Counter-Hegemonic Contra-Flow and The Al-Jazeera America Fiasco: A Social Network Analysis of Al-Jazeera America's Twitter Users

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session III
  In Interactive Poster Session: Global Communication and Social Change Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Al Jazeera America, arguably the most ambitious attempt of non-Western network in history to broadcast to US audiences, was shut in April 2016. A social network analysis of Al Jazeera America's following on Twitter reveals that 42% of Al Jazeera America's followers do not follow any other US news outlet and that most of the remaining 58% follow liberal stations. The findings illustrate Al Jazeera America's mainstream US news consumers' reluctance to follow Al Jazeera America, which in turn only appealed to specific audiences. The analysis portrays the challenge of counter-hegemonic contra-flows stations such as Al-Jazeera America to gain legitimacy in the west and specifically in the US and highlights the relevance of the selective exposure and hostile media theories in the case of counter-flowing stations.

Authors

• Tal Samuel-Azran, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya

• Tsahi (Zack) Hayat, The Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya