The Opposite Direction: Al Jazeera Talk Show Draws Fire From Arab & Western Governments

One of the most famous programs on Al Jazeera is Al-Ittijah al-Muakis - or "The Opposite Direction." Similar to CNN’s Crossfire, "The Opposite Direction" is a political debate show that features guests with opposing opinions debating a controversial theme. A common format of the show is to put an Arab dissident living in exile against a representative from that country’s government - with explosive results.

Airing every Tuesday for ninety minutes, "The Opposite Direction" is one of the most popular shows of its kind in the history of Arabic television - and one of the most controversial. In fact, as Hugh Miles writes in his book on Al Jazeera, "The show has been the source of numerous international disputes and instigated the severance of diplomatic relations with several neighboring countries."

The anchor of "The Opposite Direction,” Dr. Faisal al-Qassim, has become one of the most famous faces in the Arab world. He writes and researches every show single-handedly and books every guest himself. He is author of the book, "Memorize and Shut Up- the Lost Art of Arab Dialogue."

* Dr. Faisal al-Qasim, anchor of Al-Ittijah al-Muakis (The Opposite Direction) on Al Jazeera, which is probably the most controversial talk show in the history of Arab television.

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http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/02/02/147208