KNOXVILLE — Josh Rushing, a 14-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps and host of a public affairs program on the Al Jazeera network, will speak at the University of Tennessee on Tuesday, April 18.
Rushing will discuss Al Jazeera’s role in international media at 7 p.m. in the International House. His appearance is part of the Conversations about World Affairs series.
Rushing was the lead spokesperson to the Arab world for the United States military during the invasion of Iraq. He gained notoriety as the controversial figure in the documentary “Control Room,” which highlights the role of media in war. Rushing was the U.S. military spokesperson who increasingly questioned how the Pentagon portrayed war.
Al Jazeera created its international English language network to compete with other international networks like CNN and BBC. Rushing’s position on the new 24-hour news network allows him to deliver news to Al Jazeera’s 50 million Arab viewers.
Part of the Conversations about World Affairs series, Rushing’s talk is highlighted as one of the events introducing “Ready for the World,” a long-range plan to transform the University of Tennessee campus into a culture of diversity that best prepares students for working and competing in the 21st century.
The event is free and open to the public.
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Contact:
Amy Blakely, (865) 974-5034, amy.blakely@tennessee.edu
Linda Weaver, (865) 974-5181, linda.weaver@tennessee.edu