The New News Media

Recently there's been a focus on Al Jazeera, the Arabic news source because two of its journalists have been jailed in Egypt.

Al Jazeera, also known as Aljazeera and JSC, is a Doha based broadcaster owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network, which is funded by the House of Thani, the ruling family of Qatar.

Wikipedia

Which brings to mind a phenomenon that I have been pondering upon for some time...

• A Handful of News Media entities have burst upon the scene out of the blue, as if by magic.
• How did these new news sources wind up in our land?
• Is there a shortage of news coverage that would warrant it? 

Al Jazeera is the one currently in the headlines.  Well, Al Jazeera English is one of the new news sources that I am perplexed by.  Besides Al Jazeera's amazing acceptance as a credible news source there is RT (Russia Today), also Press TV (Iran), and lastly Xinhua (People's Republic of China).

They have an internet presence

Some of these news sources have a YouTube Channel like RT does.

I sometimes stumble upon Xinhua when I look for news on Google.

Others are regularly quoted on the radio on NPR or FOX: According to Al Jazeera.... 

We have come a long way when we are being provided news by countries that have no history of journalism or freedom of the press.  Am I wrong here?  Was TASS and Pravda the basis for this new found affinity for impartial news reporting from the ex-Soviet Union? These folks only see things from the perspective of the politburo, the gang of four or the Ayatolla in the case of Persia (The Islamic Republic of Iran). 

Just thinking out loud here, and I hope someone can identify with the point I am trying to make.

Spasibo

Arsenio.

Photo Collage Courtesy of http://www.photovisi.com

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