How Small States are Weaponizing Media for Geopolitical Leverage

Analysis: For decades, stretching from the Second World War through the Cold War, global audiences were subjected to state-controlled media operations that relied on "grey propaganda" and psychological warfare. But in the modern era of satellite broadcasting and digital media, television networks have evolved into sophisticated instruments, delivering hardline messaging beneath a polished, measured tone.

Geographically small nations have increasingly leveraged their substantial financial resources to build powerful media empires. Capitalizing on the reach of the internet and social media, these states are now capable of projecting their foreign policy agendas globally—even when those agendas align with radical Islamist ideologies.

According to the French journalism watchdog Observatoire du journalisme (Ojim), the leak of the French government report prompted a fierce backlash. Ojim noted that Al Jazeera, acting as a "mouthpiece" for the Muslim Brotherhood, "launched a scathing attack on the French government, accusing it of attempting to stoke the fires of Islamophobia by targeting networks associated with the group".

An article published on Al Jazeera's website alleged the existence of "state Islamophobia" orchestrated by Paris against French Muslims. It accused President Emmanuel Macron’s administration of politically weaponizing the issue ahead of European elections. Similar narratives were broadcast across other Qatari-funded channels.

Conversely, other regional media outlets welcomed the French findings, reflecting a broader regional crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt’s Youm7 newspaper argued that the report should have been declassified "a long time ago". Citing security experts, the publication echoed the assessment that the Brotherhood had deeply infiltrated French civil and religious spheres under a "disguised political agenda".

Critics also point to the network's broader regional alliances. Yemeni activist and lawyer Mohammed Al-Maswari has vocally campaigned for Al Jazeera's closure, accusing the Doha-based channel of frequently hosting Iranian figures to "polish the image of the Iranian regime" and justify its interventions across the Arab world.

Canada as a Case Study

Highlighting how media influence is leveraged in the West, Dr Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, a senior researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), points to Canada as a prime example of Qatari efforts to project its influence through academic and media channels.

In a comprehensive analysis for the European Centre for Research and Information on Islamism, Dr Bergeaud-Blackler warns of Canada’s largely permissive approach towards political Islam and its Qatari funding. She notes that "in the media landscape, the Al Jazeera network stands out prominently, serving as the Qatari government's platform and its voice to the world".

"While US authorities have repeatedly, and unsuccessfully, demanded that the network register as a foreign media entity, in Canada it reaches large numbers," she explains. According to her research, the network plays an active role in disseminating targeted messaging that increasingly influences younger demographics and students.

The French researcher argues that the Muslim Brotherhood has capitalized on its presence in Canada to politicise religion. She cites the long-running Al Jazeera broadcasts of the late Yusuf al-Qaradawi—widely considered the spiritual leader of the Brotherhood—as a key vehicle through which radical ideologies were mainstreamed under a religious guise.