Al-Jazeera-English Goes Global ...

We would imagine that most intelligent individuals are already well aware, that even in this 21st century we'll always have ostriches, ludites and the like as well as knee-jerk-jerks, ever eager to advocate murdering messengers bringing them news they don't like.

And we wonder whether links to the (very), lately launched (15th Nov 2006), Al-Jazeera-English television channel & news website will start appearing on so called 'liberal' blogrolls and similar western websites.

Of course, as always, only time will tell.

In the meantime, for those whose news sources of choice (however currently limited and/or biased), -- being the big hearted old Brits that we are, we're offering a helping hand.

In the attempted furtherance of our own 'fair & balanced for all' philosophy we'd suggest that at the very least, Al-Jazeera-English be bookmarked.

Here's a bit about the new kid on the global news block, from the BBC -- now a direct a competitor.

Two years ago, al-Jazeera was named in the global InterBrand survey as the world's most influential media brand and the fifth most influential in any field, after Apple, Google, Ikea and Starbucks.

We bet not many reading this knew that.

Or this.

Al-Jazeera never set out to be this controversial, though it always knew it would ruffle feathers.

The station was launched 10 years ago, funded by the Emir of Qatar who had a vision of an unbiased Arabic TV channel, independent of governments, striving to present all points of view.

Many of its early staff came from the BBC World Service, and they retained their notions of objectivity and balance.

Or this.

Sir David Frost has his own show, as has Rageh Omaar, who reported for the BBC from Baghdad - both chosen, one suspects, to emphasise the difference between this channel and the image which many viewers have of al-Jazeera.

Anyway, here's your chance-of-a-lifetime to become both judge and jury.

1./ Al-Jazeera-English.

2./ BBC; Slick al-Jazeera aims to surprise.

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