channel that has become well known in the West for its intimate
contacts with al-Qa'ida.

The Qatar-based channel has provoked fierce opposition in Washington for its
coverage of Osama bin Laden and the Palestinian conflict in the Middle East.
But the channel has always maintained its independence and the BBC deal will
be seen as a vindication of its news operation.

Adrian van Klaveren, the head of newsgathering at BBC News, said:
"Al-Jazeera has established itself as a major international broadcaster. By
working alongside them in our newsgathering activities, we will be able to
provide an even more comprehensive service to the BBC's audiences both in
the UK and around the world."

The agreement includes cooperation on the ground, such as sharing
facilities. One example of this could include the BBC using al-Jazeera's
satellite connections in Kabul. In return, the BBC is in talks to provide
online advice for al-Jazeera's English language website, which is due to
launch next month, and advice on training and safety.

Al-Jazeera ("the Peninsula"), founded in 1996, is the most popular news
station in the Middle East. It has come to prominence in the West because of
a number of exclusives, including broadcast footage of Osama bin Laden and
filmed statements from the al-Qa'ida leader. One appeared to show him
praising the 11 September hijackers as "great men".

The BBC said it had similar agreements with stations such as ABC in the
United States and NHK in Japan.

The British Council also announced a media exchange with al-Jazeera
yesterday to enable young British broadcast journalists to work with the
staff of al-Jazeera for short periods in the UK and Qatar. "The aim is to
demonstrate the UK's willingness to engage with the Arab world in the debate
on newsgathering, reportage and perceived media bias," a spokesman said.