Al Jazeera similarly energized news coverage in West Asia by looking at international affairs through the lens of Arab perspective.
Now the English version of the Arab news channel has the definite first mover advantage in covering news not only from a West Asian perspective, but from a larger Asian perspective, that is non-BBC and non-CNN. Telesur and Al Jazeera have signed a content sharing agreement early this year to counter the dominance of Western news networks.
Even the French are making their presence felt by launching a news channel, France 24.
Interestingly in the 21st Century governments across the world have felt the need to compete with monolithic, western news sources at a global level to transmit alternate worldviews. France 24 is funded by the private sector, but wholly backed by the French government.
Al Jazeera's Chairman is Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani, a distant cousin of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. The Venezuelan government holds a 51 percent stake in Telesur, with Argentina owning 20 percent, Cuba 14 percent, Uruguay 10 percent and Bolivia 5 percent. Here's Telesur's rationale: "To watch us is to know us; to recognise us is to respect us; to respect is to learn to care for each other. These are the first steps towards regional integration. If integration is the end, Telesur is the means."
Currently, Indian news channels obsession with trivia makes it impossible to imagine that any news channel in this country could even begin to think of a South Asia focus. Will any Indian news channel have the guts to over-step boundaries to tap and forge people-centric sentiments of regional integration and cover news at a sub-continental scale? It would be foolhardy to even imagine when in India traditional news hierarchies dominate both print and television news media. When we continue to ignore northeast affairs, when we continue to ignore issues of a India that is non-urban and non-corporate, when we continue to ignore minorities, when we continue to continue with news tailor made for distinct consumer segments, it is just unthinkable that Indian media outlets can even believe in taking that leap of faith.
The airwaves are a level playing field and the technology to rule the airwaves is easily available. The desperate intent to leave the imprint of a distinctive worldview post 9/11 and Iraq War has inspired the setting up new global news channels. No wonder despite the US bombing of Al Jazeera's office in Iraq and in spite of the considerable US diplomatic pressure on Qatar, the US government just could not stop the Arab news channel from broadcasting the other side of gruesome and horrific realities of the war in Iraq and its continuing aftermath. This is unprecedented and ironic. The world capital of freedom and democracy wanting to throttle the voice and views of an independent Arab news channel.
Where is India placed in the global news race? The largest democracy in the world, the beacon of hope for people in the developing world who harbour democratic aspirations is yet to get its act right. For some years now there has been some talk of a government backed, but autonomous Indian channel looking at the world through the Indian prism, reflecting India's view of international affairs. Indian news channels do not even cover its neighbourhood, so crucial to its security and economic growth. What's happening in Bangladesh and Pakistan? In Sri Lanka and Nepal? Indian news channel just do not show inclination to cover events that are shaping the Indian-subcontinent. And what about the extended neighbourhood, which has always been in the radar of Indian civilizational influences-Southeast Asia and West Asia? What's happening in Afghanistan where there is a significant Indian presence? It is strange that a country that is being watched by the world as its shakes off the somnolence the 20th Century and makes the 21st count, its mass media is just not interested in covering its neighbourhood which is steeped in centuries of Indian cross-cultural influences. Isn't it strange that millions of television news viewers in India have to depend on non-Indian news sources for regional and global events reshaping their world?
The manic urge to broadcast other worldviews appeared in the last decade of the 20th century. It took the form of alternate news websites and bloggers challenging the theocracy of established newspapers, magazines and 24-hour networks. And within the first decade of the 21st Century, from You Tube to the mint fresh global news channels, the imagination of the world as seen by the West have begun to be reshaped by alternative news sources.
The demands of 21st Century news will be significantly influenced by the assertiveness of readers and viewers ensuring their access to citizenship rights. How the free press responds to issues of access to the broad spectrum of citizenship rights will determine which particular media outlet is preferred with the exclusion of similar choices. News is already available on multiple platforms from mobile to Internet to 24-hour networks to newspapers. The multi-modal delivery of news will continue to evolve with cutting edge communications technology.
Soon 'he said, she said' journalism will be meaningless and irrelevant. So will traditional news formats like what a political party says and what the other doesn't. Merely announcing government policies and recording events of the day will also become a miniscule part of a successful TV news channel's menu. All of this will be available in varied platforms through varied delivery systems. The two drivers, so to say, of national news channels will be on-the spot coverage as news breaks. The breaking news phenomena will become bigger and, hopefully, better. But at the end of the day it will be cutting edge editorial content relevant to the life of nation, relevant to lives of its readers and viewers that will make a TV news channel preferred over others. On top of this news channels that make a leap of faith to reach out to the country's civilizational links will have the last laugh.
first published:December 14, 2006, 20:28 ISTlast updated:December 14, 2006, 20:28 IST
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The Latin Americans are leaving the imprint of their worldview in their part of the world with the motto, 'Another Television is Possible'. Telesur broadcasting to countries in South America and elsewhere has finally broken free of heavy reliance on Western news networks on developments in the region.
Al Jazeera similarly energized news coverage in West Asia by looking at international affairs through the lens of Arab perspective.
Now the English version of the Arab news channel has the definite first mover advantage in covering news not only from a West Asian perspective, but from a larger Asian perspective, that is non-BBC and non-CNN. Telesur and Al Jazeera have signed a content sharing agreement early this year to counter the dominance of Western news networks.
Even the French are making their presence felt by launching a news channel, France 24.
Interestingly in the 21st Century governments across the world have felt the need to compete with monolithic, western news sources at a global level to transmit alternate worldviews. France 24 is funded by the private sector, but wholly backed by the French government.
Al Jazeera's Chairman is Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani, a distant cousin of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. The Venezuelan government holds a 51 percent stake in Telesur, with Argentina owning 20 percent, Cuba 14 percent, Uruguay 10 percent and Bolivia 5 percent. Here's Telesur's rationale: "To watch us is to know us; to recognise us is to respect us; to respect is to learn to care for each other. These are the first steps towards regional integration. If integration is the end, Telesur is the means."
Currently, Indian news channels obsession with trivia makes it impossible to imagine that any news channel in this country could even begin to think of a South Asia focus. Will any Indian news channel have the guts to over-step boundaries to tap and forge people-centric sentiments of regional integration and cover news at a sub-continental scale? It would be foolhardy to even imagine when in India traditional news hierarchies dominate both print and television news media. When we continue to ignore northeast affairs, when we continue to ignore issues of a India that is non-urban and non-corporate, when we continue to ignore minorities, when we continue to continue with news tailor made for distinct consumer segments, it is just unthinkable that Indian media outlets can even believe in taking that leap of faith.
The airwaves are a level playing field and the technology to rule the airwaves is easily available. The desperate intent to leave the imprint of a distinctive worldview post 9/11 and Iraq War has inspired the setting up new global news channels. No wonder despite the US bombing of Al Jazeera's office in Iraq and in spite of the considerable US diplomatic pressure on Qatar, the US government just could not stop the Arab news channel from broadcasting the other side of gruesome and horrific realities of the war in Iraq and its continuing aftermath. This is unprecedented and ironic. The world capital of freedom and democracy wanting to throttle the voice and views of an independent Arab news channel.
Where is India placed in the global news race? The largest democracy in the world, the beacon of hope for people in the developing world who harbour democratic aspirations is yet to get its act right. For some years now there has been some talk of a government backed, but autonomous Indian channel looking at the world through the Indian prism, reflecting India's view of international affairs. Indian news channels do not even cover its neighbourhood, so crucial to its security and economic growth. What's happening in Bangladesh and Pakistan? In Sri Lanka and Nepal? Indian news channel just do not show inclination to cover events that are shaping the Indian-subcontinent. And what about the extended neighbourhood, which has always been in the radar of Indian civilizational influences-Southeast Asia and West Asia? What's happening in Afghanistan where there is a significant Indian presence? It is strange that a country that is being watched by the world as its shakes off the somnolence the 20th Century and makes the 21st count, its mass media is just not interested in covering its neighbourhood which is steeped in centuries of Indian cross-cultural influences. Isn't it strange that millions of television news viewers in India have to depend on non-Indian news sources for regional and global events reshaping their world?
The manic urge to broadcast other worldviews appeared in the last decade of the 20th century. It took the form of alternate news websites and bloggers challenging the theocracy of established newspapers, magazines and 24-hour networks. And within the first decade of the 21st Century, from You Tube to the mint fresh global news channels, the imagination of the world as seen by the West have begun to be reshaped by alternative news sources.
The demands of 21st Century news will be significantly influenced by the assertiveness of readers and viewers ensuring their access to citizenship rights. How the free press responds to issues of access to the broad spectrum of citizenship rights will determine which particular media outlet is preferred with the exclusion of similar choices. News is already available on multiple platforms from mobile to Internet to 24-hour networks to newspapers. The multi-modal delivery of news will continue to evolve with cutting edge communications technology.
Soon 'he said, she said' journalism will be meaningless and irrelevant. So will traditional news formats like what a political party says and what the other doesn't. Merely announcing government policies and recording events of the day will also become a miniscule part of a successful TV news channel's menu. All of this will be available in varied platforms through varied delivery systems. The two drivers, so to say, of national news channels will be on-the spot coverage as news breaks. The breaking news phenomena will become bigger and, hopefully, better. But at the end of the day it will be cutting edge editorial content relevant to the life of nation, relevant to lives of its readers and viewers that will make a TV news channel preferred over others. On top of this news channels that make a leap of faith to reach out to the country's civilizational links will have the last laugh.
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