JOB: Santa Clara University Journalism Chair, applications soughts

Knight-Ridder/San Jose Mercury News Chair in Journalism and the Public Interest

Santa Clara University

The Department of Communication at Santa Clara University invites applications for this newly endowed Chair from applicants with a compelling vision of how journalism can serve social justice and the public interest in the new media environment. The Chair may be filled by a distinguished journalism professional or a senior scholar (associate or full professor).

Distinguished professionals must have extensive leadership experience in the field of journalism and a record of teaching excellence at the college level. The professional applicant will be expected to publish long-format journalism or books on news and the public interest.

This person will teach courses in her/his area of specialty, as well as courses in at least one of the following areas: community journalism, multimedia journalism, public affairs reporting, investigative reporting, ethnic/multicultural journalism, media ethics, media economics, journalism history, or media law. The professional will help lead our journalism program by attracting external funding, extending our connections to Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area news organizations and community groups, and convening public forums on journalism.

Senior scholars will have an active research program and communicate it to the public, regularly publishing in academic outlets and commenting in the news media. A record of external research funding is a plus. The successful candidate will also be an excellent teacher of undergraduates who will teach courses in her/his area of specialty, as well as courses in at least one of the following areas: journalism history, political communication, media law, media economics, media ethics, ethnic/multicultural journalism, or news in the digital age. This person will provide intellectual leadership to the department's journalism program and the wider communities of Silicon Valley and theSan Francisco Bay Area, advancing public discussion and understanding of journalism by organizing symposia and projects of her/his design.

Located in northern California's Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University (www.scu.edu) sits in the heart of the SanFrancisco-Oakland-San Jose media market. SCU is a Jesuit Catholic university committed to promoting social justice and public service. Housing assistance is available. SCU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, and members of historically under represented groups. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability. Also, in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the University annually collects and makes publicly available information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents (www.scu.edu/cs/).

The anticipated start date for this position is September 2008. Applications will be accepted until December 7, 2007. Applicants should mail a letter of application (including a description of strengths andexperiences that have prepared you to teach and work effectively with culturally diverse students and colleagues), a professional resume or CV, examples of professional or scholarly work, three letters ofreference, and evidence of teaching excellence (e.g., course syllabi, student evaluations, and teaching portfolios) to: Chad Raphael, Knight-Ridder/San Jose Mercury News Chair Search Committee, Departmentof Communication, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053-0277.

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Job Opening: al-Hayat Newspaper

My name is Randa Eid. I am the Associate Producer at Al-Jazeera TV in the United Nations. I am helping a colleague of mine who is the Bureau Chief at Al-Hayat Newspaper here at the UN. She is looking for a Junior Reporter primarily to help cover the events here at the United Nations. They must be able to write in Arabic fluently.

I was wondering if you could post this job listing on your site. Let me know if you need further information.
Kind Regards,
Randa

Position: Al-HAYAT NEWS : JUNIOR REPORTER, ASSISTANT and INTERN POSITIONS

General Info:

Job Description: Hello all, Junior Reporter Position*
THIS JOB IS FOR FLUENT ARABIC SPEAKERS ONLY. IF YOU CANNOT WRITE NEWS ARTICLES IN ARABIC ON DEADLINE, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

Fulltime Reporter (UN Bureau, New York)
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time junior reporter/assistant in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, writing news stories in Arabic on the United Nations, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include transcribing, translating, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in Arabic and English, and he or she must be able to write news stories in Arabic on deadline. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a full time, salary position, and hours will vary depending on news of the day. The chosen candidate will sign a three month, trial contract. Upon completion of the trial period, a full time employment contract will be negotiated. The position is available May 1, 2007. The salary is $36,000 annually, all inclusive, without any other benefit. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.com

Assistant Position
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time office assistant in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include managing the office, transcribing, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in English and spoken Arabic. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a fulltime, paid position. Hours will vary depending on news of the day. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.com

Intern Position
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time intern in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, assisting in writing news stories on the United Nations, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include transcribing, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in English, and priority will be given to Arabic speakers. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a fulltime position. Hours will vary depending on news of the day. The chosen candidate will. The intern will be paid $40 per day without any other benefit. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.comStart Date: Right awayCompensation:TBDApply:Contact: alhayatjr@gmail.com

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Scholarships for Illinois college bound students

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nassem Ziyad
May 25, 2007 708-222-8330 ext 303

Ziyad Brothers Importing Announces Illinois Scholarship
for first-year College-bound Arab students

Cicero, Il – Ziyad Brothers Importing announced it is expanding its existing “Giving Back to the Community” student scholarship program to any student of Arab heritage who will be attending their first year of college this Fall.

A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 cash will be given to one male and one female student of Arab heritage, selected from entries who demonstrate the highest level of pride, self-identity, confidence and writing talent.

The Scholarship will recognize students who demonstrate pride in their Arab heritage, and who detail how they hope to contribute both to their community as Arab Americans and also to this country, explained ZBI General Manager Nassem Ziyad.

“We want to recognize the future leaders of our community who demonstrate a commitment to enhancing and strengthening the image of the Arab Americans through individual initiative and community service. We are looking for young Arab American students, one male and one female, who demonstrate their pride in their Arab heritage and as Americans,” Ziyad said.

“There many talented Arab students and we want to encourage them to pursue their professional career goals while also remaining dedicated to their Arab American heritage.”

Ziyad Brothers Importing, an Illinois-based distributor of more than 1,200 food items to stores in 46 states and six countries, awarded its first scholarships to students in 2006.

Applicants are required to submit an essay of 500 to 800 words on how they hope to “Give Back to the Community.” Application Deadline is August 1, 2007. Winners will be announced in August and scholarships will be presented at the beginning of September. The student recipients must be enrolled in a college or university this Fall in order to receive the cash scholarship amount. Applicants can get information on applying for the scholarship by visiting www.ZiyadNews.com.

Ziyad Brothers Importing was originally founded as “The Syrian Bakery & Grocery Inc.” in 1966 by Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad, two immigrant brothers from Palestine. Their small retail outlet on Chicago’s south side specialized in hard to find Middle Eastern food products as well as the first Pita Bread bakery in Chicago catering to the Middle Eastern ethnic community.

The retail outlet later expanded into one of the first automated Pita Bakeries in the Midwest and began distributing Pita bread and Middle Eastern food products to other retail outlets. Ten years later, from these humble beginnings, Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad purchased their first warehouse located at 21st and Western Avenue.

In 1995, Ziyad Brothers Importing consolidated facilities and moved into the current location in Cicero, IL. A year later in 1996, Ahmad Ziyad passed away at the age of 56. His brother Ibrahim assumed the role of President. Ziyad Brothers Importing is a family owned and operated business. Ahmad’s sons Nemer, Nassem and Nazmy and Ibrahim’s son Nezar and daughters Leila and Sonia also work at the company.

Winning essays will be published on the Ziyad.com web site as well as on the web site of the National Arab American Journalists Association (www.NAAJA-US.com), and in participating Arab American newspapers and magazines.

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CPJ: Journalist, media worker killed in Gaza Strip

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465­1004 Fax: (212) 465­9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Maya Taal e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Journalist, media worker killed in Gaza City
New York, May 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalist is outraged by the killings of a journalist and a media worker, who were shot on Sunday in Gaza City.
Gunmen wearing presidential guard uniforms stopped a taxi carrying Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi, 25, an economics editor for the Hamas-affiliated daily Palestine, and Mohammad Matar Abdo, 25, a manager responsible for distribution and civic relations, Editor-in-Chief Mustafa al-Sawaf told CPJ today. The taxi was stopped at 2:30 p.m. in a high-security area southwest of Gaza City that is controlled by Fatah, al-Sawaf and other journalists told CPJ.
News accounts vary on the ensuing events; al-Sawaf said the two men were beaten before being shot on a public street. Al-Ashi died at the scene, while Abdo was taken to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City where he died at 3 a.m. today, al-Sawaf and CPJ sources said. Al-Sawaf said his description was based on interviews with eyewitnesses and an account that Abdo provided his brother before he died.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the Palestinian Journalists Bloc both denounced the killings. Mohamed Edwan, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, said Fatah had nothing to do with the killings and that presidential guards are instructed to shoot only in self-defense. He said Fatah condemns the killings and urges that the perpetrators be punished.
“We condemn the murders of Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi and Mohammad Matar Abdo and offer condolences to their families,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority must ensure a swift, thorough, and fair investigation into this heinous crime.”
Al-Ashi and Abdo were scheduled to meet with economic and tourism organizations in Gaza that afternoon, al-Sawaf told CPJ. The fledgling Palestine newspaper was launched early this May.
The murders come amid clashes in the coastal strip over the previous 24 hours. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least six people died and another 52 wounded in fighting between rival Fatah and Hamas militias.
Rivalry between the Hamas-led government elected in January and the Fatah movement has put pressure on Palestinian journalists to align themselves with particular groups. Journalists have endured harassment, threats, and beatings by Palestinian security forces and various factions in retaliation for their coverage of Palestinian politics.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

CPJ: Iran: Student editors jailed for allegedly publishing offensive articles

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465­1004 Fax: (212) 465­9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Maya Taal e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Iran: Student editors jailed for allegedly publishing offensive articles
New York, May 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the recent arrests of four Iranian student editors of Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran following the publication of newsletters carrying articles deemed insulting to Islam. The students say they had no involvement in the publications, calling them a fraud designed to disrupt student elections. All of the university’s student publications were nonetheless banned by the school administration, according to online reports.
In the run-up to the Islamic Student Association annual elections at the prestigious polytechnic institute, newsletters bearing the names and logos of four student publications were distributed throughout the campus on April 30, according to AUTNews, the Web site of the Islamic Student Association of Amirkabir University. They contained three controversial articles and two caricatures deemed critical of the Iranian regime and insulting to Islam.
One article questions the infallibility of the Prophet Mohammad, the first Shiite Imam Ali, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to CPJ sources familiar with the Persian-language newsletters. Another story criticizes the regime’s crackdown on modern female clothing, and a third ridicules Islamic women’s attire.
The four arrested editors issued a statement May 3 saying that the newsletters fraudulently used the names and logos of their publications, according to AUTNews. The editors claimed that student members of the Basij—a militia affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, an elite unit under the supreme leader's control—reproduced the names and logos in an attempt to disrupt the elections to the Islamic Student Association, AUTNews said. Immediately following distribution of the newsletters, the Basij attacked the publications and their activist leaders, according to online sources.
Islamic Student Associations, which operate on campuses across Iran, are at the forefront of student political activism. The New York Times reported that Amirkabir University Chancellor Alireza Rahai had previously ordered the closure of the association’s offices on campus. All of the arrested editors are considered pro-democracy activists.

AUTNews reported that more than 100 student publications across Iran issued statements of support for the student publications and condemned those responsible for fabricating the newsletters.
“We are outraged by the arrest of these four student editors,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Iranian authorities continue to crack down on political and pro-democracy activists. These arrests show the extent the regime is willing to go to silence dissenting voices.”
The arrests began in early May, according to AUTNews. Ahmad Ghassaban, managing editor of Sahar, was arrested May 3, according to international news reports. On May 7, the first day of the Islamic Student Association elections, Maghdad Khalilpur, managing editor of Atiyeh, was arrested while leaving the university campus, the Iranian Student News Agency reported.
Puyan Mahmudian, managing editor of Rivar, and Majid Sheikhpur, managing editor of Sar Khat, appeared before a Revolutionary Court on Wednesday, the last day of the student elections, and were ordered detained, AUTNews reported.
All four are being held at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, along with three other members of the Islamic Student Associations arrested during unrest on campus. About 2,000 Amirkabir students voted in the elections amid reports of violent obstruction by the Basij and university security, according to AUTNews and international news reports. Ghassaban and Sheikhpur were among those who won seats.
Ali Afshari, former secretary-general of the Islamic Student Association at Amirkabir University of Technology, told CPJ that he believes the disruption of Islamic Student Association elections was in retaliation for disruption students had caused during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s December 2006 campus speech. The New York Times reported that during the speech students shouted, “Death to the dictator,” and burned posters with Ahmadinejad’s image.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

Chicago Book launch: The Yalla Journal Book, May 16

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Supporters, As some of you know I am the Senior Jewish Editor of the Yalla Journal.

