Al-Jazeera: The Inside Story of the Arab News Channel That is Challenging the West

by Hugh Miles

With more than fifty million viewers, Al-Jazeera is one of the most widely watched news channels in the world. It’s also one of the most controversial. Now, journalist Hugh Miles uncovers the true story behind the Arab world’s most influential outlet. Financed by one of the wealthiest countries in the world, Al-Jazeera quickly established itself as the premier news channel in the Islamic world by covering events Arabs cared about in ways they had never seen before. However, accusations of ties to Al-Qaeda continue to plague the news channel. Its journalists have been accused of spying for everyone from Mossad to Saddam Hussein, sometimes simultaneously, and a star Al-Jazeera reporter is still awaiting trial in Spain for being an active member and recruiter for a Spanish-based Al-Qaeda cell. With unprecedented access to the news channel’s key players, reporters, producers, and financiers, journalist Hugh Miles uncovers the full, behind-the-scenes story of Al-Jazeera’s meteoric rise and how its influence is shaping the course of the Arab world. Al-Jazeera us an eye-opening look at a television network that not only covers the news but also makes the news.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Middle East, Journalism, Current Affairs

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2005

Reviews

[Emeden Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Erik Surewaard · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you think that the news network Al Jazeera stands for bin Laden and terrorism, think again. This is how the USA government tends to portray it. If you think it is, then you must read this book to understand that Al Jazeera stands fot uncensorred freedom of speech for Arab speaking people.

It is difficult to rate this book. I really don’t know whether to rate it three or four stars. In the end I decided to give it three stars.

Don’t be mistaken... I am happy I read it, but in case I would have to decide again whether to purchase this book. But what alternative book on Al Jazeera is there to find?

As one of the most important news networks in the world, it is strange to understand why there are almost no books on the history of this network. I don’t know exactly why this is. If you see the amount of books written on e.g. CNN or Fox News, this is all the more difficult to understand.

This book however gave a good overview of the history of Al Jazeera. It also describs the events since its start. Not only of the network itself, but also the main events that made Al Jazeera famous since its founding. From the Iraq war, Afghanistan war, ... As such, it is actually two books in one.

The author is also very open in describing what happened. From killing of its journalists to attempts from America, Saoudi-Arabia, etc. to ‘kill’ the network itself.

Although I learnt a lot from reading this book, I found it not really a pleasant read. I find the story not well structured and even repetitive. In my opinion, this book could easily go to four or five stars if it would be sent to a good editor and/or brought back to between 200 to 300 pages. What I also missed is a good set of pictures in this book. In a book describing so many horrific events, one would benefit from some views of the situation.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book over months, snippets between other books. At first I was disappointed that it was a history of Al Jazeera up until a point before they became an English station. But then I remembered that my grandfather was one of many Muslim men who felt the need to erect a gigantic satellite on his home to get the “real news”, before it was available in English and it suddenly felt important to know.

The history of media seems right now to be the history of the modern world. And this book, though incredibly detailed and specific still feels like a leader to what we didn’t know would come.

Here we have September 11, Afghanistan, the war in Iraq - all through the lens of an emerging leader in journalistic integrity. Being banned and admonished from all sides (sometimes, absurdly, at the same time) and massive powers trying to take it down (the US and Saudi Arabia).

And amongst this the book had strange little tidbits about how the news station I trust most came to be: French porn on a satellite, Ariel Sharon harping on about onions, Japanese NHK saving it from folding.

Al Jazeera is bad ass. I hope they remain so in our fragile and populist media environment.

[Jeffrey Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lengthy history of AlJazeera network, with a good introduction to the regional history of Gulf and Arab media development as interwoven with the political relationships of the area. Though written in 2005, before the launch of the English channel, the author's descriptions of the regional tensions and AlJazeera's approaches seem surprisingly current -- how little has changed in thirteen years. This is disappointing in the constancy of the tribal feuding that bedevils the region; yet it makes Qatar's (specifically, the AlThani royal family's) ongoing commitment to AlJazeera and (reasonably) objective journalism all the more admirable. Tamim Majid, indeed!
The latter half of the book is an excruciatingly long review of the Iraq War and AlJazeera's battering from all sides of the political front. The author makes the case for AlJazeera's bona fides. As a recent resident of Qatar, and regular viewer of AlJazeera's English network, I agree.

[Jacob Bornheimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book that covers Al-Jazaara from founding to 2003. The author clearly has lots of expertise and insight, while remaining remarkably impartial. Presents the case for and against Al-Jazeera as partisan. Very interesting to note that opposing sides in the Iraq war often had conflicting views on which side Al-Jazeera fell (Americans alleging radical Islamic bias, Iraqis saying American/Israeli bias). The best parts are the beginning (covers founding and influences) and end (covers how the media landscape has affected specific communities). Recommended for all looking to understand media better.

