A Short Stint at the Helm
A Short Stint at the Helm HE Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani | Former Director General
It was only a two-year spell I spent at the helm of Al Jazeera, yet every single day was a completely different experience - new challenges, more achievements. With collective hard work, dedication and watertight planning, we, amid tough competition from the world’s leading media organisations, achieved many milestones along the way. Guided by our values and principles, we had no alternative but to rise up to the challenge. Not only did we have to outperform amid the rapid advancements of a multifold industry, but we also had to inform the public and tell the untold story. Al Jazeera never lost sight of its mission: to be the voice of the voiceless. Even before holding the reins of command of the Network, I had known for a fact that Al Jazeera was a pioneering media enterprise. At that time, I was not well-versed in the minor details behind the compelling content we all view across Al Jazeera’s platforms. Al Jazeera’s content depends mainly on its vast newsgathering network of worldwide bureaus, wisely deployed professional correspondents, and dedicated journalists in its headquarters. Al Jazeera’s newsrooms are seething beehives, where producers and journalists are covering news around the clock; covering events from all angles and telling the human story.
Al Jazeera has entrenched its position at the forefront of the global media landscape by virtue of its credible and daring journalism. We have never been lured by getting a scoop, as credibility has always been the key. On numerous occasions, Al Jazeera received information from its own sources, however our journalists handled these pieces of news with absolute professionalism and dedication. Each word is vetted, analysed and double-checked before being put on screen. Objective verification from different sources is also adopted for establishing facts. Yet, the secret ingredient of Al Jazeera’s success, I then came to know, is the harmonious union between its staff expertise and strict adherence to professional ethics. Throughout my tenure, I was keen to maintain Al Jazeera’s leading position, which is not an easy task. It entails a great number of innovative solutions, bold initiatives, novel projects and above all well-thought-out planning. We aimed at developing our content; expanding across various platforms; expanding our geographical reach; and above all reaching new audiences in different languages.
Within this context, a dedicated investigative unit was established, where Al Jazeera presented a unique in-depth examination of unspoken and enigmatic stories. Most news outlets are averse to this genre because it comes at a high price. Not only does it entail huge financial resources, but it also gives rise to insurmountable obstacles. Political scandals and huge corruption cases that have been shrouded in mystery for years were exposed. Our award-wining investigative reports were picked up by media organisations worldwide.
38
39
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter