Category: Journalism

  • Britain’s public diplomacy: BBC Arabic

    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…

  • Journalism not to blame for newspapers’ decline 2

    Reading this piece from the Chicago Daily Observer, I just wanted to pick out a couple of points to reinforce my claim that journalism is not to blame for the decline of newspapers. (Yes, I know poorly resourced newspapers tend to produce lousy journalism, but you’re missing the point.)

  • Al Jazeera English: management shake-up

    I try not to pass on every rumour I hear, but on at least two separate occasions recently strong hints have been dropped to me that suggest a management shake up is coming soon at Al Jazeera English. This is code for someone replacing CEO Nigel Parsons. Parsons has survived much longer than I would…

  • DNA 2008

    Just returned from DNA 2008 in Brussels. Much joy to the new Ebbsfleet connection. Home to Brussels in just two and a half hours. Lots of interesting stuff (Robin Hamann did a nice turn). And around the back of the hall, conspiracy theorists were noting darkly just who had most to gain from the Harry…