logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2023
28m 17s

Al Jazeera and the information war

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

The Israel-Gaza war continues to raise pressing questions about how the media covers the conflict, including media blackouts and the challenges reporters face in getting access to Gaza. One of the most important regional broadcasters is Al Jazeera. It’s owned by the Qatari state and has TV and digital output in English and Arabic. It’s one of the oldest regional news broadcasters and has a substantial presence in Gaza. We consider its influence.

Guests: Achiya Schatz, Executive Director, FakeReporter; Shaina Oppenheimer. Journalist, BBC Monitoring; Philip Seib, Professor Emeritus, School of Journalism and Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California; Bel Trew, International Correspondent, The Independent; Ismaeel Naar, Arab Affairs Editor, The National

Presenter: Ros Atkins Producer: Simon Richardson

Up next
Jun 10
Alex Kay-Jelski, World Cup coverage, Belfast reporting, Influencers in Russia
As the World Cup kicks off, Ros and Katie speak to Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC’s Director of Sport about his ambitions for the tournament and vision for BBC Sport. We also hear from two football journalists covering the World Cup: Craig Hope from the Daily Mail is reporting on the E ... Show More
42m 48s
Jun 3
Laura Kuenssberg, SNP embezzlement story, Rafa documentary, 60 Minutes
The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg joins Ros and Katie to discuss her exclusive interview with Nicola Sturgeon, the first since her estranged husband pleaded guilty to embezzling £400,000 from the SNP. John Ferguson, Political Editor at the Sunday Mail in Scotland, also shares his experi ... Show More
42m 39s
May 27
Lord Grade, Media access to local councils, Vincent Bolloré profile, Reporting on the heatwave
TV grandee and former Chairman of Ofcom, Michael Grade, joins Katie Razzall to discuss his outlook on the broadcasting sector. The Society of Editors is warning that local journalists are struggling to get access to elected councillors. Its CEO Dawn Alford shares her concerns, an ... Show More
42m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
A diary of war: Three months in Gaza
<p>Palestinian journalist Amal Helles has been reporting for The Times and The Sunday Times from Gaza since the Hamas attacks on Israel, and the beginning of the conflict in October. Foreign journalists aren't allowed unaccompanied into the territory, where she lives with her hus ... Show More
34m 21s
Oct 2025
Bonus: The Global Story - A Gazan journalist's diary
Reporting on the war in Gaza has only been possible because of the work of Palestinian journalists, because the Israeli government will not let foreign broadcasters – including the BBC – inside the territory to report freely, even now a ceasefire is in place. One month ago, freel ... Show More
27m 18s
Aug 2025
Al Jazeera journalists killed in Gaza again. Who will bear witness?
Five Al Jazeera journalists, including correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, were killed in an Israeli strike on a press tent in Gaza. They had lived the story they told, from hunger and displacement to the relentless bombardment. As Israel plans to seize Gaza City, ... Show More
23m 37s
Oct 2024
Israel’s campaign against Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza
Israel has accused six of Al Jazeera’s reporters in Gaza of being operatives for Hamas and Islamic Jihad - allegations the network condemned as fabricated. We look at Al Jazeera’s fight to report from Gaza, the dangers its journalists face, and the broader implications of Israel’ ... Show More
21m 22s
Nov 2024
Brief: Qatar suspends mediation, Israel threatens Beirut’s airport
<p>As Israel&rsquo;s war on Gaza and Lebanon continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: Israel's siege of northern Gaza intensified. Qatar suspended mediation efforts. UN peacekeepers in Lebanon say Israel has attacked them at least half a dozen t ... Show More
6m 20s
Jul 2025
Voices from Gaza: Journalist Yara Eid on War, Media, and Memory
In today’s episode, we speak with Yara Eid, a young Palestinian journalist and human rights advocate from Gaza, currently based in London. Yara has worked with international organizations, including Amnesty International, and uses her platform to shed light on life under Israeli ... Show More
32m 53s
Sep 2025
Brief: Qatar hosting summit, Palestinians returning to Gaza City
This week: displaced Palestinians are returning to Gaza City. Fallout continues after Israel attacked Qatar. A flotilla of ships bound for Gaza was attacked twice. It is day 709 of the war in Gaza where more than 64,803 Palestinians have been killed. In this episode: Ibrahim al K ... Show More
5m 35s
Oct 2024
Khaled Beydoun: The US Law Professor taking on Western media on Gaza
Meet the American law professor who’s visa was in question earlier this week after speaking at a Mosque in Sydney.  Khaled Beydoun, who is of  Lebanese, Egyptian and Palestinian heritage, has a staggering 2.5 million Instagram followers and has become a major source of trusted ne ... Show More
35m 36s
Jan 2025
Brief: Israel kills nearly 200 in Gaza, PA bans Al Jazeera in West Bank
<p>As Israel&rsquo;s war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria continues, we're coming to you on Sundays with a weekly roundup. This week: Israeli attacks in Gaza kill nearly 200 in three days. The Palestinian Authority has banned Al Jazeera from operating in the occupied West Bank. The Bi ... Show More
5m 49s