Indelible Memories and Milestones
Indelible Memories and Milestones Leyla Elchekhly | Senior Presenter, Al Jazeera News Channel
From the very first moment I set foot in Al Jazeera’s studio in 2006, I realised the magnitude of the responsibility. It is a channel watched by millions across the globe. Every word matters; every move counts. After more than three decades in the TV business, I still feel the same enthusiasm as if it is my first day on the job. Every news bulletin on Al Jazeera’s screen holds big stories; with prospects of breaking news at any time: from military action; to explosive statements by state of officials; and from assassinations to cyclones. Along the journey came many indelible memories, ones that cannot be forgotten. It is not an easy task to cover a story where a massacre is perpetrated, or a village bombed. A news presenter should maintain the highest levels of professionalism at all times; good or bad. The channel’s credibility lies in our hands, and we should live up to this responsibility. A few months after I joined Al Jazeera, I had my first exclusive interview. It was with the then Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres. I expected to receive directions, but was surprised by the one sentence the then chief editor told me: “Be bold and ask the questions that should be asked.”
This sentence epitomises Al Jazeera’s vision. It also reflects how much confidence and leeway presenters are given simply to speak the viewers’ minds. A few months later, I had another exclusive interview. This time it was with the Hamas Political Bureau Chief, Khaled Meshaal. The same approach was adopted. It is true that the media is the ‘Fourth Estate,’ and in Al Jazeera there is no limit on freedom of speech. This answers the frequently asked question: “Are questions dictated to you?” A career milestone I will never forget came on January 14, 2011. It was the evening bulletin. Al Jazeera was the only Arab news channel covering the story in Tunisia. It was the moment when I broke the news: “Ben Ali is fleeing the country after 30 years in power.” It sent shivers down my spine as I heard the producer’s voice, trembling, in my earpiece: “The news is confirmed; he has fled.” The news was of great magnitude; and Al Jazeera lived up to the event, after which our Arab world is no longer the way it was.
As much as this moment remained sculptured in my mind; it is also carved in our audience’s. I meet many people who repeat the very minor details of the story; even recalling the dress I was wearing during that bulletin. It is still - after a decade - among my memorabilia. Two weeks later, and during the mid-day bulletin, my fellow presenter and I witnessed a very unusual scene: men on horse and camelback storming through the crowd of protesters in Egypt. It was
98
99
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter