The theme of the event was "winds of change," a term that first gained currency about the fight against apartheid.
"The success or failure of these political transformations will determine the future of the entire region," Al Jazeera's program reads.
"What are the odds that these uprisings will give rise to a new political order, given the forces of the old regimes and external forces exerting pressure to retain crucial levels of control?"
Two days of panels explored these issues in the context of social justice, democracy, transparency, global politics and more local concerns. As someone who focuses on media as politics, I didn't have far to look for a media angle.
This revolution itself is amplified by media. It is promoted, in part, by new social media and publicized in "old" media. The blogs, the cellphones, Facebook and Twitter are all part of it.
Yes, this revolution is also being televised as the ultimate state of the art multi-media experience.
The Al Jazeera anchorwoman who opened the Forum made clear that social media and TV media can work together--and does. It converges as much as diverges; it builds a cumulative impact reinforcing each other but it is the people who stood up to resolve their grievances made it happen, They deserve the credit.
Yes, the mediagenic images and interactive energy has an appeal for a media savvy, web-focused generation that doesn't just watch someone else's tubes but wants to shape their own.
Al Jazeera was, nevertheless, at its center, providing visibility and legitimacy. It is no longer a small alternative outlet, even though most Americans don't know that because the world's most important network is barely available in a land that touts its "free" media.
Denigrated by politicians and shunned by nervous cable outlets, Al Jazeera is still fighting for airtime in the USA even as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton now praises it as "must watch, real journalism." (Her remarks, of course, served a promotional agenda since they were uttered at a hearing seeking funding for a government propaganda outlets.) Even she is using Al Jazeera's popularity to better fund networks that she hopes can compete with it.
Started in 1996 out of a failed BBC experiment, it has grown into a multi-channel mega network with documentary and sports outlets and news channels in Arabic, English Turkish, Balkan languages and Swahili, so far.
It has a study center, a training center and offers a range of social media platforms. Its web sites are big and getting bigger.
Al Jazeera Network has more than 65 bureaus across the globe -- the majority are rooted in the global South.
Al Jazeera Network has more than 3,000 staff members across the world, including more than 400 journalists from more than 60 countries.
Al Jazeera English has more than 1,000 highly experienced staff from more than 50 nationalities, making AJE's newsroom among the most diverse in the world.
I was told that a recent commentary of mine about Bernie Madoff on AlJazeera.net drew a whopping 238,000 page views worldwide.
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