The world has watched closely as the Arab Spring spread from Tunisia to Egypt to Bahrain, Syria and Yemen. But because many of these countries are hostile to objective journalism, information has trickled in via, cracking phone calls, unreliable Internet communications and sometimes Twitter.
In Libya, some brave journalists – domestic and foreign – continue to report the fight to remove Omar Gaddafi from power. And the Libya TV app (free) is connecting the larger world with Libya TV, the first independent satellite channel in the country.
The television station was launched in March by Mahmud Shammam. It has a decidedly anti-Gaddafi bent, and includes images of small children kicking photos of the embattled leader. So you do have to keep that in mind when taking in the content.
The app is largely in Arabic, making it most appealing to native speakers. But there is some English content, and plenty of striking video that doesn’t need translation.
The app connects users directly to the television feed, which includes reporting on the latest news on the fighting, and the whereabouts of Gaddafi and his loyalists.
It also provides news on the actions of the NATO forces in the country, and political efforts led by the UN and others to try and find a diplomatic solution to the situation.
A sign of a strong democracy is a free and healthy press, and this app shows that Libya is heading in the right direction.
Download the free Appolicious iPhone app
