Messageless: Occupy protesters demand Al-Jazeera on Cable TV in Philly

Occupy Chicago, October 2011

As I like to remark about the Occupy movement's numerous diversions from its anti-Wall Street stance, "I thought it was about greed."

Well, whatever it's about, you can add Al-Jazeera to the list.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The English-language offshoot of the Arab network Al-Jazeera claims a viewership of 250 million households in 120 countries on six continents, but in the United States, it is available in only five markets.

On Monday, about 40 demonstrators descended on the Philadelphia headquarters of Comcast Corp. to demand that it add Al-Jazeera English (AJE) to its lineup of cable offerings.

A few cable companies do offer it.

Al-Jazeera English has struggled to gain an audience in the United States, where other cable companies offer it in Washington; New York City; Bristol County, R.I.; Toledo, Ohio; and Burlington, Vt.

Occupy protesters were part of this clueless march. If AJE was getting decent ratings in those markets, cable firms would pick it up in other cities. Obvioulsly Al-Jazeera is doing something wrong--most likely they're putting on sucky programming.

Julia Alford-Fowler, an Occupy member, told the Inquirer, "To not have [Al-Jazeera] is censorship. If the American public is going to be educated, they need this viewpoint."

So no one can watch it?

Oh, perhaps the occupiers do need to be educated. Look at that sign from Occupy Chicago: "No blood for Afghan oil." What oil?

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