Despite the frequent labelling of the youth demographic as "the future" and "the hope" of the never-ending Arab-Israeli conflict, they have often been unable to affect real change. The Arab and Jewish editors of The Yalla Journal decided to get together to create a space in the form of a printed book where their voices could co-exist in a time where there is no such physical space.

The Yalla Journal is a grassroots collaborative book that is a youth response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It features 200 pages of the poetry, photography, short stories, personal narrative and essays of Jewish and Arab youth aged 18-30 from across the world. The Arabic word Yalla explains the mandate of the journal: it means "Come on! Let's get going!" and is used colloquially in both Palestinian and Israeli dialect today. Through this call to action, the journal hopes to inspire the reader to choose communication over silence and dialogue over violence when dealing with the present situation.

The journal poses questions like: "What does the conflict mean to Arab and Jewish youth today?" and "What does it mean to be Palestinian or Israeli?" It attempts to weave together a narrative through the stories and meditations generated by the various responses to these questions. In essence, Yalla hopes to help open up the much-needed lines of communication between Arab and Jewish communities abroad.

The first edition of The Yalla Journal was released in 2005 across University Campuses in Canada. The first launch was co-sponsored by the Arab Student's Association and Hillel Jewish student groups. It generated much public interest. Yalla editors were featured in both the local and national media, and were interviewed on the local radio and spoke at University events across Eastern North America. They were also recipients of the 2005 Quebec Government's Forces Avenir Award.The second edition of the innovative journal was released in Canada in November and is ready to be released for the first time in the US!

The launch party will feature live Arabic and Jewish artists and musicians, a breakdance performance/ interpretation of the conflict by some particularly concious Chicago youth, journal readings and free copies of the book. The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 16 at the Mercury Cafe 1505 W. Chicago Ave (Chicago/Ashland... The Chicago stop on the blue and brown lines). Yalla invites you to join us as we "Get going!" Press copies are available upon requestFor further information contact yallajournal@yahoo.ca or email me back. I look forward to seeing you all there! Love, Rachel Leya Davidson (Senior Jewish Editor, The Yalla Journal)

American Palestinian and Jewish editors launch new publication, Yalla Journal

Despite the frequent labelling of the youth demographic as "the future" and "the hope" of the never-ending Arab-Israeli conflict, they have often been unable to affect real change. The Arab and Jewish editors of The Yalla Journal decided to get together to create a space in the form of a printed book where their voices could co-exist in a time where there is no such physical space.

The Yalla Journal is a grassroots collaborative book that is a youth response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It features 200 pages of the poetry, photography, short stories, personal narrative and essays of Jewish and Arab youth aged 18-30 from across the world. The Arabic word Yalla explains the mandate of the journal: it means "Come on! Let's get going!" and is used colloquially in both Palestinian and Israeli dialect today.

Through this call to action, the journal hopes to inspire the reader to choose communication over silence and dialogue over violence when dealing with the present situation. The journal poses questions like: "What does the conflict mean to Arab and Jewish youth today?" and "What does it mean to be Palestinian or Israeli?" It attempts to weave together a narrative through the stories and meditations generated by the various responses to these questions. In essence, Yalla hopes to help open up the much-needed lines of communication between Arab and Jewish communities abroad. The first edition of The Yalla Journal was released in 2005 across University Campuses in Canada.

The first launch was co-sponsored by the Arab Student's Association and Hillel Jewish student groups. It generated much public interest. Yalla editors were featured in both the local and national media, and were interviewed on the local radio and spoke at University events across Eastern North America. They were also recipients of the 2005 Quebec Government's Forces Avenir Award.The second edition of the innovative journal was released in Canada in November and is ready to be released for the first time in the US! The launch party will feature live Arabic and Jewish artists and musicians, footwork performance/ interpretation of the conflict by some particularly concious Chicago youth, journal readings and free copies of the book.

The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 16 at the Mercury Cafe 1505 W. Chicago Ave (Chicago/Ashland... The Chicago stop on the blue and brown lines). Yalla invites you to join us as we "Get going!"

Press copies are available upon request

For further information contact yallajournal@yahoo.ca .

Rachel Leya Davidson ,Senior Jewish EditorDina Awad, Senior Palestinian Editor

Robert Fisk on threats against journalists

Read the May 4, 2007 column by Robert Fisk in the Arab News, Saudi Arabia at:

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0
&article=95781&d=4&m=5&y=2007

And the feature on the rights of Saudi women journalists discussed at Saudi journalism conference at:

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0
&article=95789&d=4&m=5&y=2007

Study shows FOX host Bill O'Reilly attacks people 10 times per minute on his "show"

From Romenesko:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2007
O'Reilly uses name-calling about once every seven seconds
Indiana University Media Relations: An Indiana University study finds that Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly calls a person or a group a derogatory name once every 6.8 seconds, on average, or nearly nine times every minute during the editorials that open his program each night. "It's obvious he's very big into calling people names, and he's very big into glittering generalities," says IU j-prof Mike Conway. "He's not very subtle. He's going to call people names, or he's going to paint something in a positive way, often without any real evidence to support that viewpoint."

Here's the link:

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/5535.html

SPJ President Christine Tatum publishes article on ethics in journalism in Arab American News

Christien Tatum, the president of the Society of Professional Journalists is one of the most open and forthright journalists I have met. She takes journalism as a profession very seriously and is objective in a manner so uncharacteristic of most other mainstream American journalists.

She recently published an Op-Ed in the Arab American News in Dearborn, one of the nation's leading Arab American newspapers, on Ethics in Journalism Week.

Check it out at:

http://www.arabamericannews.com/newsarticle.php?articleid=8407

Great job Christine. And that the president of the SPJ would reach out to Arab Americans through the professional Arab American media is a trend that I hope others will follow.

-- Ray Hanania

SPJ Awards recognize Palestinian American columnist

Palestinian/Arab American Columnist wins prestigious Journalism Award

Chicago – Ray Hanania was awarded the prestigious Peter Lisagor Award for Column Writing in the Community Newspaper category Friday night by the Society of Professional Journalists Chicago Headline Club.

Hanania writes a syndicated column and is the political writer for the Chicago-based Southwest News-Herald. The award is for three columns which appeared last year in the Southwest News-Herald, and in other syndicated newspapers that carry his writings. One of the columns on Muslim Girls graduating from a Chicago suburban Islamic school was syndicated to newspapers in the Middle East and in the Arab American press.

The columns reflected both his unique humor writing style and his serious approach to regional events, and are titled: "Thanksgiving Tabouli Wars Is Now Served [at the Hanania Household]," "Graduates Who Defy Stereotypes," and "Reavis [High school] Reunion Creeps Up Like Receding Hair."

Finalists who were awarded runner-up awards in the same category are Joseph Aaron of the Chicago Jewish News for "Talking and Listening," "Real Jewish People" and "Jews and Darfur," and Thomas Mucha of Crains Chicago Business Magazine for his "Small Talk" columns.

This is Hanania’s 3rd Chicago Headline Club/SPJ Award. He previously won Lisagor awards in 1984/85 and 2002/03 for column writing. Last year, Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" in a national contest hosted by the New America Media Association.

Hanania began his journalism career in 1976 writing for community newspapers and later for the Chicago Sun-Times. He covered Chicago City Hall from 1977 until 1992, and was also a weekend talk show host on WLS AM Radio. He is the author of eight books.

The Lisagor Awards are a highly competitive and prestigious journalism achievement representing journalists from community and daily newspapers, radio and TV media throughout Illinois.

The competition's categories range from in-depth reporting and photography to business, commentary and feature reporting. In other categories, The Chicago Tribune received 11 honors, The Chicago Sun-Times received 6 awards, the Southtown, 4 awards, Crain’s Chicago Business and WTTW Channel 11 each received 5 awards, Chicago Public Radio received 6 awards, and The Associated Press received 4 awards.

The presentations were made at the Chicago Headline Club's 30th annual awards banquet at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza in Chicago.

The featured banquet speaker was Jed Horne, an editor at the Times-Picayune in New Orleans and author of "Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City," published by Random House.The awards are named for Peter Lisagor, late Washington bureau chief of the Chicago Daily News. Reporters and editors from SPJ chapters in South Florida (Miami), Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Houston, Inland California and Western Washington (Seattle) reviewed more than 700 entries published or broadcast in 2006.

Plaques were presented for 65 reports, chosen for such attributes as enterprise, accuracy, scope, style and impact.

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Arab American Journalists Urge release of Alan Johnston, BBC reporter kidnapped in Gaza Strip March 12

The National Arab American Journalists Association (NAAJA) expresses its distress at reports that Alan Johnston, a BBC journalist kidnapped in the Gaza Strip on March 12, may have been harmed or killed.

Conflicting news reports have been issued regarding his fate, quoting unknown groups on Internet web postings.

NAAJA members pray that Mr. Johnston is alive and unharmed, and the organization strongly condemns his kidnapping. NAAJA urges that Mr. Johnston be released immediately and that evidence of his condition be released immediately by the kidnappers.

Journalists should not be targets and should be granted protection by all sides in all conflicts and regions of the world.

"This is an outrageous, heinous act of terrorism, to declare that he has been killed. We are very concerned about Alan Johnston's fate. We also call on all responsible parties to undertake every possible effort to confirm his status and to apprehend and punish those individuals who are responsible for this kidnapping," said Ray Hanania, a NAAJA board member after consulting several NAAJA members across the country in an emergency conference call.

"We hope these reports prove to be false. And we hope that Mr. Johnston is released immediately, that he is unharmed and that the perpetrators are brought to justice for this crime. There is no injustice that justifies any victim of injustice to commit and act like this."

Hanania said NAAJA members are very distressed and concerned and are waiting to hear more news on the status of Mr. Johnston.

# # #

Learning from the Imus controversy -- for Arab and Muslim American Journalists

Arab and Muslim American Journalists must unite
Learning from the Imus scandal

One of the reasons -- not the only reason -- why NBC pulled the plug on Imus last week was that African American journalists who worked at NBC and MSNBC spoke out publicly against the comments that Imus made deprecating African American women.

The National Black Journalists Association also spoke out urging its members to speak out against the comments that Imus and his sidekick Sid Rosenberg made about the African American members of the Rutgers Woman's basketball team. Imus has made racist comments in the past. But this time, he was challenged head-on by the powerful journalism lobby of the African American community.

As an Arab American, I wonder outloud, why has Imus been allowed to repeatedly slander Arab Americans and Muslims without even a reprimand? Part of the reason is that we, as Arab and Muslim American journalists, have not yet reached our professional clout. Arab American journalists are growing in numbers.

NAAJA -- the National Arab American Journalists Association, is only one of 12 Arab American journalism groups -- has more than 175 members, 60 of them listed on the http://www.naaja-us.com/ web page, and still more on the NAAJA-US@yahoogroups.com listserv.

As journalists of Arab heritage, Christian and Muslim, we have a responsibility to recognize how professional journalists can change the injustices of the world simply by being professional journalists. Simply by networking together not on the basis of politics, regional ethnic and religious identity but on the basis of the shared fate. We are Arab and Muslim. We are targets of discrimination. Our story is rarely told. We are most often seen by the mainstream media and public when Arabs and Muslims are the key characters in stories of violence, terrorism and wrongdoing.

The positive side of our community is rarely portrayed, or not portrayed enough. We can make a difference.

This isn't about personality. This is not about individual clout. This is not about differences we all do share on issues of politics, the Middle East conflict and more.

The differences we see in each other, are NOT seen by the Americans around us. Mainstream America does not see these differences. They can oftentimes not tell the difference between Palestinians or Pakistanis, Arab Christians or Arab Muslims. I am most often mistaken for a Palestinian Muslim by Americans, even when my bio states outright my personal religion.

If the society in which we live cannot see our differences, why do we insist of seeing them ourselves?

Each one of us can take something different from the Imus affair.

African Americans are engaged in a community-wide sooul searching over the issues of free speech and the use of similar, disrespectful vernacular found in African American hip-hop and rap, and African American standup comedy.

