Decius wrote:
]] Al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite television channel
]] known to broadcast statements from Osama bin Laden,
]] will reach out to the West starting in February
]] with an English-language Web site.
]
] Yes! ... it'll be great to get Arabic news from
] the source (or at least closer to the source).

Indeed, this is a positive step. Now we can all engage in the "public diplomacy" that is necessary to avoid creating misunderstanding that fuels hatred and incites conflict. You'll see that the CFR has recently re-endorsed the idea of creating a market for Arabic-language Western media, which serves as a good complement to an English Al-Jazeera.

CNN has been running an Arabic-language Web site for some time now. I hope that Al-Jazeer will follow up with an English-language television channel, as well.

Tom, based on your prior posts, I know that you are aware of MEMRI, the Middle East Media Research Institute, which translates selected news articles and other media from the Middle East into English.

I've linked to MEMRI here in case others want to review it.

MEMRI: Middle East Media Research Institute