The BBC is about to launch its new Foreign Office funded, 12-hour Arabic channel. This exchange between Asharq al-Awsat’s Faisal Abbas and the BBC’s Nigel Chapman sums up my feelings exactly. Reporting the status quo is not reporting.

Q: You stated that you always strive to be impartial, but don’t you think that what many people are expecting is not impartiality at all but rather the exposure of corruption and conflicts in Arab states and to discuss issues that other channels avoid? Do you agree that in the absence of democracy in many of the states that what is required is a “campaigning broadcaster” not impartial media as such?

A: That is a very interesting question. The BBC is not a campaigning broadcaster; it does not have a view about issues in the Middle East or anywhere else. BBC’s job is to report them fairly and accurately and to reflect the relevant points of view in relation to them.