85. Name: Abdeslam Razaq Title: Al Jazeera Satellite Channel’s Media Discourse and the Formation of Public Opinion Institution: Cairo University Country: Egypt Date: 2012 Language: Arabic Abstract: This study addresses two central topics. The first, explores Al Jazeera’s media discourse and its manifestations in news bulletins, talk shows and live coverages. This exploration is based on the assumption that Al Jazeera’s media experience has surpassed four interconnected stages: shock and provocation, confrontation and agenda setting, rationality and rising to globalism, and finally, supporting revolutions and adopting citizen media locally and regionally. By analyzing linguistic and cultural structures of the channel’s discourse, the study found that this discourse experienced a number of challenges through each of the four stages. However, the channel has always been able to employ a discourse of cohabitation that accommodates Islamism, nationalism, socialism and liberalism at the same time. This characteristic is what makes Al Jazeera a melting pot for all political discourses in the Arab public sphere. The second topic concerns public opinion focusing on Al Jazeera’s contribution to the formation and reformation of Arab public opinion. The study distinguishes between Middle Eastern, Gulf and Maghreb public opinions and finds that Al Jazeera was successful in shaping an all-encompassing, plural, diverse and vibrant Arab public opinion.
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