For the last four days, Arab News Online (www.arabnews.com) has been doubling its usual number of hits. For March 22, the last day for which data is available, the number of successful hits registered was 1,111,717. Over 80 percent of visitors to the website are from the United States and Canada. The second largest group then comes from Europe and then Australia. The print edition of the newspaper is meanwhile completely selling out throughout the Kingdom.
The numbers are significant as Arab News Online just recently celebrated its second year since inception. However, more importantly than the actual figures is what they actually represent. While there is a direct correlation between current events and our viewership, such as this war on Iraq, there is another more significant correlation of desired alternatives to U.S. media. This is related to Arab News not numerical data but from the hundreds of daily emails we receive. Among the hate mail, praise mail and inquiries we receive numerous emails saying people have discovered us while searching for alternative news sources on the Internet. CNN is increasingly being questioned as a news source for accuracy and balanced news. Also doubt and uncertainty has followed the Bush administration’s release of information to the public.
A recent example sent to Arab News feedback:
Comments : I am an American from California and all of my friends are searching the web for alternatives to American mainstream media because we no longer trust it. The media in the US has become more like a tool of the government and very biased in it's coverage.
Today, I wanted to comment on the editorial "Decline of America" in which the author points to survey that states 71% of Americans support the war. I have to believe that this survey is NOT representative of American's true feelings. Of course I do live in the San Francisco Bay Area and we have a liberal bias but everyone I talk to here is against the war even if they dislike Saddam. ….In conclusion I must say I no longer trust the US Media AND I do not trust their surveys!
Thank you and best wishes to you in these trying times.
User Name : Gaye McDuff
Currently in the United States all stores selling TVs have the sets turned on to CNN, and yet the public thirst for information is not quenched. The Internet is helping to provide news not just from an American or British perspective but from an Arab perspective which is imperative since it a war on Arab ground. At Arab News we are proud to provide that perspective in English to the international community.
