BBC to challenge Al Jazeera:
The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) wants to start a 24-hour BBC Arabic television service that would rival Arabic channel Al Jazeera.
The media outlet is developing a proposal after a request from the British Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO).
"The FCO asked the BBC World Service to develop a proposition for a BBC Arabic television service of news, information, discussion programs and documentaries," the BBC said in a statement released Thursday.
The new BBC Arabic channel would compete directly with Al Jazeera, the Arabic channel known for playing tapes from terrorist Osama bin Laden.
Must. Control. Gales. Of. Laughter. On the other hand, maybe it's a sneaky Foreign Office plot to undermine Islamofascist propaganda with something even more risible.
Al Jazeera is not worried that the BBC will steal viewers.
"They might be a competition, but I think that Al Jazeera is strong enough to solidify its position. We are very popular in the Arab world — our audience trusts us," said Hussein, a journalist for Al Jazeera who declined to give his full name.
Think again Monkey Boy. Who can do anti-Western, pro-wingnut propaganda better than the BBC? Hey, they taught Al-Jiz the trade:
BBC World Services has attempted an Arabic channel in the past. Funded by Orbit Communications, which was controlled by the Saudi royal family, BBC Arabic Television lasted two years. It was forced to shut down in April 1996 when Orbit backed out over editorial disagreements.
Many of its staff members joined the upstart Al Jazeera station, which began broadcasting in November 1996.
In a rational world there would be missiles homing in on Al-Jiz facilities as I type. Or they would already be craters.
