Piece Description

The dramatic expansion of open media in the Arab world is changing the political landscape of the region. For better or worse, the Internet and scores of pan-Arab radio stations and satellite television channels are fostering the free flow of information and opinion in ways unthinkable two decades ago. But none of these innovations is having more of an impact than hundreds of Arabic language satellite television stations including Al Jazeera. Soon after Al Jazeera began showing up on television sets throughout the Arab world, American officials praised its potential for spreading democracy and free expression across the region. They set out on what amounted to a charm offensive, appearing frequently on it and other Arab media outlets, adding the US perspective to the mix of coverage. But that was BEFORE 9/11. The US led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq followed. Arab media outlets covered both conflicts -- often in ways President Bush and indeed many other Americans found troubling. Sometimes there were images of dead American soldiers or hostages being beheaded; sometimes there was material from Osama bin Laden and other enemies of the United States. The US charm offensive turned into a war of words. Can American security interests in the Middle East be reconciled with something as unruly as the new pan-Arab media. Correspondent Sam Litzinger looks for answers in Washington, DC. Sam Litzinger's report is part of the documentary special "24/7: The Rise and Influence of Arab Media" produced by the Stanley Foundation and KQED Public Radio.