Al Jazeera - A Divine Idea
Al Jazeera - A Divine Idea Adnan Al Sharif | Former Managing Director, Al Jazeera News Channel
I have the privilege to have been one of the founding members of Al Jazeera a quarter of a century ago. So, I believe I am entitled to recount some of the early events and figures that surrounded the launch of this media organisation, as well as my own personal experience of it. The idea was born in the early 1990s and it was evident that it was not a spur-of-the- moment response to the media or technological advancements that started to shape our lives at that time.
Each country in the region has dreamt of launching its own satellite television station; particularly as Arab viewers were following foreign media outlets that were offering unique editorial policies. Besides, the advanced technologies were being put to maximum use. Production methods including visual effects were revamped at unprecedented speeds. Some Arab television stations chose to broadcast from London in order to benefit from the advanced technologies available in the UK. However, none of the private or state-owned media outlets dared to cross the editorial lines drawn for them by their funding parties. This applied particularly to news
and political discourse. Above all, none of these fledgling stations had even planned to launch a totally dedicated news service. It does not take a genius then to realise that Qatar’s Al Jazeera was undisputedly the pioneer. Here, I would like to mention some of the significant developments I witnessed in Qatar, which could be deemed a precursor to the birth of Al Jazeera in this country. The establishment of Qatar Radio in 1968 was a giant leap forward. It was also a turning point in my
professional career. My childhood dream came true; as I was among the first presenters to say: “This is Qatar Radio from Doha.” Later when I moved to work for London Radio, I realised how exceptionally professional Qatar Radio was. The only difference was the station’s broadcast range. Had Qatar Radio reached out to a wider audience like that of London Radio, it would have been a fierce competitor to many global players. I believe Qatar Radio was a foundation stone for Al Jazeera, as the country had already attracted the elite of the industry.
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