الجزيرة، مع السلامة Ma'a s-salāma Al-Jazeera

الجزيرة،  مع السلامة  Ma'a s-salāma Al-Jazeera

KENNETH E. HALL April 12, 2016 SINGAPORE

The Kuwait-based news channel Al-Jazeera announced on the air in Singapore in April of 2016 that it will shut down its USA operation, called Al-Jazeera America. Although It could hardly be classified as "fair and balanced" especially when it came to Middle East news, it did provide an alternative to the mostly fluff and commercials that was passed off as news to the American people on the other major news networks. 

Although largely propagandistic in many areas and sporting clear anti-American undertones, Al Jazeera did in fact concentrate on NEWS instead of mindless exchanges on whatever subject, taking up time rather than actually presenting the news.

I wrote my thoughts about the impending loss of Al-Jazeera America:.

The death-knell is ringing quietly for an all-news cable TV channel called Al-Jazeera.

Ever heard of it? It seems, at least according to CNN (and we all know whatever CNN says is Gospel!), that, of all things, the price of OIL is to blame for its demise!

The IRONY of it all!

Al-Jazeera, a middle-east-based news station, quietly signed on some time ago, (August 20, 2013) and, as far as I'm concerned, had the makings of a fine news organization.

As a somewhat regular viewer at the beginning, I was impressed with their dedication to news, particularly INTERNATIONAL news. I would turn it on, and, for better or for worse, they actually had news reports on! (Unlike pretty much all of the others, who concentrate on editorial opinions, psychics cats, lost puppies, fluff, and pure crap, mixed with a heaping helping of commercials, interrupted only by, well, more commercials! They tell you something interesting, then, here it comes: the "BUT FIRST..."

I try not to walk around with my,,, butt first. But they do!

Turn on Al-Jazeera and it was news all the way, with no commentators who truly believe their opinions are the ONLY ones that count.

CNN claims that Al-Jazeera is the victim of "low oil prices."

Well, heck, I thought they'd say something almost as stupid, like "aliens" or sunspot activity was making them shut down. The truth is that Al-Jazeera never really caught on in the USA. No, it wasn't the "Arabic-sounding name." I doubt that many viewers knew or cared about that. It wasn't like 'Ahab the Arab' comes riding onto the screen on a camel, talking some foreign language while waving a scimitar. That, I believe, would scare the bejesus out of half the population.

Al-Jazeera was, at least at first, very thorough in reporting the news, albeit with a noticeable anti-Israel bias. I think that one thing that helped shut this station down is that, well, the truth be known, they were very anti-American.

Now, anti-Americanism is a fad, and practiced very well by the likes of *Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. Although she is sometimes considered a "journalist" - especially by herself, she, in fact, is simply a COMMENTATOR. Just to the left of Bernie Sanders, her commentary is biting, totally and unapologetically biased, and 100% American. She isn't a foreigner who comes from overseas, sets up shop in our country, and then devoted its entire programming toward putting down the USA by whatever means necessary. as does RT (Russia Today)

Al-Jazeera reporters don't say lies, they only report on what serves their anti-USA agenda. I can see it, and so can the American public, and public silence has spoken volumes.

And that is a shame!

When one voice is silenced, we all lose a little of our freedom.

When one opinion is no longer voiced, another's grows increasingly louder.

When one news source goes dark, so does some of our insight into world affairs.

I did not agree with most of what they stood for, but it is a loss to us all that, for good or for bad, they will not be able to stand at all.

Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. I will add, that the man who never looks into a newspaper is better informed than he who reads them ----  Thomas Jefferson - 1805

NOTES:

Ma'a sala'ama ( مع السلامة ) means good-bye in Arabic - it literally means '(go) in peace.'

*Rachel Maddow was born, coincidentally, on April 1, 1973 (APRIL FOOLS' DAY) quite appropriately in Castro Valley, California, USA, and is often listed as an "actress."

WIKIPEDIA STATES:

"Al Jazeera America (AJAM) was an American basic cable and satellite news television channel owned by the Al Jazeera Media Network. The channel was launched on August 20, 2013 to compete with CNN, HLN, MSNBC, Fox News, and in certain markets, RT America. The channel was Al Jazeera's second entry into the U.S. television market, after the launch of beIN Sport in 2012. The channel, which had persistently low ratings, announced in January 2016 that it would close on April 12, 2016, citing the 'economic landscape.'"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera_America

This Blog article was published 17 September, 2018 Houston