A view of Al Jazeera English channel newsroom
Doha: Al Jazeera Arabic went on air for the first time 25 years ago today, changing the media landscape in the Middle East for ever.
The Arab world's leading news channel launched its first broadcast from Doha on November 1, 1996. Soon it became the most watched TV outlet in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Al Jazeera’s exclusive stories established its reputation globally. Its coverage of conflicts and talk shows were unprecedented in a region where government control of the media is widespread.
Al Jazeera Media Network has now expanded to five TV channels, two centres, one media institute, more than 70 Bureaus around the world, broadcast to over 430 million unique homes over 150 countries. It has five digital channels, 20 websites and media content in 7 languages. Al Jazeera is available at over 2.4 million hotel rooms and public premises.
“When Al Jazeera started in the Middle East it was a revolution time, because up until then traditionally state media in the Middle East have been doing state propaganda. When Al Jazeera started, it really broke the mold and created a new format in the Middle East for reporting real news, and allowing people to speak their mind,” said Managing Director of Al Jazeera English Channel, Giles Trendle.
He said that since the launch Al Jazeera has developed into a global brand showing news and current affairs.
In reply to a question about the editorial policy of Al Jazeera, Trendle said, “We are funded by the State of Qatar, but we maintain editorial independence, which is very important. Al Jazeera is not a tool of any country. We have editorial independence and we report news according to the international news worthiness. We don’t follow any particular state policy.”
He said Al Jazeera covers issues in Qatar when there is international news worthiness.
Speaking about stepping into the 26th year, “We need to keep the core of what we are doing, which is professional journalism,” Trendle said, stressing the importance of keeping code of ethics, core values in a changing world.
Clockwise from top left: Giles Trendle, Managing Director; Salah Negm, Director of News; Kamahl Santamaria, Principal Presenter; and Renee Odeh, Manager of Output of Al Jazeera English Channel.
Director of News at Al Jazeera English Channel, Salah Negm, said the importance of Al Jazeera is increasing every year.
Al Jazeera is a live entity, evolving and developing in a changing landscape and has expanded its news gathering, transmission over the years.
“Al Jazeera is broadcasting to 22 countries, and English is covering globally, local media in Qatar cover all the details of Qatar issues, AJ will cover only news in Qatar that is relevant to its viewers in 22 countries. AJ English will cover the news that is of interest to global viewers such as the FIFA 2022 World Cup and labour issues,” he said.
Presenters and journalists across Al Jazeera play the most crucial role throughout its journey. The job requires taking the viewers in a responsible way though when history is unfolding, said Kamahl Santamaria, a principle presenter at Al Jazeera English Channel.
“My job appears as responsibility to almost look after the viewers and take them through and say, now this is what is happening and let's understand what is happening. And that is a tremendous responsibility,” he said.
“When history is unfolding in front of you, and I am taking viewers through it. It’s fantastic. I love doing that.”
Santamaria recalled presenting news on the Egyptian revolution and covering US President Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration as some of the historic assignments in his career.
Speaking about his experience of working with Al Jazeera English since its inception, Santamaria considers him “lucky” to be part of the network. “We were building it from scratch and that's what actually appeals in; you don’t normally get the chance of something brand new from day one.”
He believed the fundamental of Al Jazeera hasn’t changed. “We set our own agenda that we will always go to under-reported places. We would speak up to the hidden voices, and what is so gratifying is that hasn’t changed.”
In reply to a question about how Al Jazeera Media Network has evolved over the years, he said, “When we launched, Qatar wasn’t as prominent as it is now. Certainly in these 25 years it has changed. Qatar has become a big international player in diplomacy, FIFA World Cup and many other things. It’s a different place: the channel, network and the whole country.”
Manager of Output at Al Jazeera English Channel, Renee Odeh echoed what her colleagues shared about the journey of Al Jazeera Media Network and said it has grown as a global brand.
“Al Jazeera is a channel (that) continues to have the appetite to cover stories across the world, whether it’s breaking news or an original pitch,” she said.
Odeh also said that throughout Al Jazeera has been expanding, while keeping the core ethics of professional journalism.
