Political and Economic Regulation of North American Public Spheres: Institutional Reception of Al Jazeera in Canada and the United States

Abstract

In 2006, the Al Jazeera network expanded operations into global, English-language broadcasting, but Al Jazeera English (AJE) has faltered in its move into North American markets. Why? This article tracks the institutional reception of AJE in North America from 2006 to 2011 using regulatory documents and industry publications to examine its organizational globalization as well as the institutional responses to this growth in the United States and Canada. Al Jazeera’s expansion provides a case study of the ability of developed media markets in liberal democracies to incorporate new voices. The research suggests public policy measures to supplement public access to international news resources.