Al Jazeera Tells its Story: In-Depth Studies

which differentiates between actors and the audience, and the user is part of the theatre presentation or published product. This live, interac- tive relationship between digital institutions and audiences is one that networks seek to support, encouraging the audience to transform from mere consumers to active participants. One of the general hallmarks of digital media, especially in citizen journalism, is that it is more subject to vicious promotionalism that is detached from normative values; a concept known as the digital Bermuda Triangle (1) or, as Bourdieu coins it, the invisible deity (2) . Likes and interactions or shares become the standard of success and failure, and of right and wrong. With Al Ja- zeera’s expansion into digital media platforms such as AJ+ in 2014, Al Jazeera Blogs in 2016 and Al Midan in 2017, the idea emerged for a code of conduct specialised in these types of outlets to complement other media outlets already in existence. II. In the Arab heritage of quality, it is said that, “Weight is a giv- en, and quality is a trust”. Thus, no one should be surprised the media quality unit sees responsibility as the single most effective pillar in its organisation because the foundation of quality control work is creating an internal, constant professional and ethical conscience within every journalist. Representing Al Jazeera is a big responsibility, and quali- ty control guarantees this. In this responsibility lie the traditions and values of a society, not inciting hate, respecting beliefs, being fair to guests, and even the clothing and appearance of the presenter. All of these elements combine to realise quality and gain its real advantages. According to Ibn Khaldoun, the source of this responsibility is in- ternal scrutiny and an intentional professional decision. This is why responsibility makes an appearance in all of the normative or standards guides, and is a priority. Without it, the quality control system will be reduced to a heavy and imposing tool. In the remaining rungs of the quality ladder, the network has taken care to design its various plat- forms to combine ethical and editorial meanings—in other words, bring together values, means, ethics and practice. Objectivity, for example, is

(1) Heinz-Werner Nienstedt, Stephan Russ-Mohl and Bartosz Wilczek, Journalism and Media Convergence (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2013).

(2) Bourdieu, Television, Ibid., p. 59.

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