Really

Really I am owed to Mr WADDA KHANFAR Al-jazeera managing director for giving me this oppurtunity time ago to have this exclusive interview with him while I was preparing my monograph to obtain my B.A in English under the tittle of "Al-jazeera turning point in the Arab media". So with great proud I provide this interview to all the memebers and the visitors of "Aljazeeratalk.net". Here is the full transcription of the interview mentioned.

Q:What can you say about the arab media in terms of govermental media and the early satellite channels before aljazeera?
A:Dominated by political considerations, propagandist in its nature, controlled by goverments, directed by certain kind of interest and it was never free media. We don t have a culture of free media, actually, that was one of the problems that we had. Aljazeera when it started it was something new. It is a new fact, a new revoluation in the region as far as media is concerned, and it created that sort of panic amongst the political regimes and a lot of people who started to interpret and to think, ok who is this group, they are crazy, I mean they are doing something new that may never happend before. A lot of theories emerged that time as you know conspiracy theories. who is aljazeera? why aljazeera? and some other things like that. But after eight years of broadcasting we have now much more well established the cultrue of diversity as far as media is concerned and the culture of free reporting has become something people appreciating. Since Aljazeera cares of the principles of free media, actually, that logo, the slogan of aljazeera "the opinion and the other opinion" was actually one of the important determinants in this situation, because in the arab world there is one obeyed opinion used to be heard which is the opinion of the government but the other opinion used to be underground. So when opposition leaders, when intellectuals and thinkers come out and spoke in fron of the camera, that was a new phenomena that created a new fad in that way of thinkig definitely in the arab world.
Q:What was the ultimate goal and to waht extance you reach such a goal?
A:It was a matter of necessity, the world is opening, there is a new trend internationally of free media. There is a new emergence of electronic media, email, internet, and satellite and we would have never been able to live isolated from the rest of the world. So that emergence of aljazeera was a necessity and it has happend. If we haven t
done it the others would have done it. It is the movment of history, actually, we have been hearing the position, that we should do something for the arab world.
Q:Don t you think that the code of ethics of the channel,it limits the work of the station?
A:It does not actually,it does only put foundations of a proper understanding for how we do media.for our journalist and both for our audience as well,to understand the conditions of our reporting is very important.it is a landmark in the arab media.it is the first time a free TV station,network,news network through that code of ethics and brought it opens an air and put it in front of all people.and we put it on our web site so that they can judge us,and we feel much more accepltable,much more responsible
Q:What are the obstacles you are facing in your daily work?
A:The obstacles that we face in our daily work some of it is political and some it is professional. Political ones are based on the misconceptions and misperceptions that other regimes and other entities are thinking of. Something international powers are concerned about our reportings and they feel that we may undermind their policies and submit that and sometimes they stay in front of us, our offices were closed in some Arab countries , our reporters were detained in some countries as well and some intelligence agancies in the Arab world put restrictions on the movements of our people untill now.still , we have few countries ; in the Arab countries they have not allowed us to work freely. Some Arab countries have closed our offices as in Baghdad and in Khartoum, Sudan and still have been in few other Arab countries . However , some other issues areprofessional obstacles. When you speak about a culture, new culture you need a daily thinking about editorial policies , we are developing not only , it is not just, Imean whatever material to put it on air . So there are editorial policies ; we had tried to develop that culture , we had tried to develop theory, theorical foundation of that TV reporting in the Arab world. So recently have come out of our vision, satus , our mission statement, our code of ethics our code of conduct. And all these are putting the foundations for proper school of thought as far as media in the Arab world is concerned.
Q:What can you say about aljazeera credibility?
A:Aljazeera is trying to be at best standards of credibility and we are trying to get our conditions.if you have looked at the point mentioned in our code of conduct, if you have looked, that there are certain practical criteria not only theorical slogans : what is credibility? what is news sources how do you define it ? how do you deal with it? you trust it or not when do you doubt it? and when you don't doubt it. How do you protect it ? all these questions are answered in a very simple way and our journalists could deal with it.
Q:Don't you think that aljazeera represents an alternative media instead of CNN?
A: Don't think that aljazeera is an alternative media; actually, Aljazeera is a main stream media because when we speak about alternative media in the West we have to speak about certain news institutions that started reporting from the marging of society. I think Aljazeera is playing the main role in the Arab world. It is the dominated voice as news reporting is concerned. Ithink that Aljazeera is an important Arab channel. It is for most the dominant in the Arab world while CNN is an American channel. But if you speak about aljazeera, yes it has become amongst the best news sources internationally .So the comparision here is not suitable.
Q:Don't you think that aljazeera is so careful in dealing with the Gulf States issues?
A:Why?i mean you don't have reason to say that!
Q:The journalists raised this issue and say that Aljazeera is so careful in dealing with Gulf States especially Qatar for example?
A:No, we actually, deal with Qatar as we deal with any Arab country. There are some conditions for journalism. If there is a story we deal with it. If it is in Egypt or Qatar or Saudi Arabia or wherever, the same standard is tackled. We do not, never arrived in that sort ; today we are going to attack this country, tonight we are going to speak about this, and this later. No, at all. It is the profession and the professional standards that do control us and they define the importance of the story. If it happens in Qatar we deal with it and we do if it happens in whatever country, and we have actually, dealt with many issues related to Qatar
Q:What can you say to those who criticise you orsay that aljazeera is playing a role in reconciliation with the Isreali regime?
A:They can look back at the last eight years and understand that they are mistaken. Aljazeera has never played a major role in a normalisation with the Isreali State neither the normalisation with anyone else. Aljazeera is reporting a free reporting and the political considerations are not the driving policies of Aljazeera. Aljazeera is driving by professionalism and not by politics.
Q:The titlle of my monograph is "Aljazeera : a turning point in the Arab media" Is it so and if it is so positive ornegative?
A:It is very important turning point in the Arab media because it is important. It is ; actually, not only, It is the most turning point if you would like to say. It is the most important turning point because it ws more free reporting, the beginning of a new era of news, of free news reporting in the Arab world so definitely that is a very important description.
Q:What is your advices to a student who tackles such a subject?
A:My advices are few things : first, you should deal with the profession in a very high moral standards because this particular profession is opinion making. You should be responsible, you should take high standards of morality and professionalism number one. Two you only aspire to match higher standards of reporting and we should learn from everyone in the world ; and Ithink there are many schools internationally of journalism, that you could learn from and develop based on the context of our relationship with our society and our culture in the Arab world. Three, in the Arab world the issue of journalism is very crucial. It is a matter of necessity free journalism, because we are living that tent world, altogether as a society . We are opening up, we are reforming our political institutions, We are reforming our social and economic institution. This is the point where you as a journalist come through and explain to the people what is happening with proper analysis. So this is why it is important to have that excellent fine jounalism in order to have an excellent further otherwise a lot of misconceptions, a lot of perceptions, a lot of rumours, a lot of conspirasive theories will dominate the way how we think and how that is going to give us false product rather than understanding and acting up on reality.
Q:what is yourlast statement just to take is as an exclusivity since you make the exclusivity in aljazeera?
A:Iُُ would love to provide any advice. Be proud of doing your profession, be proud of it. You should be proud of of it regardless of all obstacles. And you know, you should aesthetic your profession for speaking the truth, speaking the truth to power no matter how much espensive that you pay. You are going to be the winner by the end.

RABAT SEPT 30TH, 2004
Iam greatly indebted to Mr WADDAH KHANFAR Aljazeera managing director who gave such opportunity two years ago and for all his advices and help he backed me up with. I hope you appreciate this interview and Iam waiting for your comments so please don't hesitate to do so thanks in advance