What is Digg?118 Comments
- pintomp3, on 10/12/2007, -12/+57if you watched control room, then you would realize they are not anti-american. they just aren't blindly pro-american. they are pro-information, which is why they are hated by both extemes.
- tugger, on 10/12/2007, -11/+37No, you could do that with Fox alone...
- Aggaman, on 10/12/2007, -8/+27This is great. I hope they do well.
I long for the day when we have International versions of news channels from Eastern Europe, Latin America, Russia, Africa and East Asia.
What could be better than flipping between half a dozen channels that represent the viewpoints of people in most regions of the world... No matter where they come from, people see the news somewhat differently. It will be nice to get something close to a synoptic view. - DanAtkinson, on 10/12/2007, -9/+23Talk about showing your true colours.
Just because Al-Jazeera is mainly an Arabic network doesn't mean that it's anti-western, and it certainly isn't used for 'radical Islamic rants'. It ocassionally shows statements by radicals, but then these are propagated through other networks. - solidhubris, on 10/12/2007, -11/+25I find it really telling of how much the US's own propaganda machine and anti-Middle Eastern sentiment has spread to even online forums such as digg, where people are supposed to be more information literate than others.
Just so you know, before the events of September 11th, Al-Jazeera was perceived as one of the most fair and balanced news agency's in the game. They gained the odious distinction, however of showing video of Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda. All I'm saying is, before you go bashing, read up, and maybe you'd realize that the more right leaning and conservative Middle Eastern countries (the ones that the US would have you believe are our sworn enemies down to the infants) dislike Al-Jazeera as much as some of you misinformed bigots do. They just have a reason.
Don't let the government think for you. Use the intnerts to make your decisions. - wisam, on 10/12/2007, -2/+16Actually when it first started, the Arabic Al-Jazeera hired most of the staff of the BBC Arabic channel which died months before. So you're speculation might be right. Al-Jazeera English might fit in the same space BBC fits in.
- ahsen74, on 10/12/2007, -9/+21I wonder if it will be available in the US?
- mfratt, on 10/12/2007, -15/+24As the FBI storms the homes of anyone who tunes it for more than 20 seconds.
- DCMacHead, on 10/12/2007, -12/+18I hope they translate word-for-word the Arabic Al-Jazeera for all the world to hear. My gut tells me it will be like Yasser Arafat--incite in Arabic, make nicey nice in English.
- togra, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12... or post comments on digg saying how smart you are. Way to make yourself look like a complete tosser. He wasn't even accusing you of being dumb in the first place, dumbass.
- Asianwaste, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Figured out what AAAZ stands for: An Arab Against Zionism
- lacaid, on 10/12/2007, -14/+20This channel is bound to become the new BBC.
- rationalist, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10"online forums such as digg, where people are supposed to be more information literate than others."
I'm interested to understand why people make this assumption. In my twenty-plus years experience in the US tech industry, there is generally an inverse relationship between the degree of fascination with technology and the degree of interest in geopolitics, civics and general news.
I don't think this is accidental; one of the things that draws the technically inclined towards technical fields, particularly computer technology, is the unambiguity of code; it either works or it doesn't, there is little room for fuzziness in a binary world. The shades of gray in politics and policy are frustrating and disconcerting to those who favor certainty and sharp distinctions in their work.
This tends to lead to what I call "binary thinking". Hence the few who show any interest in politics tend to favor simplistic, "either-or" ideologies such as libertarianism or its polar opposite, authoritarianism.
Anecdotally, so far, I find that the people who make the most ignorant comments on digg, regardless of political bias, tend to be the same people who complain the most about this site not remaining solely tech-focused.
In short, I find US techies to be extraordinarily politically naive. I can't speak of other nationalities. Since Americans tend to be the most ignorant of politics and policy and facts about the rest of the world, I assume that American techies are similarly less politically knowledgeable and inclined than their counterparts around the world. - pap3rw8, on 10/12/2007, -8/+14sounds interesting, i hope it comes to the us. It's always good to get another perspective on news.
- theone3, on 10/12/2007, -4/+9"Okay, dumbass....site a source where we can, I dunno, go "read up!?""
Okay, dumbass.... it's cite, not site. - jcalhoon84, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Quick question?
