Control Room is a documentary on the Arab news network Al Jazeera, and how this network presented the war between Iraq and America to the public. This documentary contains no narration, nor elaborate filming technology; hence, making this movie very simple. Instead of the writer, director, or producer guiding the viewer through this movie, a few screens are displayed throughout the film giving minimal information to make sure the viewer is not lost. These screens, however, do not persuade the audience on what to think, which is what narration usually tends to do. Without narration, the viewer is forced to be engaged in the film and absorb and consider all of what is being said. This documentary is not entertainment, but a well done, thought provoking film on Al Jazeera.
Towards the beginning of Control Room, a reporter for Al Jazeera says that the message of their news network is "wake up, there is a war out there and you are still sleeping". This network is trying to educate Arabs on the war that their country is partaking in. Many of the Arab citizens would be completely unaware of the daily events of this war if Al Jazeera did not exist. Besides just informing Arabs of the war, Al Jazeera wants to "gain grief" from the American people by showing pictures of mass dead bodies. Americans were very upset when Al Jazeera released film of American POWs, some alive, but others lying on a concrete floor dead. The grotesque footage that Al Jazeera will put on their news network, American networks would not even consider doing.
Another flaw of Al Jazeera that the American soldier speaks of is how this Arab news network shows propaganda over and over. This instills the same image into the mind of the viewers; therefore, making this particular event seem to be more important or have more meaning than others. After a bomb is dropped, the reporters find women and children to pretend they have been hurt this bomb, and then have them talk about it on camera. The views presented by the American soldier and reporters for Al Jazeera are both commendable arguments that give the audience the opportunity to take this information in, and come to their own conclusion. The bombings on Arab news outlets by America are talked about in great detail in Control Room. In one day, three separate attacks were clearly aimed at Al Jazeera, and two other network's outlets. The explanation by America for these bombings was that the networks were distributing terrorist propaganda. Arabs thought the missiles were sent because Al Jazeera would not side one hundred percent against Saddam. This example demonstrates how this film is a documentary in that it leaves the audience with only the information of the event; hence, giving the viewer the opportunity to make of it what they want. Control Room did a wonderful job is showing exactly how Al Jazeera is run, and the people that work for the network. I thought this documentary was very factual, and it left me thinking about the war and American and Arab news networks in a different way. This film seemed to be more of the truth than any of the news that I had seen prior. I would say that Control Room is a unique and informative look in Al Jazeera. It was a better way to see what this network is trying to show without actually watching their show
Towards the beginning of Control Room, a reporter for Al Jazeera says that the message of their news network is "wake up, there is a war out there and you are still sleeping". This network is trying to educate Arabs on the war that their country is partaking in. Many of the Arab citizens would be completely unaware of the daily events of this war if Al Jazeera did not exist. Besides just informing Arabs of the war, Al Jazeera wants to "gain grief" from the American people by showing pictures of mass dead bodies. Americans were very upset when Al Jazeera released film of American POWs, some alive, but others lying on a concrete floor dead. The grotesque footage that Al Jazeera will put on their news network, American networks would not even consider doing.
Another flaw of Al Jazeera that the American soldier speaks of is how this Arab news network shows propaganda over and over. This instills the same image into the mind of the viewers; therefore, making this particular event seem to be more important or have more meaning than others. After a bomb is dropped, the reporters find women and children to pretend they have been hurt this bomb, and then have them talk about it on camera. The views presented by the American soldier and reporters for Al Jazeera are both commendable arguments that give the audience the opportunity to take this information in, and come to their own conclusion. The bombings on Arab news outlets by America are talked about in great detail in Control Room. In one day, three separate attacks were clearly aimed at Al Jazeera, and two other network's outlets. The explanation by America for these bombings was that the networks were distributing terrorist propaganda. Arabs thought the missiles were sent because Al Jazeera would not side one hundred percent against Saddam. This example demonstrates how this film is a documentary in that it leaves the audience with only the information of the event; hence, giving the viewer the opportunity to make of it what they want. Control Room did a wonderful job is showing exactly how Al Jazeera is run, and the people that work for the network. I thought this documentary was very factual, and it left me thinking about the war and American and Arab news networks in a different way. This film seemed to be more of the truth than any of the news that I had seen prior. I would say that Control Room is a unique and informative look in Al Jazeera. It was a better way to see what this network is trying to show without actually watching their show