Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is joining forces with Fox News boss Rupert Murdoch to launch a new 24-hour cable news channel for the world's 300 million Arab speakers. The channel, which will be run by veteran Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, will be in direct competition with two existing channels — al Arabiya and al Jazeera — although no launch date has been announced. Is Fox's formula right for the Arab world?
Talk about strange bedfellows: Fox News — "famous for its uncomplicated, gung-ho, and pro-Israel stance" — is an odd partner for a channel looking to appeal to Arab viewers, says David Roberts at The Gulf blog. "Expect flashy, glitzy sets [and] female Lebanese anchors (probably the ones that left Al Jazeera last month) wearing an inch of makeup." That, and simplistic takes on complex issues.
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