Qatar's ruler also happens to bankroll the al-Jazeera satellite channel, which American officials often accuse of cheering on their enemies.

ECONOMIST: A Gulf state asserts itself in the world

One of the star competitors Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who preaches on the al-Jazeera satellite channel has sponsored the creation of an international council of ulema, or religious scholars.

ECONOMIST: Laying down religious law

Under a fifth of Egyptians now get their news from state television, while more than half follow the al-Jazeera satellite channel (whose crews were repeatedly harassed during the election).

ECONOMIST: Not yet a democracy

The author of scores of books, the sponsor of a popular Islamist website, and the star of religious programming on the Arabic-language al-Jazeera satellite channel, Mr Qaradawi takes full advantage of his scholarly stature and his bully pulpit.

ECONOMIST: Egypt and global Islam

Yet it comes as a surprise that Yusuf Qaradawi, the star preacher on the popular al-Jazeera satellite channel, who is a widely respected moderate on most issues, should find himself at the heart of a far bigger storm.

ECONOMIST: A Sunni preacher upsets the Shias

Founded in 1996 as an Arabic-language satellite channel, Al Jazeera has become the most-watched news channel in the Arab world.

WSJ: Al Jazeera in Site Hunt

MCB, but more radical than its parent issued a call through al-Jazeera's satellite television channel for the Liverpudlian's unconditional release.

ECONOMIST: British Muslims try to unite over a hostage crisis

While it is assumed that the new station would not be a mouthpiece for the French government, French media chiefs say it would offer a different perspective on world events than that offered by CNN or the BBC, or the increasingly popular Arabic satellite channel al-Jazeera.

BBC: Chirac pushes global French TV

With the arrival of a CNN producer to run Al Hurra, the US-funded Arabic-language satellite TV channel has become "more like Al Jazeera, " Joel Mowbray writes in the Wall Street Journal.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: WSJ: ��Al-Hurra more like al-Jazeera��