# Should U.S. Corporations be required to carry Al-Jazeera? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 31, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633 "2011-01-31T12:15:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/21 "2011-01-31T15:00:07Z")
I think he is suggesting the latter. Not unreasonably, IMHO, although I couldn’t give less of a shit about Al-Jazeera. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/22 "2011-01-31T15:01:51Z")
Here is one view of current availability: > **[Al Jazeera English | Availability](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera_English#Availability)** > > The channel is available in many countries, mostly via satellite, sometimes via cable. The channel is also available online. Al Jazeera English provides a free HD stream on its website for unlimited viewing. It is available free worldwide. They also provide a free stream on their YouTube page. Previously, before Al Jazeera provided an official stream, a low quality RealVideo stream was available for viewing. Al Jazeera news segments are frequently included on the American public t Al Jazeera Engl... Aside from DirecTV and Dish wimping out in the face of Bush administration propaganda, (with, sadly, no correction from Obama and company), it seems that it is mostly a matter of too few Yanks asking for it for any company to bother picking it up. It is also possible that the market is fully covered by internet availability, with too few cable users who are not already internet users to make it profitable. It is clearly available for any company that wants to use it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/23 "2011-01-31T15:12:32Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I don’t think that’s right. Canada gave permission for cable companies for Canadian cable companies to require it in May of 2010 (the CRTC is required to approve all non-Canadian channels before cable companies can carry them), but I don’t think they’re required to, even though most cable providers have. Well whaddaya know! I just checked on my TV, and it is available here. Mind, I had to go wayyy down the dial to find it–it’s among the Russian, Italian, and Chinese channels–and an onscreen message told me that it is subscription-only, meaning I’d have to call the cable company and buy it. So it is available, but under those conditions, I doubt it has many Canadian viewers. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Jacquelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/24 "2011-01-31T15:42:38Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Does Al-Jazeera have an English language feed? If not, that would be a major reason to not carry it on US cable. AJ-E is English, I believe. They have English internet feeds. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Jacquelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/25 "2011-01-31T15:44:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A question for LJ. What exactly are you claiming in the OP? Do you feel there is a government regulation that is forbidding American cable companies from carrying Al-Jazeera and you want that regulation repealed? Or do you feel that American cable companies have banded together to boycott Al-Jazeera and you want the government to step in and make them carry it? I want them included as part of the “must carry” list mandated by the FCC… if that’s within the FCC’s authority to do so. No, I’m not a laissez-faire fan. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/26 "2011-01-31T15:53:30Z")
From what I understand (and this came from a talk by an Al Jazeera English correspondent\*), most cable companies (in the states) don’t carry Al Jazeera English mainly because they find carrying a fourth NASCAR channel (or the equivalent) to be more profitable. - I forget his name, the dude who used to be a US military media officer. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/27 "2011-01-31T15:56:42Z")
And to expand on what others have said, Al Jazeera English is a different station from Al Jazeera (though they’re obviously related) - their own correspondents, somewhat different editorial slant & choices of coverage, etc. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/28 "2011-01-31T15:58:13Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#): > > From what I understand (and this came from a talk by an Al Jazeera English correspondent\*), most cable companies (in the states) don’t carry Al Jazeera English mainly because they find carrying a fourth NASCAR channel (or the equivalent) to be more profitable. So they don’t carry it because there isn’t a market for it. Which, at least in part, is because the relatively small number who are interested in watching it can do so on their computer. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/29 "2011-01-31T16:06:39Z")
Should foreign carriers be forced to carry Fox News? If not, then why should US carriers be forced to carry AJ? Just because? [QUOTE=Ken001] Hmmm…so much for the land of the free. [/QUOTE] How would it be free to force US carriers to carry AJ?? You do realize that there is no law to prevent a carrier from carrying it, right? You can also access it via the internet, if nothing else (nothing preventing you from doing so…we have no national firewalls or secret police to track you down and throw you in the gulag if you are caught sneaking a peek at AJ). If there was a large market for folks wanting to see AJ on cable then you can bet that someone would be providing it. If the OP (or you) feel that there IS such a market in the US then it sounds like a really great opportunity for investment. The OP is already an extremely rich individual (by his own assertion), so why doesn’t he invest some of those millions in such a project if it’s a something that people want. And if it’s not something that economically feasible, not something that there is enough of a market to warrant the investment and capital, then how is forcing American companies to provide it making is more ‘free’? