Al Jazeera Media Network Condemns the threats on its staff in Syria

Al Jazeera Media Network Condemns the threats on its staff in Syria

Doha – April 4, 2013

Al Jazeera Media Network denounces the threats made recently by some Syrian regime supporters against presenters and correspondents of Al Jazeera Channel and other Arab channels.

Threats levied against Al Jazeera staff on social media and other outlets in recent weeks were made to put pressure on the network to change its professional editorial line with regards to the conflict in Syria and other regions of conflicts.

"Al Jazeera prides itself on honest and objective reporting, people who feel Al Jazeera does not reflect their point of view have no basis for any argument when they use threats of intimidation and violence through social media portals like Facebook and Twitter," said Ibrahim Helal, Director of News for Al Jazeera Arabic.

"The fact that our staff have been targeted with messages of hate has no place in any plural society," said Helal.

In the wake of recent incitement against its staff members, Al Jazeera Media Network emphasises that it has already initiated a legal case against those who made these threats. Furthermore, it will not save any efforts seeking all legitimate actions, regardless of the status of sources of threat, in order to protect its journalists, and correspondents, and employees.

Al Jazeera Media Network has stressed out that it stands behind all its employees in such confrontation to their personal and ethical wellbeing to these kinds of threats.

[Ends]

The Al Jazeera Media Network compromises of Al Jazeera Arabic, Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera Balkans, Al Jazeera Sport, Al Jazeera Mubasher, Al Jazeera Documentary, the Al Jazeera Media Training and Development Center and the Al Jazeera Center for Studies.

شبكة الجزيرة تستنكر تهديدات يتعرض لها صحافيوها في سوريا

الدوحة: 4 أبريل 2013

تعبر شبكة الجزيرة الإعلامية عن استهجانها ورفضها للتهديدات التي صدرت مؤخراً من أشخاص مؤيدين للنظام السوري ضد مذيعين ومراسلين في قناة الجزيرة وفي قنوات أخرى عربية.

وإذ تعلم الجزيرة أن الهدف من هذه التهديدات هو التأثير على معالجتها المهنية للأحداث في سوريا وغيرها من مناطق النزاع، فإنها تؤكد تمسكها بخطها التحريري المهني القائم على نقل الأحداث بموضوعية ودقة وإفساح المجال للرأي والرأي الآخر.

وقال إبراهيم هلال مدير الأخبار في قناة الجزيرة: "إن الجزيرة ملتزمة بمنهج موضوعي ومنصف في نقل الأخبار، ومن يعتبر أن ما نقدمه لا يعكس وجهة نظره لا يملك الحق في إطلاق التهديدات عبر شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي أو أي وسيلة أخرى"

ويضيف هلال: "إن تعرض بعض موظفينا لرسائل التهديد والكراهية أمر يثير الاشمئزاز ولا مكان له في أي مجتمع يؤمن بالتعددية"

وتؤكد شبكة الجزيرة أنها بدأت في إجراءات الملاحقة القضائية لمن أطلقوا هذه التهديدات، ولن تتوانى عن حماية صحفييها بشتى السبل المشروعة من أي مصدر تهديد أياً كان.

وتعرب الجزيرة عن أسفها لأن تصل الاختلافات في الرأي إلى حد إطلاق تهديدات بقتل الصحافيين الذين يقومون بواجبهم المهني من أجل إيصال الحقيقة لملايين المشاهدين العرب.

وتؤكد شبكة الجزيرة كذلك على دعمها لموظفيها المخلصين ووقوفها إلى جانبهم في مواجهة مثل هذه التهديدات.

---

Notice: This email is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to the official business of our firm shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it.

American Arab journalists in Metro-Detroit gather to discuss formation of a journalism union

American Arab journalists in Metro-Detroit gather to discuss formation of a journalism union

Video: Arab Journalists meeting in Metro-Detroit hosted at the home of Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz, co-hosted by the National American Arab Journalists Association, Good Morning Michigan Radio and sponsored in part by Ziyad Brothers Importing.   

American Arab Journalists Organize in Metro-Detroit, call for Fairness in Coverage and Media Access

Arab Journalists Plan Future Conferences
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan – American Arab journalists gathered this past weekend in a suburb of Detroit to organize a professional union and to plan conferences to advocate for community coverage in the mainstream media.

The summit was hosted by Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz at her Bloomfield Hills home, and supported by Ziyad Brothers Importing, both major advertisers who recognize the need for a vibrant ethnic Arab community media.

Nearly every major Arab media in Metro-Detroit participated and also attending were several prominent American Arabs employed by mainstream media such as WJRS and Styleline Magazine and Arab journalism college students.

Click here to read more

American Arab Journalists Organize in Metro-Detroit, call for Fairness in Coverage and Media Access

American Arab Journalists Organize in Metro-Detroit, call for Fairness in Coverage and Media Access

Arab Journalists Plan Future Conferences

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan – American Arab journalists gathered this past weekend in a suburb of Detroit to organize a professional union and to plan conferences to advocate for community coverage in the mainstream media.

The summit was hosted by Michigan Accident Attorney Joumana Kayrouz at her Bloomfield Hills home, and supported by Ziyad Brothers Importing, both major advertisers who recognize the need for a vibrant ethnic Arab community media.

Nearly every major Arab media in Metro-Detroit participated and also attending were several prominent American Arabs employed by mainstream media such as WJRS and Styleline Magazine and Arab journalism college students.

“This was a very important effort to bring American Arab journalists together to strengthen the voices of our community,” said Bassam Mourad, the Editor-in-Chief of the Michigan Arab Times Newspaper.

Kayrouz said she was honored to be able to host the event at her home.

“As a business person I know how important it is to have a strong, vibrant news media not just for mainstream audiences in America but also to serve and inform our many ethnic communities, especially the Arab community in Metro-Detroit,” said Kayrouz whose Michigan Accident Law Firm is one of the most adept at using media and marketing strategies to make her business successful.

Laila Alhusini, the host of the daily “Good Morning Michigan” radio show on WNZK AM 690 and a local coordinator for the National American Arab Journalists Association, said that the gathering brought together all of the region’s most professional journalists, publications and media.

“We need to organize to make our voices stronger and to also serve as role models for younger Arabs who might pursue journalism or media or even marketing and communications as professional career choices,” Alhusini said.

Fay Beydoun of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, a frequent supporter of the Arab Journalists group NAAJA and organizer of the successful annual Arab American Festival held in Dearborn, served as a facilitator during the summit.

Also joining the session were Yemeni American News reporter Adel Mozip, Hoda Salameh of Styleline Magazine, Linda Mansour of WJR Radio, Walid Jadan Publisher and and Rami Sadeq host of MEA TV and Radio, Amir Denha Editor of the Chaldean Detroit Times, Khalil Hachem of Biz Magazine, Haitahm Aldifaee video production, Abdulnasser Mugali publisher of Arab American Today, Rafic Kairouz of the Moranite Foundation, Kawthar Othman and Nabil Mashni of the Chicago al-Hadath Newspaper, Journalism instructor Tahani Dari who was accompanied by five journalism students from Central Academy, Detroit photographer Nafeh Abunab of Elite Photography, and Mohammed Shawky reporter for the Forum and Link Journal.

Also attending were Al Harp publisher of Salam Romaia, Zaim Al Tay or Arab Woman, Nayef Chedid publisher of the Michigan Arab News, Hasan Hamed of Alsumaria TV channel, Sahir Al-Malih of Sawt al Ghad publication, Kassim Madi a journalist, Aqil alkaabi a writer, Hunayda Asbahi of the Sawasia Charity Foundation, and video producer Haitahm Aldifaee.

For more information visit

www.JoumanaKayrouz.com
www.Ziyad.com
www.NAAJA-US.com

end

Condolences on the passing of Marianna Kay Siblani

The members and the board of the National American Arab Journalists Association (NAAJA) wish to express their sincere condolences to Osama Siblani, the Arab American News Newspaper, and family on the tragic passing this week of Marianna Kay Siblani.

