tifada, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the war on Lebanon and Gaza, and later the Arab Spring revolutions (1) . When the threat against Al Jazeera reached its peak and some countries asked Bush to bomb its headquarters, the Network found it- self obligated to present its point of view before the world. Hence, why the idea of drafting a journalistic code of ethics (2) and a professional code of conduct came into play (3) . 9. Self-criticism and the Development of Correction Mechanisms “We have made mistakes”, says Ahmed Sheikh (4) . Admitting this reality is a prerequisite for self-criticism, and acknowledging weakness- es is the first step towards overcoming them. There have been instances when Al Jazeera aired materials that should not have been broadcast, including clips depicting the moment of death, which violates the rules of its professional conduct. According to Sheikh, these errors may be attributed to the fact that the environment was not quite ready to apply the ideals of the code of professional conduct due to the limited experi- ence of those who decided to broadcast the tape at the time. He stresses the need to deal sensitively with scenes of violence and killing, which, in case they are repeated, could lead to a “numbness of feelings”. At the same time, professional media coverage should not hide the ugly face of war. Among other challenges Al Jazeera faced and managed to over- come, was the protection of those working in dangerous areas and war
(1) Yousuf Al-Shouli, personal interview, 13 September 2020.
(2) See, “Code of Ethics”, The Al Jazeera Decade: 1996-2006, Al Jazeera Media Network, (Manama: Al-Waraqoon, 2006), p. 228. (3) This document is called the “Professional Code of Conduct”. It is a guide setting out controls and directions that should be adhered to at work, as they are derived from journalistic code of ethics. It also serves as a guiding reference for anything related to the journalistic work in Al Jazeera, including news bulletins and programmes, along with the channel’s sources and viewers.
(4) Sheikh, personal interview, Ibid.
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