The Listening Post

Gulf crisis: Al Jazeera in the crosshairs

We examine what Al Jazeera symbolises in the GCC political crisis. Plus, a war of buzzwords in South Africa’s media.

On The Listening Post this week: What does the Al Jazeera Media Network symbolise in the GCC political crisis? Plus, a politically engineered war of buzzwords in South Africa‘s media.

Gulf Crisis: Al Jazeera in the Crosshairs

A coalition of countries led by Saudi Arabia is demanding that, along with making significant changes to its regional and international policies, the government of Qatar must shut the Al Jazeera Media Network, which it funds. Qatar refuses and says the future of Al Jazeera is non-negotiable.

Contributors:
Marwan Kraidy, media scholar, Annenberg School
Gregg Carlstrom, former Al Jazeera English journalist
Joseph Kechichian, Middle East analyst, Gulf News
Rami Khouri, professor of journalism, American University of Beirut

On our radar

•A Vietnamese blogger has been stripped of his citizenship and deported to France.
•Three CNN journalists have resigned over a story that has since been retracted, linking one of Donald Trump’s senior advisers to a Russian investment fund.
•In Mexico, Salvador Adame has become the seventh journalist killed this year, reaffirming the country’s status as one of the most dangerous places on Earth for reporters.

A war of buzzwords in South Africa’s Media

There is a war of words being waged through the South African news media, a war of buzzwords.

What’s the story behind “white monopoly capital” and “state capture”, the words dominating South African airwaves?

The Listening Post’s Nic Muirhead reports on the Gupta Leaks and the competing narratives and buzzwords echoing across South African media.

Contributors:

Ferial Haffajee, editor, Huffington Post South Africa
Andile Mngxitama, founder, Black First Land First
Thanduxolo Jika, investigative journalist, Sunday Times
Sam Cole, cofounder, amaBhungane