We Arab Americans and Muslim Americans and people from the Middle East need to also take something out of this controversy that helps us become stronger, more professional and helps us educate the non-Arabs and non-Muslims among whom we live in this country. I urge you to do the following:

please support NAAJA ... there is no membership fee. Join the NAAJA listserv by emailing NAAJA-US-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ... we charge no fees and we have no presidents-for-life. You can organize your own local chapter, efforts and events in your own cities. NAAJA is about networking so we can help each other.

Send news about your achievements to the NAAJA listserve because your successes serve as encouragement for others. Your successes create the paving for the road for those who follow us. That pride in ourselves can make the difference of success or failure for other young Arab and Muslim journalists.

write a column addressing the issue of Imus from the standpoint of an Arab or Muslim American and share what this controversy means to you. It's not about agreeing on issues but rather demonstrating to the larger mainstream community that as Arab Americans and Muslim Americans we have concerns about this, also, and our voices must be heard. If you cannot write a column, then share your views with your editors, staff or others in journalism.

Join the Society of Professional Journalists. Let them also know that Arab and Muslim Journalists count. They want to help us augment our voices, our presence and our participation as professional journalists but they must hear from us.

Finally, extend your hand in friendship to other young Arab and Muslim Americans who are interested in becoming journalists. When I started out in journalism in 1976, there were no such mentors to help navigate through the traumas that faced me and a hadful of others. Today, we have increased in numbers, but we must make sure not to ignore our responsibilities to help our own become a full member of our society, our profession and the world in which we work.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope to see all of you on the NAAJA list serve and hearing about all your great successes. Your achievements really do mean something not only to yourselves, but to the young people in our community starving for journalism role models and mentors, people with whom they can identify and reach out with their hands when they need help or guidance.

Thanks
Ray Hanania
http://www.hanania.com/

National Union of Journalists UK/Ireland urge release of BBC journalist

National Union of Journalists UK/Ireland urge release of BBC journalist
April 15, 2007

The National Union of Journalists has strongly condemned the kidnapping of BBC journalist Alan Johnston and pledged at its annual conference to do all in the union’s power to help secure his release.

Alan was kidnapped in Gaza 33 days ago. John Williams, Editor of BBC World News, who came to address the NUJ on Saturday (14/4), told a packed hall that as every day passed, concern for his physical and mental wellbeing was growing.

He paid tribute to Alan’s calmness and courage and said that although Alan would be embarrassed at all the media attention he was getting, there could be no finer ambassador for the right to report freely.

He said: “Alan stayed when everyone else left because he believed that the story of Gaza must be told to the outside world.”

Passing on a message of thanks to the NUJ from Alan’s family, John Williams said that the tributes to Alan that meant the most were those from his fellow journalists, especially those in Gaza and Ramallah, and he emphasised that it was the Palestinian people themselves who suffer most from this sort of attack on freedom of expression.

General Secretary Jeremy Dear read out a message from the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS) describing the marches, demonstrations and solidarity actions - and even a three-day hunger strike - that the union had held since Alan’s capture.

The PJS also praised the efforts of the NUJ to secure Alan’s release, thanked the union for staying in touch on a daily basis and stressed the importance of all journalists standing together to continue the campaign.

Other BBC colleagues who had worked with Alan paid tribute to his ‘calm, unflappable presence and his authoritative, quiet, understated manner’ and also praised the brave stand that the PJS had taken in defence of Alan.

The conference voted unanimously to keep up the urgent global campaign for Alan’s release, praising the robust campaign of the BBC and expressing concern that the Government and Palestinian security forces have so far failed to carry out their promises to do all they can to free Alan.

http://www.nuj.org.uk/index.php

Arab American journalists applaud discipline against Don Imus, urge broader view of racism problem

Chicago, IL/April 12, 2007 -- Members of the National Arab American Journalists Association (NAAJA) applauded decisions by MSNBC and CBS to drop Don Imus from their television simulcast and radio syndication.

The actions come in the wake of racist remarks that Imus made regarding African American members of the Rutgers women's basketball team.

NAAJA members believe that Imus represents a growing problem of racially insensitive comments being made not only by entertainers, but by so-called mainstream serious news commentators and talk show hosts.

"Don Imus was not an entertainer. He was not a comedian. Don Imus was one of the icons of American political and social commentary. Some of the nation's most prestigious journalists, governments officials and political candidates regularly appeared in his radio show, which was also simulcast by MSNBC," NAAJA members said.

"The unethical behavior and racist comments of Don Imus should not be diluted in a larger discussion of whether or not African American entertainers engage in similar rhetoric. However, Don Imus is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of mainstream journalists, government leaders and candidates who engage in racist rhetoric and that goes far beyond the African American community to include Asians, Jews and Arabs. That Don Imus has been permitted to remain in the main stream media unchallenged for so long is a testament to the challenges still facing mainstream American journalism, government and political life in America."

# # #

"Minority" statistics in Mainstream American journalism

Here is a link to the recent report of the American Society of Newspaper Editors called "The Newsroom Census" which was last updated March 27, 2007.

http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?id=5649

Most troubling is the exclusion of all other minorities and ethnic groups of color outside of the "Big Four" -- Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans, the group that constitutes the organization called "UNITY".

So far, Arab American journalists have been excluded not only from the census tabulations but also from the UNITY planning, so far. Contacts have been made and Arab American journalist groups including NAAJA have petitioned to be included. But so far, those requests have been rejected, ignored or not acted upon.

We hope UNITY and other groups recognize the growing presence of other American journalists of color who are outside of the "accepted Big Four."

NAAJA-US

Media Bias explored in New FrontLine Series

FRONTLINE'S 'News War' Web Site Offers Extended Interviews with Top Media Players and Exclusive Web Features on the State of Today's Media

http://www.pbs.org/frontline/newswar

BOSTON, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 50 extended interviews
with key figures in print, broadcast, and electronic media, the companion
Web site to FRONTLINE's News War series offers educators, students, media
professionals, and the general public an in-depth look at the controversies
engulfing today's news media. The four-part investigation is airing
nationally on PBS and via streaming video on the Web site.

