Control Room (Documentary) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

djugurba · #1 11-23-2004, 10:35 PM

Now on DVD- anyone seen it? Some of the deleted scenes are better than the film itself, but it's a pretty good look at the arab Al Jazeera station...

kerry · #2 11-23-2004, 10:48 PM

Wonderful film. It clearly exposes the lies of this administration about the network. It sure looked as if their reporters were deliberately killed by US troops. I wish I had regular access to that network on TV.

Botnst · #3 11-23-2004, 11:32 PM

Heard about it. Ain't seen it. I read their website occasionally. Unless they change their stories according to presumed audience due to language, I haven't found anything especially surprising. As far as Arab news goes, its pretty stodgy. But if you're accustomed to the objectivity of say, "The Guardian", you would be unimpressed by Al Jazeera. If you expect great objectivity, I don't think you'll be happy at all. But I read it to get a temperate Arab perspective. Al Jazeera is at a sort of William Randolph Hearst stage of journalism.

I think Al Jazeera is the best thing that's happened to the Arab world since Muhammed's death (here comes the Fatwah). Even if it gives a distinctively biased arab perspective, it still offers something the Arabs get nowhere else, a considered opinion and alternative viewpoints. I cannot think of an arab state, other than what is apparently emerging in Iraq, that allows that much freedom.

A free press, even if it is biased, is better than a censored gov press. I cheer for Al Jazeera and hope they all get rich.

djugurba · #4 11-23-2004, 11:56 PM

you should see it.

Botnst · #5 11-23-2004, 11:59 PM

Probably when I see Moore's movie: Somebody else buys it and there's nothing else, even 'Rocky VXII', on TNT.

djugurba · #6 11-24-2004, 12:46 AM

Give it a try. It's a very interesting look at the human people who work at al jazerra and their coleagues in the world media at the coalition media center at CENTCOM during the 'major combat operations' portion of the Iraq war. It's worth the couple buck rental for sure. Don't lump it in with MM's stuff. It's not an america hating rant by any stretch.

Like I said, some of the deleted scenes provide a lot of interesting insight:

One of the best is an outake from MSNBC. One of their reporters is taping a wrap-up for what we can assume has been a video segment for Hardball w/Chris Matthews. He signs off by saying he's in 'Quat-tar'. He wants to re-tape it, because he thought he said the name of the country a little too much like Guitar. However, the producer gets word via telephone link that he is to re-tape the segment using the pronunciation 'Gutter'.... because that's what the anchor says, and so he must be consistent. His disgust, and that of his producer, is evident- and it's a very interesting minute of tape.

Another segment has the CENTCOM media relations guy beating around the bush with several reporters as to the location of the troops in/around/near the airport and/or baghdad. The group is unimpressed with his answers. He walks away, only to be run up upon by a correspondent for Fox News, to whom he delivers a very different report, this one with specifics.

The last one shows the first several minutes of the Al Jazerra director's visit to NYC for the film opening. His impressions are interesting.

Joe Bauers · #7 11-24-2004, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djugurba

Give it a try. It's a very interesting look at the human people who work at al jazerra and their coleagues in the world media at the coalition media center at CENTCOM during the 'major combat operations' portion of the Iraq war. It's worth the couple buck rental for sure. Don't lump it in with MM's stuff. It's not an america hating rant by any stretch.

Like I said, some of the deleted scenes provide a lot of interesting insight:

One of the best is an outake from MSNBC. One of their reporters is taping a wrap-up for what we can assume has been a video segment for Hardball w/Chris Matthews. He signs off by saying he's in 'Quat-tar'. He wants to re-tape it, because he thought he said the name of the country a little too much like Guitar. However, the producer gets word via telephone link that he is to re-tape the segment using the pronunciation 'Gutter'.... because that's what the anchor says, and so he must be consistent. His disgust, and that of his producer, is evident- and it's a very interesting minute of tape.

Another segment has the CENTCOM media relations guy beating around the bush with several reporters as to the location of the troops in/around/near the airport and/or baghdad. The group is unimpressed with his answers. He walks away, only to be run up upon by a correspondent for Fox News, to whom he delivers a very different report, this one with specifics.

The last one shows the first several minutes of the Al Jazerra director's visit to NYC for the film opening. His impressions are interesting.

Having seen it, I concur with your recommendation. It offers a human perspective not only on Al Jazeera, but on the whole Arab world.

Joe B.

kerry · #8 11-24-2004, 10:12 AM

I saw it in the theatre so missed the outtakes. I'd like to see those. Now that I think about it, the film might stir up some interesting discussion in class on the ethics of media.
I thought the film did an excellent job of portraying the humanity of the people who work at Al Jazeera. I was also suprised that the media relations spokesperson at CentCom seemed to have questions himself about his role in the process.
I suppose some of its interest arises from the fact that we don't get much information at all about the behind the scenes activity of news programs that we watch every day. It's too bad someone wasn't doing a similar film about Fox or CBS at the same time so we could compare the two. I think the film has value just for its insight into the life of war reporting irrespective of the ethnicity of the actors.

Botnst · #9 11-24-2004, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djugurba

Give it a try. It's a very interesting look at the human people who work at al jazerra and their coleagues in the world media at the coalition media center at CENTCOM during the 'major combat operations' portion of the Iraq war. It's worth the couple buck rental for sure. Don't lump it in with MM's stuff. It's not an america hating rant by any stretch.

Like I said, some of the deleted scenes provide a lot of interesting insight:

One of the best is an outake from MSNBC. One of their reporters is taping a wrap-up for what we can assume has been a video segment for Hardball w/Chris Matthews. He signs off by saying he's in 'Quat-tar'. He wants to re-tape it, because he thought he said the name of the country a little too much like Guitar. However, the producer gets word via telephone link that he is to re-tape the segment using the pronunciation 'Gutter'.... because that's what the anchor says, and so he must be consistent. His disgust, and that of his producer, is evident- and it's a very interesting minute of tape.

Another segment has the CENTCOM media relations guy beating around the bush with several reporters as to the location of the troops in/around/near the airport and/or baghdad. The group is unimpressed with his answers. He walks away, only to be run up upon by a correspondent for Fox News, to whom he delivers a very different report, this one with specifics.

The last one shows the first several minutes of the Al Jazerra director's visit to NYC for the film opening. His impressions are interesting.

Hey, I don't dislike Al Jazeera. I just feel no compelling interest in spending my time on them. I have as much interest in watching a 'documentary' about them as I would if somebody made one about Foxnews or NYTimes. I just don't give a damn about the inner workings of news orgs. I want the news, not news about news. Boooring.