I find this really irritating:
The Observer has learned that former Vice President Al Gore and business partner Joel Hyatt, an entrepreneur and Democratic fund-raiser, will close the deal to pay around $70 million to French-owned Vivendi Universal this week, making them the owners of the tiny digital-cable channel Newsworld International (NWI), moving Mr. Gore from politics to mini-media-moguldom.
Mr. Gore’s group plans to transform the sleepy foreign-news outlet into a youth-oriented public-affairs channel, a jump-cut news network for the iPod set. Despite vociferous claims that the network isn’t attempting to be the liberal antidote to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, it’s difficult to ignore the obvious: It may be fair, it may be balanced, but it’s going to be owned by Al Gore.
I am a news junky, and NWI is an unbelievable asset that already has spectacular programming with a point of view different from the dominant American media mindset. While we bicker about the differences between Fox and CNN, there is a significant difference between the news coverage by American outlets and foreign outlets. Getting rid of NWI is a hideous idea. International Newsfirst, the German Journal, and Special Assignment are great shows.
While I am at it, let me also pimp the Discovery Times. Their coverage of Middle East issues has been generally outstanding, and I really like their coverage of terrorism issues.
Damnit- screwing up NWI to promote a ‘liberal’ agenda is just a hideous idea. Unless you like more intra-continental isolation.
JKC
For once I agree with you, John: NWI is a great resource. I’d hate to see it turn into the Democratic version of Fox.
I hope Gore and his business partners have the good sense to leave the channel exactly as it is now.
Al Gore (circa 2000)
“For the people, not the powerful !”
Bob-Dave Robert Jnr The Third
I’m English And I say down wth America!!!!!!