Kay Siblani was a respected member of the American Arab journalism community and an editor at the important Arab American News newspaper based in Detroit.

Kay Siblani was a professional and her efforts helped to make the Arab American News Newspaper one of the best weekly American Arab newspapers in the country. Her role as an editor also challenge the stereotype against women in journalism, breaking the glass ceiling.

It is with great sorrow that the members of NAAJA express our condolences on this tragic loss of an icon of American Arab journalism.

Sincerely,

Ray Hanania

National Coordinator

www.NAAJA-US.com

PO Box 2127

Orland Park, IL., 60462

American Arab media gets nod from PEW Research Center

 

American Arab media gets nod from PEW Research Center

Chicago, Il/NAAJA – The PEW research Center through its Project for Excellence in Journalism releases a detailed overview of the successes and challenges of the American Arab news media at the end of November.

The overview is one of the first of its kind by a major mainstream American media center and it showcased several successful Arab media and the challenges American Arab media face.

The National American Arab Journalists Association, which monitors American Arab media, applauded the PEW Research Center and urged them to do more.

“One of the big challenges facing American Arab media is that they are ignored and marginalized through this intentionally act of exclusion by major news media and that only selected sources that are ‘politically correct’ or correlate with political opinions are addressed,” said NAAJA national coordinator Ray Hanania.

“Marginalization and exclusion are the means in which minority groups are often excluded from mainstream participation. It mutes the voices of American Arabs and minimizes their significance. The PEW Research Center’s work is important because it puts a spotlight on the American Arab news media which continues to grow.”

Hanania said that growth is particularly significant because of the set-backs caused by post-Sept. 11 hate and discrimination backlash that occurred. Many American Arab newspapers closed permanently and some temporarily in the wake of the attacks which provoked a widespread wave of discrimination against anyone who looked or appeared to be ‘Arab’ or ‘Middle Eastern’ in this country.

“If you are excluded from the American table, you don’t exist in this country. That creates a particularly difficult circumstance for American Arabs who exist in a dual and contradictory states. The only time American Arabs are ‘seen’ by the mainstream public and media is when they are being attacked and vilified as terrorists. When we are not being vilified, we are being ignored. That reinforces stereotypes and hatred,” Hanania said.

“What PEW has done is help pull the curtain away from these discriminatory practices which are accepted as being ‘normal’ and often ignored as being part of the larger picture of racial and ethnic discrimination that exists in America. Arabs are American and we are a major part of this country. Our community media is a significant showcase for who we are. If you ignore our community media, it is an effort to ignore and marginalize the larger community.”

The PEW Research Center study, completed on Nov. 28, 2012, is available on the Project for Excellence in Journalism’s web site at Journalism.org.

“The study is just the tip of the iceberg. More research needs to be done. It’s only shortcoming was its failure to look at the bigger picture of American Arab media,” Hanania said.

“While it captured some important facts about the community, it missed a lot.”

The study identified several or the nearly 100 American Arab print publications including several weekly newspapers like Aramica and the Beirut Times, which are considered the most significant voices of the American Arab community.

It also identified Radio Baladi and Good Morning Michigan, hosted by Laila alHussini in Detroit as being among the pre-eminent American Arab radio programs broadcast in the country.

“There are many American Arab newspapers, some publishing weekly but most publishing bi-monthly or monthly that are very important to our community,’ Hanania said. “And while there are only a handful of radio shows and a few cable TV shows, more needs to be done to showcase and augment their hard work.”

Hanania said NAAJA has worked hard to bring American Arab media together to not only strengthen the voice of American Arabs but also to strengthen the American Arab community media.

“An ethnic community is only as strong as its community media,” Hanania said. “When the mainstream society and Americans recognize the American Arab media fully and with understanding, they will be better able to understand the American Arabs who live and work among them in American society.”

A lot of the success of the American Arab media is dependent on the support of many sponsors and advertisers. The majority of the Advertisers and sponsors are of American Arab origin – such as the Law Offices of Joumana Kayrouz in Detroit and Ziyad Brothers Importing in Chicago. American businesses might advertise more if they better understood the power this media offers in terms of marketing and information.

