Days later, the original suggestion was brought back to those in charge, and they accepted it. Al-Kasim says, “The idea for the programme was not new, and there was a similar programme on CNN (1) . However, a pro- gramme like this was a revolutionary idea in the Arab world. It differed from analytical programmes in which one guest speaks while the other waits and the viewer, in the meanwhile, takes a nap” (2) . The first episode was about the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) with guests Abdul Bari Atwan and Abdullah Bishara, the former a jour- nalist and the latter a previous Secretary General of the GCC. Al-Kasim says about the first episode, “We entered the studio and began to fire left and right, to the extent that Abdullah Bishara asked me during one of the breaks if I was sure the programme was being broadcast from Doha. He could not believe that such a controversial and offensive pro- gramme was coming out of an Arab country and on an issue that direct- ly affected the Gulf States” (3) . With this unprecedented mix of news and dialogue-based pro- grammes, Al Jazeera earned extensive popularity and unparalleled credibility in the Arab world. This position has consolidated with the passage of time and Al Jazeera’s independent editorial line, bold writ- ing, fearless pursuit of truth and breaking taboos in Arab media. Al Ja- zeera gave platforms to various opinions and did not hesitate to relay stances and analyses many in the region believed but did not have an outlet in which they can express them. Al Jazeera succeeded in this by “drawing large numbers of attentive viewers who followed these public dialogues whose stars were political opposition figures, human rights supporters, Islamists debating with government officials as well as experts and academics. And in a first-time step, the channel took live calls on air so viewers could exchange their opinions and present them to programme guests” (4) .
(1) That programme was Crossfire .
(2) Faisal Al-Kasim, personal interview, Doha, 20 October 2020.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ghareeb and Mansour, Ibid., p. 24-25.
37
EN2.indd 37
20/02/2022 4:14 PM
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter