Usually the editorials aren't that bad. But this one is clearly the product of some sort of outside influence, as there is no flow to the logic or reasoning.
One of the howlers is this statement:
"I wonder if any of the Qatari board members in Al Jazeera knew that they had an undercover reporter in Bahrain doing stories about the Shia issues while here in Qatar they detained a Swiss TV crew because they were filming without permission. Also, it’s quite surprising for the Bahrain government to say that they have no record of this undercover reporter entering their country.
This confuses us. We don’t know whether to believe Al Jazeera English or the Bahrain government."
Firstly, when he says 'they detained' does he mean the board of Al Jazeera was responsible for arresting cameramen for filming illegally? Or is he simply pointing out that despite all the unrest in Bahrain, their media and government is still more liberal than 'at peace' Qatar?
And in any case, his real question is should we believe Al Jazeera, who say they have a reporter in Bahrain, or the Bahraini government, who deny his presence??
Given that the Al Jazeera reporter appears ON CAMERA, IN BAHRAIN, I think it's safe to assume that we ought to believe Al Jazeera, and can conclude that the Bahraini government is lying?
Perhaps it is, in the end, this final statement that reveals the Editor's real feelings:
"They should shed more light on these important sectors and not only focus on the bloodshed and the dictators and their regime, which could affect the image of Qatar and increasing hatred towards Qatari people."
In other words, Qatar wants to play on the world stage, and march around the globe bringing peace to Sudan and Lebanon and searching out injustice everywhere. But not if it means that anyone says anything bad about Qatar. Because isn't it more important that a news organisation portrays its home country as nice people who get along with everyone, rather reporting on the news in an unbiased way.
Did anyone else read the weird editorial from the front page of today's Peninsula?
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/152579-al-jazeera-what-is-it-up-to.html
Usually the editorials aren't that bad. But this one is clearly the product of some sort of outside influence, as there is no flow to the logic or reasoning.
One of the howlers is this statement:
"I wonder if any of the Qatari board members in Al Jazeera knew that they had an undercover reporter in Bahrain doing stories about the Shia issues while here in Qatar they detained a Swiss TV crew because they were filming without permission. Also, it’s quite surprising for the Bahrain government to say that they have no record of this undercover reporter entering their country.
This confuses us. We don’t know whether to believe Al Jazeera English or the Bahrain government."
Firstly, when he says 'they detained' does he mean the board of Al Jazeera was responsible for arresting cameramen for filming illegally? Or is he simply pointing out that despite all the unrest in Bahrain, their media and government is still more liberal than 'at peace' Qatar?
And in any case, his real question is should we believe Al Jazeera, who say they have a reporter in Bahrain, or the Bahraini government, who deny his presence??
Given that the Al Jazeera reporter appears ON CAMERA, IN BAHRAIN, I think it's safe to assume that we ought to believe Al Jazeera, and can conclude that the Bahraini government is lying?
Perhaps it is, in the end, this final statement that reveals the Editor's real feelings:
"They should shed more light on these important sectors and not only focus on the bloodshed and the dictators and their regime, which could affect the image of Qatar and increasing hatred towards Qatari people."
In other words, Qatar wants to play on the world stage, and march around the globe bringing peace to Sudan and Lebanon and searching out injustice everywhere. But not if it means that anyone says anything bad about Qatar. Because isn't it more important that a news organisation portrays its home country as nice people who get along with everyone, rather reporting on the news in an unbiased way.