Middle East Media Mouthpieces, War of Satellites………….

              

“Arabsat decision to suspend Al-Alam broadcasting for the second time in less than two months has prompted rage across Muslim world, with many political and media distinguished figures maintaining the US and the Zionist regime were behind the move. Saudi-based Arabsat took Al-Alam off air on Wednesday on the pretext that the Iranian news network covers policies behind the region's developments. "Instead of cutting the programs of Al-Alam which is one of the world's professional, impartial and well-known networks, Saudi Arabia should closely watch its own satellite channels which support terrorism," Forqan Sharbeh, an Iraqi politician, said. Ali Aqle Arsan, former secretary general of Arab Writers Union, also told Al-Alam: "the US is trying to prevent any voice against occupation, supporting resistance and disclosing realities." The Syrian writer further said that Arabs' silence on the move shows that the decision has been taken in the recent meeting held between Arabs intelligence ministers………..”

The quote is actually taken from the Iranian Alalam itself. In fact Alalam is not impartial, just as Alarabiya is not impartial by any standard. One is the mouthpiece of the Iranian regime and the other is the mouthpiece of the Saudi regime. Still, cutting off the channel from satellite was clearly politically motivated.
In any case, I am against all form of media censorship and intimidation, even of the various media mouthpieces. I would hate to have to watch or listen to one opinion only.
Cheers
mhg

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