Al Jazeera has been a very influential media not only in the Arab region but worldwide. Its popularity worldwide is due to its controversial journalism practice. However, despite its innovative journalism practice, Al Jazeera has been considered as disturbing by some Arab governments in form of supporting terrorism through the coverage of radicalism and extremism. Al Jazeera become involved in Qatar‟s diplomatic crisis of 2017 with Arab nations. The nations demanded Al Jazeera be shut down for supporting terrorism by giving a platform for terrorists in the form of displaying radicalism and extremism. Al Jazeera rejected the accusations and claims that its coverage is solely an effort to present accurate, balanced, and impartial information. The demand to be shut down is also claimed as an attempt to silence independent journalism and against freedom of expression. Using a Fairclough Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and supported with theory of mass communication and the concept of radicalism and extremism, this qualitative research discovered that the ideology of radicalism and extremism was exhibited textually through the figures of the terrorist group. Nevertheless, through the analysis of discourse practice and social practice, the coverage is only an aim of Al Jazeera to present the universal values of journalism. The demand implies a violation on international freedom of expressions as well as press freedom.
Keywords : Al Jazeera, mass communication, CDA, radicalism, extremism,diplomatic crisis