81. Name: Sarah Boeld Title: Responsibility as an Indicator in a World of Global Television Journalism: An Evidence-Based Program Analysis of Al Jazeera English Institution: Universität Bonn Country: Germany Date: 2010 Language: German Abstract: Al Jazeera English was launched with the aim of revolutionizing the global television market and giving a ‘voice of the voiceless’. This is a message that indicates a unique understanding of responsibility in a world of global television journalism. It includes responsibility for marginalized groups, who have difficulties in finding a media platform, especially in a commercialized market. This study analyzes the pertinent questions of an organization with such an explicit purpose: Can Al Jazeera English be regarded as an alternative media with a different view of the world? Does the self-conception symbolize exemplary qualities? To what extent can Al Jazeera English be regarded as a responsible media? These questions are answered using an evidence-based analysis of programme content that draws on the results of ten interviews with Al Jazeera English’s journalists, editors and managers in Doha. They interviews concentrate on questions about news selection criteria, the so-called ‘spirit’ of Al Jazeera, content and style of news, as well as business model and management. The programme content analysis, on the other hand, uses two programmes as an example: “Newshour” and “People & Power”.
317
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter