Ever taken a look at Aljazeera TV online?

They provide a fresh perspective and g

ood journalism!
Both morning and evening, most of us manage to catch a bit of news on TV, from b
oth local and national networks. If you think this limited viewing is keeping yo
u informed on what's happening in the world, you might want to think again. I'll
admit to being a bit of a news junkie, with more than a little curiosity about
what's happening around the world.
Some while ago, it became apparent that the local news at least in my area wasn'
t worth watching. The half hour was mostly taken up with a weather report every
five minutes, along with ho-hum reports of an incidence such as a cat stuck in a
tree which was subsequently rescued by the fire department. Yawn! Perhaps your
local news is better and mine simply reflects the minor concerns of my rural loc
ation. However, the national evening news isn't much better. Not enough meat and
a whole bunch of fluff.
This is what got me started looking online for international news sources, to br
oaden my horizons and get a comparative perspective on what people in other coun
tries thought about international issues. I got online and searched out global T
V news websites. One of the most interesting discoveries was Aljazeera TV online
. Being born and raised in the Western culture, I had little exposure to the vie
ws of Middle Eastern cultures.
The Aljazeera TV online website proves to be a valuable resource in understandin
g both sides of the story. Perhaps I expected a biased view towards the Western
perspective, on issues which concern us all, such as the wars in Iraq and Afghan
istan, what happened in Lebanon in that brief but devastating conflict with Isra
el, as well as the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Aljazeera TV online provides an English version, where you can read news stories
, as well as view video segments which can broaden your understanding tremendous
ly. Their reportage is of the old style of strict journalism, with unbiased, obj
ective and in-depth accounts.
Like other major online TV news sites, Aljazeera TV online provides videos you c
an watch online or download for later viewing. You can essentially compile your
own 'news show' by collecting a number of videos on topics which interest you. F
or example, if you want to know more about how this global economic downturn is
affecting different countries, collect a sampling of videos on the economy from
world news sources to hear how people are being affected by job losses and risin
g prices, food shortages and drought. Did you know that the unemployment rate in
Britain has almost doubled in the last year? Or that Israel is experiencing tre
mendous losses in jobs there are workers there who, as of March 2009, have not b
een paid since January.
The Aljazeera TV online website is a good example of excellence in journalism an
d helps you gain a perspective on the Middle Eastern views, as well as insights
on differences between Western and Eastern cultures. Besides Aljazeera TV onlin
e, take a look at the BBC, Jerusalem Post, the French Le Monde, German and Itali
an online websites for videos on any topic for which you want to gain understand
ing. Try YouTube's search box to glean even more resources. By comparing news re
ports, you'll be able to be more fully informed. Each might have a different sla
nt geared to their general audiences. This factor allows you to find the commona
lities, as well as the unique points made by each journalist. You'll find these
tastes of different cultures and viewpoints, viewed in sequence, are thought pro
voking and enriching.