Summary

“A Major League Channel In A Minor League Country” begins with the authors’ description of Al-Jazeera’s rise to prominence among news networks, which was sparked by their broadcasting of an exclusive live feed featuring Osama bin Laden, the suspect behind the September 11th terror attacks. The authors outline various sources of controversy surrounding Al-Jazeera, with some observers claiming the network presents an objective perspective of issues and champions free speech while others claiming it is responsible for promoting or inciting Arab radicalism. Middle Eastern governments themselves are also suspicious of Al-Jazeera, according to the el-Nawawy and Iskandar, as the network often criticizes the authoritarian regimes present in the region and incites the enmity of leaders such as Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.

The network is also accused of inciting enmity towards the United States on the...