I think when they founded Al Jazeera they basically poached the whole BBC staff in ME. Its a news organisation, always good to have competition. the station was funded initially to counteract Saudi Arabia who at the time where pressuring one of the Emirates (Quatar I think), The Emir was so Pi**ed that nobody spoke about it that he created his own news station. The station has done more for a culture of discussion in ME than all gov. initiatives combined.