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/30 "2011-01-31T16:07:00Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Well whaddaya know! I just checked on my TV, and it is available here. Mind, I had to go wayyy down the dial to find it–it’s among the Russian, Italian, and Chinese channels–and an onscreen message told me that it is subscription-only, meaning I’d have to call the cable company and buy it. > > So it is available, but under those conditions, I doubt it has many Canadian viewers. On Shaw (one of the major cable companies), Al-Jazeera costs $2.95/month. Quoting from Shaw’s web site “Al Jazeera English is a 24-hour TV channel that features news, sports, business programming, documentaries, and live debates in English.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/31 "2011-01-31T16:17:16Z")
So let me get this straight. In the name of freedom and anti-censorship, you want the government to tell cable networks what stations to carry. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/32 "2011-01-31T16:21:25Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] So let me get this straight. In the name of freedom and anti-censorship, you want the government to tell cable networks what stations to carry. [/QUOTE] Yeah…ironic, no? 😛 We are obviously not the ‘land of the free’ because our government doesn’t force cable and media outlets to carry Al-Jazeera. [QUOTE=Le Jacquelope] I want them included as part of the “must carry” list mandated by the FCC… if that’s within the FCC’s authority to do so. [/QUOTE] He won’t answer me, since I’m on ignore, but does anyone know what this list is and who is currently on it and what the rationale is for it? Is it part of the emergency broadcasting system? -XT ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/33 "2011-01-31T16:23:13Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > He won’t answer me, since I’m on ignore, but does anyone know what this list is and who is currently on it and what the rationale is for it? Is it part of the emergency broadcasting system? > > -XT Post 18. I already linked to the wiki on it. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/34 "2011-01-31T16:25:03Z")
:smack: Thanks. Sorry I missed it. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/35 "2011-01-31T16:28:13Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Yeah…ironic, no? … > > He won’t answer me, since I’m on ignore, but does anyone know what this list is and who is currently on it and what the rationale is for it? Is it part of the emergency broadcasting system? I think the most ironic thing is that the OP is implying that Al Jazeera is being censored, and yet the OP is quick to silence anyone that he doesn’t agree with. Perhaps there should be “must carry” posters on the board in order to promote debate, understanding, and alternative viewpoints. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/36 "2011-01-31T16:31:52Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > He won’t answer me, since I’m on ignore, but does anyone know what this list is and who is currently on it and what the rationale is for it? Is it part of the emergency broadcasting system? Local broadcast stations. The rationale behind it was to protect local stations from losing market share when cable companies came in. In other words, lets say I’m a broadcaster, and everybody can watch my channel. Then everybody gets cable, and the cable company decides “We’re not going to carry WCPT (my broadcast station), but instead, the all polka network”. So, now, nobody can watch WCPT, because nobody has an antenna TV anymore, and I go out of business. Here’s a summary of Must Carry from the Museum of Broadcast Communication: [http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=mustcarryru](http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=mustcarryru) ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/37 "2011-01-31T16:33:18Z")
Eh, where is the evidence that AJ English is being prevented from coming to the USA? If there was some private blocking, then maybe a little letter writing and name and shame is in order. Otherwise, I doubt there is in fact huge market demand. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/38 "2011-01-31T16:38:01Z")
> [@Le\_Jacquelope](#): > > I want them included as part of the “must carry” list mandated by the FCC… if that’s within the FCC’s authority to do so. > > No, I’m not a laissez-faire fan. It isn’t. There are no cable-only stations on the “must carry” list. The only stations on that list are local broadcast stations. In fact the purpose of that list is to protect the local stations. Accordingly, the must carry list is different in every metro area. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/39 "2011-01-31T16:47:25Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Which is ironic, as I get AJ as part of my basic satellite package. We’re sneaky that way. Which raises an interesting question, BTW - how is Al Jazeera perceived in Israel? Is it seen as a fairly unremarkable news network, an analogue to Fox, a Middle Eastern BBC, or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633/40 "2011-01-31T16:52:04Z")
For myself, I don’t know or care if Al Jazeera English is carried in my cable package. (In fact, I plan on dropping my television service as soon as I get around to returning my cable box.) If I want to watch Al Jazeera, I usually find it more convenient to load the internet feed in a window on my computer. Heck, there’s even an iphone app. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-u-s-corporations-be-required-to-carry-al-jazeera/569633.md?page=3)