Of the many business interests that have gained in the wake of 9/11, the Al-Jazeera satellite news network has done so firmly in the public eye. Whilst this could be seen as inevitable, it has fuelled the controversy that has accompanied the rise of Al-Jazeera.
The station first broadcast in 1996. It was established following the embarrassing closure of BBC Arabic Television, allegedly as a result of political pressure exerted by the Saudi Royal Family, who didn’t want the country being subjected to impartial reportage. But whilst the BBC’s foray into Arabic-language broadcasting ended in tears, its editorial spirit survives through Al-Jazeera, which initially drew its staff from the boarded-up offices of the defunct BBC operation.
