News Reports Claim World Cup Finals Coverage by Al Jazeera was Jammed from Jordan
According to a very recent newspaper report, the satellite coverage of the final matches of the biggest football event, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, by the television channel Al Jazeera, was jammed from Jordan. The technical team,
using the geo-location technology, has traced the jammed signals which according to them were beamed from the location near the Jordanian capital. According to the sources, the synchronized frequency identified by the technical team is 32.125N 35.766E, which
is sufficient to work in the range of 5 miles.
The real problem is still to be analyzed as the Jordanian officials have still not answered to the issues. The step of jamming the coverage in Jordan might be the result of the deals failure which would have allowed the football
fans to view the matches freely without paying a penny. Now the bleak response of the Jordanian officials about the matter has added fuel to the fire and the football fans from the area seem very angry and frustrated about the satellite jamming incident.
It is also informed that the interference to the broadcasts had distressed and affected a total of eight World Cup matches. The investigation is still under process, but according to some reports and rumours, Egypt and Saudi Arabia
are not friendly to the channel. Now the people from the particular area are looking forward to see some progress in the investigational process.
According to some experts, the step of jamming the coverage of football matches in Jordan was not possible without the assistance of Jordan’s high level officials, and the issue should be scrutinized with proper depth.
The Al Jazeera channel had private rights to broadcast the World Cup matches across the Middle Eastern and African countries. It is also reported that the Jordanian King Abdullah sent an advisor to negotiate and deal with the Al
Jazeera channel to share the broadcasting rights. Later, the proposal was denied by the channel which might have resulted in the jamming of its coverage in the particular zone.
The further progress in the investigation process will evaluate the whole story, as the current allegations and rumours are not enough to get the complete, unbiased picture regarding the incident. It is also reported that according
to some Jordanian media critics, the whole issue is being used and marketed as a political plot which is certainly not a good thing. The newspaper has also reported that King Abdullah, who is also known as a giant football fan, requested the television channel
to provide big screens in public places where the people could watch the matches for free. However, the request was denied by the channel by saying that the other countries will expect the same kindness of the channel for their people.
The current fuming issue has definitely stirred the environment and air of the broadcasters in the Arab world as it has given birth to some political issues as well (in addition to the commercial ones). The real hidden story is
yet to emerge, as the reaction of Jordanian officials about the matter is still anxiously awaited.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan are considered as the Arab countries with most avid fans of the football game. Jamming the transmission and coverage for such a football-loving nation is certainly not a good gesture at all. The Al
Jazeera channel started its work in 1996 and since then, the channel has covered major issues and news from the Arab world and has earned a lot of importance in today’s media world.
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