Have any of you seen the Arab version of Al Jazeera? I am an American and I live in the middle east. I read the local papers, and I've seen Al-Jazeera. The news from this region particularly Al-Jazeera is extremely anti-american. There is no room for arguement. Unless you've watched it you can't argue that they are for "freedom" of information. This region of the world has arguably the most oppressive free speech laws in the world. - wisam, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Note that the scrolling bar that basses by now and then in the video has nothing to do with Al-Jazeera. Probably added by the uploader.
- ajtheman, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Wow. I thought digg was supposed to be filled with smart people. I doubt any of you have ACTUALLY sat down and watched al-Jazeera. All you hear is what another news outlet tells you. Yeah, they show videos released by terrorists... because that's NEWS. It's better than pretending terrorism doesn't exist. NONE of the American 24-hour news networks are without a heavy pro-American bias. Have you even watched them? They don't even pretend to have a neutral point of view. Yeah, al-Jazeera has a pro-Middle Eastern bias, but I don't find it as obvious as American news outlet's bias. I find saying American media outlets are better than al-Jazeera because they are pro-American somewhat akin to saying America and Americans are better and more important than the Middle East and Middle Easterners. Digg me down if you wish (keep in mind that the digg down button is for SPAM posts, not posts you disagree with) but I'd rather get my news about the Middle East from the Middle East, not the watered down version from America.
- Absinthminded64, on 10/12/2007, -3/+8If CNN is pro anything it's pro ratings. Take this article headline for example.
"Iran offers cash to U.S. tourists"
If you read the article they're only increasing the commission that US travel agents make when/if they send someone to Iran. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -12/+17big deal, I'm typing this from my private space ship which is currently in a stable "hovering" orbit over my private island filled with playboy/hustler models of the year. I was able to pay for all of this by writing an entire encyclopedia about EVERYTHING and selling it to Google who, by the way, has to ask my permission before any new technologies are implemented on their website because I am the sole owner of the internet.
That's right, I created it. Oh yeah, and Stephen Hawking calls me when he needs help figuring out a science-related problem.
What? You don't believe me?
P.S. I forgot to mention that my penis is 8 inches long...WHILE FLACCID! - jtk83, on 10/12/2007, -6/+11Thank goodness. If troop morale wasn't low enough already now I can see beheadings and terrorist propaganda on cable television. Well....I already get the terrorist propaganda on CNN but now I get the beheadings too...Whoppeee!!
- webcrumb, on 10/12/2007, -7/+11I'm hoping it will also get onto Freeview.
While the BBC is good, something definitely happened after Hutton. - towca, on 10/12/2007, -5/+9One day you'll realize that sales aren't everything in this world. There are sometimes stuff a little more important than how your financial statements look like.
- newzooreview, on 10/12/2007, -8/+12It seems like the folks here (my fellow Americans) who have never lived outside of the U.S. are unaware of the self-censoring that goes on in the U.S. media, stripping out content that they think the American audience might not want to hear. Every U.S. news channel is staunchly biased towards approving the actions of the U.S. around the globe, dodging the serious questions, and paring down complex issues to infantile terms. However, I wouldn't call any of the U.S. news channels "pro-American," least of all Fox News, since their actions are harmful to the Constitution and the values the country was founded on.
- felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -4/+8abadincrotch -
You won't recognize the reference, since it's from a "crappy British comedy", but you really remind me of Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda.
"You stupid ape."
"Don't call me stupid! I read Nietzsche. Apes don't read Nietzsche!"
"Yes they do, Otto. They just don't understand it." - actorboy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5@ h00paj00
If you can't see the benefit of having more information and resources from which too distill truth -- and in the process, gain a stronger world perspective -- then just look at it as knowing your enemy and you'll do fine. - wisam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Why am I being dugg down? The video I posted is the real thing and not the "death to America" one. As with mentioning that it's on NileSat, that's a government owned entity and is nearly the only satellite specially covering this region (excluding the depreciated Arabsat) so I'm not advertising anything.
- ahsen74, on 10/12/2007, -12/+15It'll probably be more like how CNN has a perceptible pro-American spin, and CNN International less so. Obviously they are targeting a different market, otherwise why have it in English?
- sean65, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Fox? I don't think so. It's the anti-Fox, in fact.