FRONTLINE's News War Web site offers unequalled access to some of
today's most important news organizations as it enhances the investigation
with additional analysis by a wide-range of journalists, editors, and
industry executives who debate the role of the media in U.S. society and
forecast the future for the news business. From embattled news rooms, read
analysis by Bill Keller, Executive Editor of The News York Times and Dean
Baquet, formerly of The Los Angeles Times; to reporters who are making
history and making headlines such as Judith Miller formerly at The News
York Times and Dana Priest, The Washington Post; with the perspective of
veterans in the news industry such as Ted Koppel, formerly ABC News, Dan
Rather formerly CBS News, and Bob Woodward of The Washington Post; and the
insights of new media gurus like prominent blogger Jeff Jarvis, Buzz
Machine and Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google.

The extended interviews focus on a wide range of issues currently
affecting the news media, including the Valerie Plame investigation, the
current battle between the White House and the press, how the Internet and
new media are shaping the future of news, media bias, reporter's privilege,
and reporting on national security issues.

The News War Web site contains a 55-minute, streaming audio
presentation on "The Future of the News" which is a panel discussion taped
at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, as well as a teacher's guide
that challenges students to think about the First Amendment and its
importance to what's happening in the news industry today.

FRONTLINE's News War Web site at http://www.pbs.org/frontline/newswar
provides a directory of extended resources and allows visitors to watch the
entire series in high-quality streaming video on-line. Other offerings
include Web-only features such as: the growing ethnic media industry, the
Internet news revolution, continued in-depth coverage of changes at The Los
Angeles Times, and facts and figures about the business of the news.

FRONTLINE and FRONTLINE/World are produced by WGBH Boston and are
broadcast nationwide on PBS. Major funding for News War is provided by the
Richard and Rhoda Goldman Foundation. Additional support is provided by The
Nathan Cummings Foundation. Event sponsorship provided by John S. and James
L. Knight Foundation. Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support
of PBS viewers and by the Park Foundation. The executive producer for

FRONTLINE is David Fanning.
http://www.pbs.org/fronline/newswar
Access interviews, resources, or watch FRONTLINE in high-quality video
online.

FRONTLINE Contact:
Sandy St. Louis, (617) 300-5379
sandy_st_louis@wgbh.org

SOURCE PBS FRONTLINE

Open Letter to the American Society of Newspaper Editors

March 24, 2007

Dear Members of the ASNE:

Arab American journalists remain under siege, not just from extremists in their own community but also from mainstream media that refuse or fail to distinguish between professional Arab American journalists and activists and extremists who continue to dominate our community.
Arab American journalists are American, professional journalists, and focused on getting the story. Yet, we continually face discrimination, including from our own profession of American journalism.

The challenge is complex. But Arab American journalists are constantly attacked from their own community by extremists who have exploited the situation to convince most Arab Americans that they represent the mainstream community, when they do not. But they succeed because Arab Americans believe they have no voice. We have no voice in American society. Mainstream American newspapers continue to exclude us, unable to distinguish between extremists and moderates. We look all the same to mainstream Americans through the eyes of mainstream American journalists.

This creates a situation where moderate Arabs -- the majority of Arab Americans -- are pushed into silence. This allows the extremists to work the community, moving center-stage in our society and appearing to others as if they represent us.

Although we have been in America since the mid-19th Century, we continue to face discrimination. Worse, the groups that should be helping us to break through the discrimination do not help at all.

In 1999, we formed the National Arab American Journalism Association to do several things: organize as professional journalists, not as political activists; to serve as a conduit to other journalism groups; and, to serve as a focal point for accurate information on the Arab American community.

We are journalists. We have won numerous journalism awards. I was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" in November by the New America Media. Yet, when Creators Syndicate signed me on as a columnist in 2003, they released me saying that few mainstream American newspapers wanted a column from an Arab American journalist.

We can't allow this to continue. The inability of moderates to rise and to promote professional journalism only serves the extremists. This situation indirectly contributes to growing terrorism because some terrorism is the result of individuals who are consumed by frustration, rejection, voicelessness and a sense of despondency that they are alone and have no options to choose from. Give my community options. Help us strengthen our voices.

As you meet this week in Washington D.C., please recognize that Arab Americans are Americans. And, more importantly, Arab American journalists are an essential part of getting the story correctly and completely. You need us to help convey the full story. Without us, the story becomes politicized.

We need your support. Please help us as professional journalists.

Thank you for your time

Ray Hanania
National Coordinator

www.NAAJA-US.com
rayhanania@comcast.net

New Muslim magazine seeks writers

Soon to be launched Elan: a magazine of contemporary Muslim culture, is on the lookout for talented journalists! Our start-up four-color glossy magazine is scheduled to launch Fall 2007, and we need a few good writers to work on short topical pieces 200-300 words) as well as longer, investigative features (2,000-3,000 words). The topics range from Music and Fashion to Media and Culture—all with an American Muslim focus.

Elan is dedicated to quality reporting on the current trends in the arts, business and contemporary Muslim lifestyle. We will also provide a public forum for the young professional community in print and on the web. Elan represents, embraces and commemorates the unique and distinct lifestyles of American Muslim, making Elsan a handbook for the chic Muslim. Our cosmopolitan publication is committed to incorporating all interpretations of Islam, realizing unity within our diversity.

For more information, please submit a resume and writing samples (pasted into the body of the e-mail---no attachments, please!) to: elan@elanthemag.com

Jordanian group urges protections for journalists and free speech

Jordanian group calls for banning arrest of journalists
By Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, February 23, 2007

AMMAN: A Jordanian rights group urged Parliament Thursday to adopt "clear and frank" legislation banning the arrest or imprisonment of journalists. The appeal came in a report on the National Center for Human Rights (NCHR) Web site detailing the state of political, economic, social and environmental rights issues in Jordan in 2006. The NCHR "recommends the adoption of a clear and frank legislation that prohibits arrests or imprisonment in issues related to the press and publication," it said. The report also urged the government to scrap legislation allowing it to own shares in newspapers. "The government controls, through its funds, 60 percent of shares in Al-Rai newspaper, and 35 percent in Al-Dustour newspaper and interferes in their editorial policies," it said. The NCHR also called for legislation "guaranteeing the right to information" and pleaded for journalists on trial for perceived publication offenses to be heard by civil courts instead of the state security court. On Wednesday, journalists observed a one-hour work stoppage to protest a bill that would allow them to be jailed for publication offenses. Parliament later indefinitely postponed its deliberations on the bill until the government reinstates the Information Ministry, which was scrapped by royal decree in 2001. - AFP

Committee to Protect Journalists condemns arrest of blogger critical of Egypt

CPJ Condemns Blogger’s Conviction for Insulting Islam
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA
Phone: (212) 465­1004
Fax: (212) 465­9568 Web: www.cpj.org
E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org
Contact: Abi Wright
e-mail: info@cpj.org
Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105

EGYPT: CPJ Condemns Blogger’s Conviction for Insulting Islam, President Mubarak

New York, February 22, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists released the following statement in response to today’s conviction of Internet writer Abdel Karim Suleiman, who was found guilty of insulting Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and sentenced to four years in prison by a court in Alexandria.

