Al-Jazeera, Roku and the Future of Online Video

When the political upheaval in Egypt erupted late last month, many Americans hoped their cable news networks would be quick to cover the unfolding events. Instead, outlets like CNN, MSNBC and Fox News failed to cover the crisis in Egypt at all, and then struggled to play catch-up with international news organizations. Meanwhile, Al-Jazeera English was gaining admirers across the globe for its around-the-clock, in-depth coverage of the protests and politics as they unfolded. The outlet was beating the American news channels at their own game.

As the New York Times’ Brian Stelter wrote, “While American television networks were scrambling to move reporters and producers into Cairo, the Al-Jazeera channels were already there.” Unfortunately, unless you lived in Washington, D.C.; Toledo, OH; or Burlington, VT you couldn't view Al-Jazeera’s coverage on your TV because the cable operators don't offer it; you had to settle for a live feed on your computer (if you had access to the broadband to support the stream). In a better world, the major cable TV operators would be carrying Al-Jazeera English and dozens more news channels. And some notable advocates, including media critic and journalism professor Jeff Jarvis, have called for greater adoption of Al-Jazeera in the U.S. But right now, cable giants like Comcast and Time Warner Cable refuse to carry them, leaving interested viewers — and the public interest — in the lurch. Then, out of the blue, Roku — the little box that lets you stream HD versions of Netflix, Hulu Plus and dozens more Internet video channels right on your TV — announced it had added the Al-Jazeera English live feed to its news channel. Roku enables cord cutters like me who, in the pursuit of media freedom, gave up expensive cable TV subscriptions to stay tuned to many of the shows and movies they like.