Wadah Khanfar has resigned as director general of Al Jazeera, the Middle East satellite TV network which has achieved global renown and credibility during his eight years at the helm. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, a member of Qatars royal family, will succeed him as the top executive at the Doha-based organisation . A […]
Wadah Khanfar has resigned as director general of Al Jazeera, the Middle East satellite TV network which has achieved global renown and credibility during his eight years at the helm.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, a member of Qatars royal family, will succeed him as the top executive at the Doha-based organisation . A statement from the network said Khanfar had approached Al Jazeeras chairman with his intention to step down in July, having accomplished the goal he had set for Al Jazeera.
Upon my appointment I set a goal to establish Al Jazeera as global media leader. This target has been met and the organisation is in a healthy position, said Wadah Khanfar. He joined Al Jazeera in 2003 as managing director and then as director general having served as correspondent in Africa, Afghanistan and Iraq.
In a note to staff on Tuesday, Khanfar said: “When we launched in 1996 ‘media independence’ was a contradiction in terms. State media was prevalent and was blatantly used for propaganda and misinformation. Within such an environment the public probably doubted that Al Jazeera would fulfill its promise of independent journalism.
Khanfars successor Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani brings with him what is described by Al Jazeera as significant international and business experience. He held a senior position at Qatargas, and has gained industry experience in France and the USA. Additionally, he holds degrees from among others, Imperial College London and the Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business.
Starting as a single Arabic language news channel, Al Jazeera now broadcasts 25 channels in Arabic and English, with Turkish, Kiswahili and a Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian channel soon to come.