“The Arab World and the Middle East consume a lot of our attention as Americans. Our fuel and oil is closely tied to the Middle East. The entire world of terrorism and violence is directly linked to the Middle East. You would think that Americans would want to better understand the Middle East in order to better address all of these concerns,” Hanania concluded.

“Americans have a long way to go to better understand the Arabs and the Middle East and they need more factual and complete information in order to do that. The PEW study is a step forward in that direction.”

END

Critics unfair to New York Post photographer

Critics unfair to New York Post photographer
R. Umar Abbasi captured a photo of a man seconds before he was struck and killed by a subway train in New York on Dec. 3, 2012. Abbasi, who is described as a "freelance photographer," said he heard the gasps of people on the train platform when the victim, Ki-suck Han, was apparently pushed onto the track during a scuffle with another individual as the train approached the station.
Abbasi's photo shows the man with his arm on the ledge as the train approaches only a few yards away. Han was immediately killed.
Immediately, the critics came out of the woodwork to attack Abbasi because he snapped the photo. They claimed he should have run up to the man and helped pull him out of the way of the train.
But when you look at the photo, you see that Abbasi was further from the man than the train.
Abbasi claimed he took the picture to fire the flash to warn the train conductor, but that sounds more like the excuse of someone who is being pilloried and the criticism must certainly be painful, because a man lost his life.
I really doubt he shot the pictures to flash the light to warn the conductor, although maybe that was a hope he may have held as the drama unfolded before his lens.
Still, even though he might be bending to the huge international criticism and pressure of critics to make that claim, the truth is there was nothing Abbasi could do. His job is to record events in the lives on human beings. Photographers have joined the military in wars snapping pictures as the enemy and our soldiers were killed.
Of course, we don't mind showing the corpses of the enemy who have been killed but we suddenly find a moral thread when the victims are our soldiers.
That's the kind of hate that has permeated today's America. It's a country built on racism and now fueled by political hatred. Our hatred allows us to attack people not based on what they have or have not done, but rather based on who they are or where they are from.
I suspect a part of the hatred against Abbasi is because he has an Arab and Muslim name. I don't know him and he may not be Arab but the name is a very common Arab and Muslim name. In today's America, facts do not matter. Most Americans couldn't tell the difference between a Mexican or a Palestinians. We both look the same. Americans are the most educated people on the planet but the least educated about the people who live on this planet. They make judgments and stereotypes and there is no doubt in my mind that people who have read this story have concluded that Abbasi is "one of them." A Muslim. An Arab. 
So it doesn't really matter of Abbasi is an Arab or a Muslim. What matters is that most people believe he is. That is how justice is achieved in today's America. American justice is not only blind these days, it is stupid, uneducated and unfactual.
Regardless, though, Abbasi did nothing wrong. I believe that if he were close enough to the many, standing right next to him, he would have reached down to help lift him out of the way of the train. He would have become a hero. Although because he is or is perceived to be an Arab or a Muslim, he wouldn't have been given a heroes' welcome or praise for his actions. Arabs and Muslims only get attention when something is wrong. We're not seen as heroes but rather as terrorists or potential terrorists.
I salute Abbasi for his photograph. It is the most important thing that remains of the victim, Han. It depicts his last moments of life before he was struck and killed.
When I was a young reporter, I would cover tragedies like home fires that took the lives of people including children. The hardest thing would be to go up to the relatives of the people who were killed and asked them for their comments. It seemed so insensitive to do so considering they were in the midst of grieving for their loss. But I would always explain that the story I write might be the only story ever written about your child, husband or wife. When time passes in weeks and months, you will cling to this story as your last connection to the deceased. I wanted to make that story the best I could not only to report the facts but to insure the family had something left that they could cling to to reinforce our frail and fading memories as human beings.
-- Ray Hanania

Consequences of hate speech, not for everyone

Consequences of hate speech, not for everyone

By Ray Hanania

The tragic killings of four Americans during protests in Libya including the American Ambassador to Benghazi, Christopher Stevens, has over-shadowed a major aspect of the role hate plays in provoking communities to hate.

