2006年VOA标准英语-Al Jazeera Launches Global Broadcast Operation

By Peter Fedynsky
Washington, DC
15 November 2006
 
watch Al Jazeera Launch

 
The Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera frequently makes news when it reports news.  The station has not only aired controversial interviews with terrorists such as Osama Bin¹ Laden², but also top U.S. officials.  On Wednesday, Al Jazeera expanded its operation with a new international English language channel.  The organization declined a Voice of America request for a pre-launch interview, but provided some of the video for our story about Al Jazeera's involvement in free speech controversies³. 

With the launch of its new channel, Al Jazeera hopes to expand the reach of its network from an Arabic and Middle Eastern audience to a global, English-speaking one.  Al Jazeera International is broadcasting from Doha, Qatar with 20 overseas bureaus, including one in Washington, DC just three blocks from the White House.  The organization, funded by the Qatar government, is promising⁴ impartial⁵ and balanced information from the world's hot spots.

 
Donald Rumsfeld (file photo)
Among those hot spots is Iraq, whose government has banned Al Jazeera.  Outgoing U.S. Defense⁶ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had accused the network of conspiring⁷ with terrorists. "They've called Al Jazeera to come and watch them do it. And al-Arabiya. 'Come and see us. Come and watch us. This is what we're going to do.'  The information operations, the psy-op part of what they're doing has always been a part of their behavior pattern."

At the same time, the U.S. State Department says Al Jazeera is considered the most free and unfettered broadcast source in the Arab world.  And the White House website continues to provide transcripts⁸ of interviews that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave the network in her previous capacity as National Security Advisor⁹.

Cliff Kincaid, an editor with the Washington-based watchdog group Accuracy in Media, says U.S. officials make a big mistake by appearing on Al Jazeera. "This is simply national suicide!  This is feeding and accommodating and appeasing¹⁰ the enemy that wants to kill us all.  And that's why, in our opinion, the war in Iraq has been so difficult.  Not that our soldiers can't win on the battlefield, but that we are losing the war in terms of information, and propaganda, and ideas."

Many Americans associate Al Jazeera with appearances by terrorist hostage-takers in Iraq, by Osama Bin Laden and other al Qaida leaders involved in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States.  Accuracy in Media points to statements by alleged¹¹ terrorists who say Al Jazeera inspired them to kill Americans in Iraq. "I began watching the news, and following the invasion of Iraq.  I would watch Al Jazeera and other TV channels all the time.  I saw clerics on TV, on Al Jazeera, declaring Jihad in Iraq."

America, however, is fighting for democratic rule in Iraq. George Washington University media professor Mark Feldstein says free media are an integral part of any democracy.  "The thing to remember about the United States and the genius of our system is that the Framers of our Constitution believed in a marketplace of free ideas.  They believed that if all voices were there to compete, truth would ultimately out.  And to try to clamp down on an Al Jazeera, to try to not allow it to have its voice, really flies in the face of what the framers of our own Constitution would have wanted." 

Feldstein says Al Jazeera should have the right to compete in the commercial marketplace.  While no U.S. network currently has plans to distribute its new English programs, Feldstein says the information will find an audience. "The problem is, in the world of the Internet, is that you can get this online anyway.  It's very difficult to control information now."

Both sides of the Al Jazeera controversy¹² understand the power of information.  One side says it can be used to misinform and incite¹³ violence.  The other side says information should be shared to prevent misinformation.

1 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

2 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

3 controversies   

争论

参考例句：

• We offer no comment on these controversies here. 对于这些争议，我们在这里不作任何评论。 来自英汉非文学 - 历史
• The controversies surrounding population growth are unlikely to subside soon. 围绕着人口增长问题的争论看来不会很快平息。 来自辞典例句

4 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

5 impartial   

adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的

参考例句：

• He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
• Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 conspiring   

密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致

参考例句：

• They were accused of conspiring against the king. 他们被指控阴谋反对国王。
• John Brown and his associates were tried for conspiring to overthrow the slave states. 约翰·布朗和他的合伙者们由于密谋推翻实行奴隶制度的美国各州而被审讯。

8 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句

9 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

10 appeasing   

安抚，抚慰( appease的现在分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争）

参考例句：

• Mr. Chamberlain had cherished the hope of appeasing and reforming him and leading him to grace. 张伯伦先生则满心想安抚他，感化他，教他温文知礼。
• A pleasing preacher is too often an appeasing preacher. 一昧讨好的传道人通常是姑息妥协的传道人。

11 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

12 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

13 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。