[Joel Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book goes behind the scenes of how the arab springs led to the birth of one of the greatest news corporations to come out of the middle east, it's earlier stages and it's development to the Al Jazeera now.

[Kevin Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid history of the inception and early years of the Qatar-based news channel (did you know it was a Qatar-based news channel?)

The theme of the book really seems to come down to the idea that things are more complicated than most people (and unfortunately, governments) think. As an American, almost all Al-Jazeera paranoia I've heard is that it's a terrorist mouthpiece and that it's anti-American, very against America, not a fan of America. But in the Middle East, America's relationship with Al-Jazeera is so far off the radar that it's barely a blip. The biggest anti-Al-Jazeera voice is Saudi Arabia and after that, oddly, is Kuwait. Meanwhile, lots of Arabs think Al-Jazeera is secretly controlled by the Jews and used to suppress Palestine, while Israel thinks Al-Jazeera is patently anti-Israel (which seems to have some evidence). Egypt and Algeria both went through anti-Al-Jazeera phases, and for a long time it was banned in Syria.

So I guess the human lesson is that everyone is a self-centered idiot who thinks everyone is thinking about them all the time when really everyone is just off doing their own thing. So it's like Facebook.

One point against the book is that it's from 2005, hardly the author's fault and more due to the flow of time, but still some of the points the book makes are a little dated. It talks a lot about Al-Jazeera English and what that might be, which, you can just look up and see, it's a network that fairly regularly wins awards but isn't as popular as Fox.

Also, this book is filled with quotes from the American media between 2001 and 2005. Holy God we all got racist right after 9/11, didn't we?

[Edwin Setiadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The US accuses them to be anti-American, while the Arabs accuse them to be pro-American. Israel claims that they are negatively bias at the Israeli government, while the Palestinians complain about their apologetic tone on Israel. The US forces bombed their bureau in Afghanistan during the Afghan invasion, while some of their journalists have been kidnapped and tortured. It is the only network that Osama Bin Laden trusts, while reluctantly the US is also relying to (and almost desperately trying to control) the network.

Their groundbreaking talk shows changed the socio-cultural context of the Arab world, breaking barriers, and discussing things previously considered taboo. Offended and feeling fundamentally being attacked, a lot of highlighted Arab countries threaten to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, the owner of the network, over and over again. Such is the boldness and the magnitude of the influence Al Jazeera has, in providing nothing but the truth and the balanced arguments that comes with it.

This is a very essential book on the fascinating story of Al Jazeera, from the difficulties of starting the network to their struggles and near-collapse experiences, from their first ever media triumph to breaking the ranks of the world's top global media.

Written between the story of Al Jazeera, lies a very important knowledge in understanding the vital role of media in a war, the politics in the battle to win the hearts and minds of the viewers, and the very rough journey Al Jazeera had to go through in defending their principle of providing a fair chance to every side, and ultimately providing the truth. This is easily one of the best books I've ever read.

[رابعة الدلالي · Rating 3 out of 5]

really fascinating ...It was good really good... I loved the book as I wasn't obliged to deal with the author's opinion or discuss it ... It was infact a book of facts . Hugh gave the reader a set of information about how Aljazeera delt with different issues without giving any single point of vue and that's how a journalist should and has and needs to be ... What is more fascinating about the book is that I 've got it for only 2 dinars :p lucky meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :D hihihihih

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave not only a very detailed account of Al-Jazeera's history, but also gave a detailed picture of Middle East regional and global political contexts in relation to the station, displaying the complex situation that is Al-Jazeera's existence in a very clear manner, even for those who are unfamiliar with the region. Great background reading for anyone who has anything to do with the Middle East and Arabic-speaking world.

[Pepita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usual pleasure read but am glad I struggled through it as it clarified a lot of world issues for me. The 4 star is not necessarily an enjoyment rating but feel it has certainly contributed to a better understanding of conflict in the Middle East for me and enhanced awareness of media bias generally.

[Kezia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely well researched and full of insight from experts and sources within AJ and in the Arab world. At times Miles' prose is textbookish - it's easy to see this being used in a college-level journalism/media course. Those with a passing familiarity with current events in the Middle East will appreciate the book; there's also plenty of detail on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al Jazeera is a much more complicated organization than it is credited for in the US media. It is one that is evolving in reaction to the world in which it exists - not that of the United States. A fascinating look inside the modern Middle East

[Arbër Selmani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed reading this book. It was a present and for a long time stayed there, but when I started reading everything was just flowing down easily. Both sides "the opinion and the other opinion" just like Jazeera`s motto.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unbelievably insightful book. Well put together and superp to read

[Steven Raszewski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written history of an important institution originating in the Arab world and now relevant to the entire globe.