The Stevens killing was a tragic exception to the rule involving protests that are sweeping the Arab and Muslim World against America’s hypocritical standards when it comes to hate speech.

An American extremist originally thought to be an Israeli American produced a movie which defames in the most offensive manner Arabs, Muslims, Islam and the Prophet Muhammed.

To Arabs and Muslims, the film was no different than a man standing up in a crowded theater and yelling “fire,” but then also blaming the “fire” on a specific religious or ethnic group.

While Americans have expressed unbounded criticism of the murders of Stevens and the three other Americans, the initial criticism of the promoter of the hate video was tempered by arguments that “people in American enjoy the right of free speech” and “free speech is a corner stone of Democracy.”

That changed days later when it was determined that the man, who claimed to be Israeli American Sam Bacile, has been identified as an outspoken anti-Muslim Coptic Christian, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. Immediately, police set upon Nakoula and determined that he had outstanding criminal warrants.

For those who argue that as disgusting as Nakoula’s anti-Islamic and anti-Arab video is, it is protected by free speech and American society is powerless to take any actions, I would remind them about the vicious campaign orchestrated by pro-Israel groups and activists against Helen Thomas in 2010.

Critics charged that Thomas, an award winning veteran journalist and the first female White House correspondent, had engaged in anti-Semitic hate speech when she flippantly responded to questions posed in an ambush by a notoriously racist anti-Arab supporter of Israel.

In fact, the Anti-Defamation League, which selectively fights instances of bigotry and hatred, issued a statement that gave the Society of Professional Journalists, the national organization of mainstream American media, the mandate to act on Thomas, one of the SPJ’s veteran and honored members.

The SPJ had created a Life Time Achievement Award in her name that was awarded to a long list of prestigious journalists.

But the ADL coordinated with the SPJ’s newly elected Israeli American president and a national SPJ board that had become increasing hostile to American Arab SPJ members and that same year terminated its then young program to give American Arab members of the SPJ a voice to raise issues concerning imbalanced media coverage.

The ADL spearheaded the assault on Thomas and issued this statement on January 10, 2010 to give the SPJ’s board cover for their political move to censor Thomas and punish anyone who dared to question media bias in favor of Israel, a foreign country:

“Fortunately, there are consequences in our society for those in positions of power or authority who publicly express racist, anti-Semitic or prejudiced views.  We are pleased that the executive committee of the SPJ agrees that this award was no longer appropriate given the unprofessional and unbecoming conduct of its namesake.”

If you dispute that the ADL’s role was merely as an observer, it’s worth noting that the ADL statement denouncing Thomas came one year before the SPJ national board under its Israeli American presidency terminated the Helen Thomas Life Time Achievement Award, Jan. 14, 2011.

What are the consequences of anti-Arab and anti-Islamic hate speech? Statements by American politicians defending the rights of the haters included a declaration by Republican Candidate Mitt Romney attacking President Barack Obama for bowing to Arab and Muslim extremism.

The Egyptian embassy statement read, “The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims, as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions.”

Romney said that a statement issued by a low-level Administration aid from the Egyptian embassy expressing regret for the hatred expressed in the video was a “surrender” to our enemies and an apology for “American values.”

Yes, when someone criticizes Israel, they become anti-American Nazi anti-Semites.

When someone criticizes Arabs and Muslims, or even denounces hatred against Arabs and Muslims, they are ridiculed as contradicting American values of free speech.

Maybe that’s why this year the ADL has been invited by the SPJ’s  increasingly anti-Arab and anti-Muslim national board to be a sponsor of this year’s journalism convention which takes place in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Sept. 20.

Maybe someone should make a video about that. But God Forbid that we might protest, being Arab and Muslim and all.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning journalist who ended his more than 30 year long SPJ association by tearing up his membership card. Reach him at www.TheMediaOasis.com.)