“With this verdict, Egypt has opened up a new front in its efforts to stifle media freedoms,” said CPJ Middle East Program Coordinator Joel Campagna. “It sets an alarming precedent for the criminalization of online expression and will surely have a debilitating effect on an all independent media in Egypt. Abdel Karim Suleiman should be released immediately.”

According to CPJ research, Internet writers and editors are the fastest growing segment of imprisoned journalists worldwide, with 49 behind bars as of December 2006. CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

Egypt blogger jailed for "insult"

Egypt blogger jailed for 'insult'
BBC News Feb. 22, 2007

An Egyptian court has sentenced a blogger to four years' prison for insulting Islam and the president.

Abdel Kareem Soliman's trial was the first time that a blogger had been prosecuted in Egypt.

He had used his web log to criticise the country's top Islamic institution, al-Azhar university and President Hosni Mubarak, whom he called a dictator.

A human rights group called the verdict "very tough" and a "strong message" to Egypt's thousands of bloggers.

Soliman, 22, was tried in his native city of Alexandria. He blogs under the name Kareem Amer.

A former student at al-Azhar, he called the institution "the university of terrorism" and accused it of suppressing free thought.

The university expelled him in 2006 and pressed prosecutors to put him on trial.
'Slap in the face'

During the five-minute court session the judge said Soliman was guilty and would serve three years for insulting Islam and inciting sedition, and one year for insulting Mr Mubarak.

Egypt arrested a number of bloggers who had been critical of the government during 2006, but they were all subsequently freed.

Hafiz Abou Saada of the Egyptian Human Rights Organisation called the sentence "a strong message to all bloggers who are put under strong surveillance".

The UK-based organisation Amnesty International said the ruling was "yet another slap in the face of freedom for expression in Egypt".

Fellow blogger Amr Gharbeia told the BBC it would not stop Egyptian bloggers from expressing opinions as "it is very difficult to control the blogosphere".

There have been no reported comments on the sentence from the Egyptian authorities.

CAIR Video contest to promote understanding: deadline April 15, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAIR ANNOUNCES $10K VIDEO CONTEST TO PROMOTE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING

Two $5,000 prizes to be awarded for 'Let the Conversation Begin' digital videos(WASHINGTON, D.C., 2/22/2007) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today announced an online digital video contest designed to help promote mutual understanding between Muslims and people of other faiths in America and worldwide.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said it will offer two $5,000 prizes for videos up to one minute long that are the most effective in promoting interfaith understanding and communicating the contest theme of "Let the Conversation Begin." (The videos are limited to one minute in length because they may be used as television public service announcements.)"Our video contest theme is a reflection both of CAIR's mission and of our belief that people of all faiths in America and around the world must begin talking to each other to help build trust and respect for differences," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. He added that the contest is also designed to identify and recognize talented video producers in the American Muslim community.

Awad said one prize will be awarded to a member of America's Islamic community whose video is deemed most effective at promoting mutual understanding between American Muslims and people of other faiths. The other prize will be awarded to a person of any faith, anywhere in the world, whose video is most effective at promoting mutual understanding between the Islamic World and America.

Video submissions will be accepted between February 23 and April 15, 2007. Audio (if any) must be in English or with English sub-titles, and the videos must be submitted in .avi, .mov, or .mpg using .zip format.All CAIR video contest submissions will be evaluated for originality and creativity, production quality and effectiveness in promoting mutual understanding. Winners will also have their videos posted on www.YouTube.com and on www.cair.com.

SEE: CAIR 'Let the Conversation Begin' Video Contest RulesCAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 32 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

- END -

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Rabiah Ahmed, 202-488-8787 or 202-439-1441, E-Mail: rahmed@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

-----

CAIRCouncil on American-Islamic Relations453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.Washington, D.C. 20003Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726Fax: 202-488-0833E-mail: info@cair.comURL: http://www.cair.com

ADC 2007 Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship applications open

2007 Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship

Purpose: To recognize Arab-American students who excel in Media Studies. Amount: $1000 Eligibility: Juniors, Seniors, or Graduate Students. Must be attending college in the 2007-08 academic year. Must be majoring in Mass Communications, Journalism, Radio, Television, and/or Film. Must have at least a 3.0 GPA and be a U.S. citizen of Arab heritage Applicants should send the following to the ADC Research Institute: A one-page statement stating that you are a US citizen, explaining your goals and why you merit the scholarship. Copies of articles, videos, films, etc. Official academic transcripts including your GPA. Two letters of recommendation from Mass Communications professors. Permanent home address, phone number, email address; also address, phone number, and email address during the school year. Deadline: April 12, 2007 Awards will be announced and presented during ADC's Annual Convention in Washington, DC. Send materials to: Attn: Nawar Shora ADC Research Institute (ADCRI) 1732 Wisconsin Ave, NW Washington, DC 20007 Tel: 202-244-2990 Fax: 202-244-7968

To donate or become a member of ADC click here:
https://www.adc.org/membership/

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination CommitteeOrganizing Department1732 Wisconsin Ave NW.Washington, DC. 20007, U.S.A.Tel: (202) 244-2990

E-mail: organizing@adc.org

Web : http://www.adc.org

CPJ: Journalists in Iraq still missing one year later

Iraq: Journalists still missing one year on

New York, February 2, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned that more than a year after Iraqi journalists Marwan Ghazal and Reem Zaeed were abducted by gunmen in Baghdad they remain missing.

“The plight of Marwan Ghazal and Reem Zaeed underscores the enormous dangers faced by all journalists covering this conflict, but especially those largely anonymous, local reporters who are most at risk,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Alive or dead they must not be forgotten. If they are still being held, Iraqi authorities should do everything to find them.”

