LIVE BLOG: “Tony Burman on Al Jazeera”

WHERE: Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto

WHEN: Tuesday, February 17, 2009, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Hear Burman’s take on Al Jazeera English, his plans for reshaping
the service and the future of journalism in the Middle East. He will also talk about the network’s formal application to the CRTC for approval to broadcast in Canada. J-Source contributor Amanda Connon-Unda is live blogging this Canadian Journalism Foundation event.

Sixteen months after leaving CBC News as editor-in-chief and moving to
Doha, Qatar, as Managing Director of the Al Jazeera English network,
Tony Burman has landed back in the lap of controversy.

The network has been the only international broadcaster reporting the Gaza crisis from both sides of the conflict. Some critics have speculated that its Gaza coverage may become the same breakthrough for Al Jazeera English that the Gulf War was for CNN.

The
network created an uproar during the U.S. presidential election when a
report by one of its reporters showed angry American voters making
stinging comments about Barack Obama’s religion and race. It became the
buzz on blogs and prompted Burman to mount AJE’s defence on The Huffington Post.

Amanda Connon-Unda is a Masters of Journalism student at Ryerson University. She is interested in writing, blogging and making TV and radio documentaries. She does music journalism, and has reported on identity politics, social change movements and urban issues. She contributes to Networked Streets.