- bigturns, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Sadly, the only place such a channel, under the Bush regime, would be viewable is over the 'Internets'. You see, the Internets are a series of 'tubes'.
- manicleek, on 10/12/2007, -6/+9So so it will be dumbed down / lacking in intelligence then abadincrotch?
- kylesellers, on 10/12/2007, -4/+7I guess now CNN is going to have some competition for their exclusive terrorist videos. Woo hoooo more videos of terrorists sniping our soldiers!! /sarcasm
- scairborn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4We used to watch Al-Jazeera daily when I attended the Defense Language Institute. Personally, I found that it was the most unbiased news programming I had ever seen. With one exception, the whole Israel thing... But, if a US soldier died in Iraq the reported it, with sympathy, and class, that demonstrated someone had perished trying to bring Iraq back from chaos. On CNN, MSNBC, FOX youll only get, "oh and 3 died today in Iraq...in other news, rush limbaugh said..." The US only cares about bodies in great numbers, thinking that makes great news. Al-Jazeera reports the whole story regardless of what side they were on.
- sparks2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Here's Control Room for those who haven't seen it (google video):
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1918207412032636074 - Koosebane, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I'm not sure why anyone would want to get their information from the television.
It's an entertainment medium. Its revenues are directly tied to how much the audience is entertained, not how informative or accurate it is.
If there is no controversy to tantalize the bored couch potatoes of the world, it creates some to keep them glued to the set.
If you want information....research, study, and read. If you want mind candy in the guise of fast paced, hard hitting reports, switch on the set and lazily let BigMedia fill your mind with bunk. - TheOther1, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Maybe the first guest beheadings will be Janeane Garofalo, Michael Moore or Bill Mahr. I can only hope!
- techweenie1, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8Wow pretty scary how many people here would trust Al-Jazeera, it's one thing to be critical and to not agree with American or British New Sources...but honestly if you guys think Al-Jazeera is the closest to the truth you might as well have the former Iraqi Information Minister Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf tell you the news.
- manicleek, on 10/12/2007, -6/+8@abadincrotch
And yet you're dumb enough to assume you're better than me even though you have never met me and know nothing about what I do.
Oh and you like dumbed down stuff on TV - ZenMojo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Doesn't anyone remember how every news channel was asking if we could bomb Iran and how we could do it even as people in the Defense Department kept saying that was the last thing on their minds?
I guess that's how propaganda works...it gets you to absorb information uncritically. - talmaximus, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3The only problem I see with 'more information' is the possibility of just throwing more 'untrustworthy' sources into the fray. Just because a network is willing to present something different or with a different motive doesn't make it any more reliable or trustworthy. I question any news source and will continue to take every thing any of them state with extreme caution.
- VolatileWhimsy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"Every U.S. news channel is staunchly biased towards approving the actions of the U.S. around the globe, dodging the serious questions, and paring down complex issues to infantile terms. "
That is completely untrue with no facts to back it up obvious or otherwise.
I will agree that American news does have alot of yellow journalism and sensationalism thrown in.. The news in America has one goal sell papers at the cost of truth and integrity... - wisam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Al-Arabiya is considered "liberal" according to the Middle-Eastern standards in the sense that it's secular and pro-American. Again, Not pro-American in the sense of favoring American policies but in the sense that it's not Anti-American, as opposed to Al-Jazeera.
Being pro-American means being on the side of Arab governments. At the end of the day what Arab government seriously criticizes America? Nearly non, and if a government did it's out of hypocrisy towards it's people. - sean65, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5I predict that the English Al-Jazeera will go the way of Air America... bankrupt and quiet within 2 years.
- actorboy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3See, this is where I'd like to rely on my own powers of deduction to determine whether or not something is a good or bad resource for information -- a practice apparently supported by those who wrote the first amendment .
- VolatileWhimsy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I think it will probably have the opposite effect that they are hoping for.
- VolatileWhimsy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3you obviously haven't read their news on the web.....
- Ndiggnation, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I don't care what slant it has..it's always nice, in any case, to have information from more than one course and make judgements yourself on what you believe.
- mancat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What the hell are you doing there?
- talmaximus, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4I lost faith in 'mankind' without the help of either.
- Kragnerac, on 11/03/2008, -0/+1Nope. It's still going. :P
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