For what it's worth; I've been listening/watching NPR, Al Jazeera, and the BBC for the last six years. And when I personally have compared the day's highlights and news coverage from those three, compared to FOX, MSNBC, and CNN, I've found the latter three to be, by far, the most uninformed, and lazy media provider that is provided through Internet, Radio, and T.V. means. Back during the very start of the "Arab spring" movement in Tunisia, I recall the BBC, and NPR, reporting on the events and the impact for the civilian population, along with the international response, two weeks prior to what MSNBC, CNN, or FOX came out with. Another example, when it came to Nigeria's military invasion of Somalia last year, the BBC, NPR, and Al Jazeera kept up-to-the-hour reports on the conflict, and the initial French military support of Nigeria. None of the major U.S. media outlets reported on the conflict, or anything more than a couple words streaming across the bottom of a T.V. screen in the scroll bar.
The big U.S. media is only really good for U.S.-centric politically charged issues, and only reports on international events that have a direct correlation to the U.S. government, or military in general.
Myself personally, I'd give a charitable donation to the BBC, Al Jazeera, and NPR radio, to keep them afloat, mainly because they, and many many other international, and small-scale news publications, make an effort to bring teh listeners, and readers, in the U.S., a in-depth view of what is going on in the world.
Without delving into a aggressive stance, or bordering racial-superiority complexes as to why one media outlet is horrible and everything else is better, I've noticed that a stark portion of the people who adamantly support FOX, MS/NBC, CNN, CBS, etc., are amongst the type of people who have no concern for the events, conflicts, or news of anyone, or anything, outside of the United States that doesn't involve the almighty U.S. government, or the god-like U.S. Military forces. And although that in itself can be dismissed as being patriotic, it's also selfish, greedy, and intellectually back-wards. *Braces for the impact of all the political and integrity-bashing slurs, for that last bit*.
My apologies for straying off the beaten path, but I had to get that quip off my chest. I'm just as much of an American as anyone else on these forums, but I strive to broaden my mental horizons by keeping up to date about what goes on in the world. Not to sound condescending, that is. Hey, CNN, FOX, MS/NBC, HLN, CBS, ABC, They're all good for when a person wants to turn on the T.V., and get the run-down on the day's events to the tune of their respective political affiliation(s), and don't rightly care about what goes on outside of our borders. But for someone who wants to know, and cares to know, that Myanmar (formerly Burma), is still controlled by a mixed-military/civilian dictatorship for the last 22 years, or so, and a former freedom fighter and democratic protestor was summarily executed in the middle of a international news event, with a hatchet, for trying to protest against that countries attempts to acquire Biological weapons; or wants to know the comedic value of the winner of Munich's beer-fest drinking contest. Then they have no easier sources to turn to than Al Jazeera's T.V. channel, BBC's website, or NPR's radio channel (usually hosted/streamed through a local college/university's radio station).
I sincerely wish everyone would stop bickering about which news station is awesome, and which one is scum. Each station has its good parts, and each station has its bad side. But to say that Al Jazeera supports terrorists, and to hold up the banner of CNN/NBC/etc, is contradictive to their words. I distinctly recall the U.S. Major media outlets, a short-time after 9/11, and the months following, using scare tactics, and anti-Arabic rhetoric in a bid to rile up the American people to urge Congress and the FedGov to take military action. I have witnessed U.S. Major media stations cheering on U.S. troops, and military action in the opening days of the bombing and invasion of both Afghanistan, and Iraq. And I recall all the people and the interviews with people, and think-tanks, and video footage displayed on FOX, NBC, CNN, that made the U.S. look awesome and our military look like glorious fighters for the correct God, and we all, like it or not, have watched the news stream of an Apache Helicopter, or F/A 18, utterly destroy an entire section of an arabic town, and at one time or another cheered, or praised the actions of those infantry and tank units in the field when they reported 'eliminating' a 'terrorist' unit.
It is oft said that a terrorist, is just an imperialist's word for a 'freedom fighter', not to delve into the politically correct/incorrect word of names and terms, but seriously.
If you're gonna hate on Al Jazeera for "supporting terrorists", then you better step up to the plate and send some of that hate to the U.S. media outlets, for supporting 'state-sponsored terrorism'.
Inb4; "Liberal commie!" "anti-american f*g!" "don't like it, leave!" "terrorist supporter" and/or "Dern anti-american LIBERAL!".
