Al Arabiya English

Al Arabiya English is the English language service of the Dubai-based regional Arab newscaster, Al-Arabiya News Channel. Owned and operated by MBC Group, it is a digital-only service which can be accessed via www.alarabiya.net/english and provides news, analysis, opinion and a cutting-edge subtitling technology which provides users around the world the ability to watch the main (Arabic) news channel's news bulletins and current affairs shows. Its main audiences reside in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Foundation and early days

The English website, initially launched as English.AlArabiya.Net was first inaugurated in 2007 as part of several new languages the news channels will be available in; these included English, Farsi and Urdu. It used to carry wire news and selected translated articles from Al Arabiya's main Arabic language news site. For its first few years, it never had its own separate editor and was taken care of by whoever was the current editor in chief of the main website such as Dr Ammar Bakkar and renowned Saudi TV host Dawood al-Shirian.

A few editors were brought in to manage the service independently, including American journalist Courtney Radsch who later made claims that she resigned to censorship issues relating to an Op-Ed she ran criticizing the level of service on Emirates Airlines. Among the most notable editors who came after that were internationally renowned journalist, Pranay Gupte,^[1] who served between 2011 and early 2012.

Relaunch

On 1 July 2012, Al Arabiya News Channel issued a statement announcing the appointment of Faisal J. Abbas, a Huffington Post blogger, Middle East correspondent and former Media Editor of the leading London-based daily, Asharq Al Awsat, as Editor-in-Chief of its English Service.^[2] Commenting on the appointment, Abdul Rahman al-Rashed, then General Manager of the channel said: “Faisal is among the most distinguished young journalists and it is a pleasure to have him on-board to continue taking the website forward.”

Faisal oversaw the restructure, expansion and relaunch of the English website with a vision of transforming it into an integrated mutli-offering news service catering to an international audience seeking to understand the Arab perspective.

In November 2013, the site was re-launched at a major event which took place at Dubai’s Armani Hotel under the theme of “Bridging the communication gap between East and West.” The event included two panel discussions which tackled the issues facing Arab lobbying in the West and another on how and why Western journalists sometimes misunderstand the region. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the newly redesigned website, containing a brand new service called "View More" which enables viewers to watch subtitled news bulletins and current affairs show one hour after broadcast.

The much talked about event^[3] concluded with a gala dinner. HRH Princess Rym al-Ali, who is a former CNN reporter and the founder of the prestigious Jordan Media Institute, was the key note speaker.^[4]

Editorial line

The website derived its editorial line from that of the main news channel, particularly when it came to the position on the Assad Regime crimes following the 2011 revolution in Syria. In 2013, Al Arabiya English famously compiled a US Iraq War style "Syrian Regime Deck of Cards",^[5] detailing regime figures who have defected, killed or remain at large.^[6]

In terms of Op-Eds, Editor-in-Chief F.J. Abbas opposed the ban on women driving and male-guardianship practices over women in Saudi Arabia.^[7] Abbas also was a fierce critic of the 2016 'Brexit' vote. Drawing an analogy with the 2011 Arab Spring, he slammed the 'Leave' campaign leadership for failing to take responsibility for what they have called for and warned of a 'disastrous aftermath^[8]'. A series of columns by various Arab and American also sharply criticized President Obama's pursuit of the controversial Iran nuclear deal. While arguing that a nuclear-free Tehran is definitely better for global stability, the way the deal was orchestrated without any consideration to the interests and safety of Gulf allies, leaves Iran - a country which is already accused of being a state-sponsor of terrorism - unshackled and able to do more harm in the region.^[9]

Some of the renowned regular writers for Al Arabiya English include Harvard's Majid Rafizadeh, Al Arabiya's former bureau chief in Washington Hesham Melhim, Al Hayat's Washington bureau chief Joyce Karam, Chris Doyle of CAABU, American researcher Andrew Bowen. Among the renowned resident staff writers are Ismaeel Naar, Eman El-Shinawi, Mohammad Chebaro, Peter Harrison and Ben Flanagan.

Criticism

In 2012, Al Arabiya English published a series of stories which were based on revealing leaked emails belonging to Sherri Jaafari, the daughter of Syria's UN envoy Bashar Jaafari. The leaked emails showed Sherri requesting an internship with US television host Charlie Rose in exchange for securing an interview with President Assad. Furthermore, the emails revealed how Sherri worked with NY-based public relations company BLJ to produce a 2011 Vogue magazine feature about Asma Al-Assad, the Syrian first lady, which infamously labelled her a "rose in the desert" while Syria was undergoing a deadly civil war.^[10] Al Arabiya English's stories were carried by a number of US media outlets, including New York Post^[11] and The Huffington Post.^[12] In response, Syria's UN envoy went public and urged media to leave his family alone^[13]

Following an Op-Ed published on 5 March 2015,^[14] calling for President Obama to "listen to (Israeli PM) Netenyahu" when it comes to the threat imposed by the Iranian nuclear deal,^[14] many pro-Hezbollah Arab, Iranian and even Western media outlets criticized Al Arabiya English's editorial stance. Based on this Op-Ed, The Independent's Robert Fisk wrote a pice^[15] on 6 March that the column, which was written by Al Arabiya English's Editor-in-Chief at the time, wouldn't have been published unless it was blessed by the Saudi Monarchy.^[15] By doing so, Fisk was echoing unconfirmed claims that Al Arabiya is owned by the Saudi government and as such unable to publish views that weren't aligned with those of Riyadh.

References