Ghazal and Zaeed, who worked for the Iraqi satellite channel Al-Sumaria, were seized by several gunmen driving a blue Opel car outside the offices of the Iraqi Islamic Party in Baghdad’s Yarmouk district at midday on February 1, 2006, according to a family member of one of the journalists and a news editor at Al-Sumaria.

The abduction occurred when Zaeed went to pick up Ghazal from a press conference at which the Iraqi Islamic Party had accused Iraqi police and security forces of human rights abuses, according to a source at Al-Sumaria. Zaeed had been coming from her own assignment, reporting on a meeting at the Baghdad offices of the Red Crescent. CPJ sources said that the gunmen ordered Zaeed and Ghazal to get out of the car, assaulted one of Zaeed’s cameramen who resisted, and drove off with the two journalists.

Journalists from Al-Sumaria say there has been no news of Ghazal and Zaeed’s whereabouts and that their captors have made no effort to contact Al-Sumaria or the journalists’ families. They also expressed the concern of journalists that the authorities had failed to take action, noting that a description of the kidnappers and their vehicle was provided to the interior ministry.

Ghazal and Zaeed, both in their early 20s, had started out at Al-Sumaria less than five months before their abduction. Al-Sumaria is a privately-owned Iraqi Satellite TV Network established in 2004.

According to CPJ research, at least 43 journalists have been abducted since 2004. CPJ is investigating the circumstances behind the abductions of five other journalists seized in the last year to determine if their abduction was related to their work.

CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

JOB, UNIVERSITY:Dept Creative Writing Uni of California, Riverside

UC-RIVERSIDE - OPEN POSITION IN NONFICTION/FICTION

The department of Creative Writing at the University of California, Riverside, invites nominations and applications for a faculty member (rank open) in writing of the Middle East and/or the Islamic world and their diasporas. The succesful candidate will have published nonfiction, with additional expertise in fiction, screenwriting, or poetry desirable.

Additional expertise in new media, new media technologies and nontraditional ways of disseminating writing would be an advantage, as would prior professional experience in journalism. Successf ul applicants will demonstrate a commitment to continuing their professional writing and publishing activities and have a broad knowledge of applicable literatures. Teaching duties will include undergraduate and graduate courses and the mentoring of MFA students and supervision of their theses.

The candidate will be appointed to the faculty at the Riverside campus but will teach up to two courses per year in the MFA program at the Palm Desert Graduate Center. Starting date for the position is July 1, 2007. Review of applications will begin March 1, 2007 and position will remain open until filled. Prerequisites are prior academic teaching experience, and a record of scholarly and/or professional publication. Ph.D., MFA, MA in the relevant field or professional equivalent.


For more information, contact the department 1607 HMNSS Building Department of Creative Writing University of California, Riverside 900 University Avenue Riverside, CA 92521 Phone: (951) 827-3615 Fax: (951) 827-3619 Charles Whitney, Chair & Professor Office: 2612 HMNSS Building Phone: (951) 827-6076
E-mail: chuck.whitney at ucr.edu

http://www.creativewriting.ucr.edu/index.html

NAAJA urges release of Bilal Hussein, AP Photographer from US detention in Iraq

THE DETENTION OF AP PHOTOGRAPHER BILAL HUSSEIN

The U.S. military in Iraq has imprisoned Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein since April 12, 2006, accusing him of being a security threat but never filing charges or permitting a public hearing.

"We want the rule of law to prevail," says AP President and CEO Tom Curley. "He either needs to be charged or released. Indefinite detention is not acceptable." Military officials say that Hussein was being held for "imperative reasons of security" under United Nations resolutions. A Pentagon spokesman reiterated that stance Sept. 18.

Hussein is a 35-year-old Iraqi citizen and a native of Fallujah. AP executives said an internal review of his work did not find anything to indicate inappropriate contact with insurgents, and any evidence against him should be brought to the Iraqi criminal justice system. Hussein began working for the AP in September 2004. He photographed events in Fallujah and Ramadi until he was detained.Bilal Hussein is one of an estimated 14,000 people detained by the U.S. military worldwide -- 13,000 of them in Iraq. They are held in limbo where few are ever charged with a specific crime or given a chance before any court or tribunal to argue for their freedom.

In Hussein's case, Curley and other AP executives say, the military has not provided any concrete evidence to back up the vague allegations they have raised about him. More information is contained in the news stories and press materials at:

http://www.ap.org/response/response_092006a.html

NAAJA Statement Jan. 26, 2007

The National Arab American Journalists Association members have unanimously agreed to support a call for the release of Bilal Hussein. We support the position taken by the Associated Press in calling for Hussein's release and urge other journalism associations to join in this callf or his release.

On behalf of NAAJA by Ray Hanania
END

CPJ: Turkish Armenian Journalist Murdered

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465­1004 Fax: (212) 465­9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105

Turkish-Armenian editor murdered in Istanbul

New York, January 19, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder today of a prominent Turkish-Armenian editor outside his newspaper’s offices in Istanbul. Hrant Dink, 52, managing editor of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, was shot three times in the neck, according to the Turkish television channel NTV.

Dink had received numerous death threats from nationalist Turks who viewed his iconoclastic journalism, particularly on the mass killings of Armenians in the early 20th century, as an act of treachery. In a January 10 article in Agos, Dink said he had passed along a particularly threatening letter to Istanbul's Sisli district prosecutor, but no action had been taken.

“Through his journalism Hrant Dink sought to shed light on Turkey’s troubled past and create a better future for Turks and Armenians. This earned him many enemies, but he vowed to continue writing despite receiving many threats,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “An assassin has now silenced one of Turkey’s most courageous voices. We are profoundly shocked and saddened by this crime, and send our deepest condolences to Hrant Dink's family, colleagues, and friends.”

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Dink's death as an attack against Turkey's unity and promised to catch those responsible, according to international news reports. Police identified the assailant as a young man dressed in a white hat and a denim jacket, and they detained two people as part of their investigation, NTV reported.

“This murder must not go unpunished as have previous slayings of journalists,” said CPJ’s Simon. “We call on the Turkish authorities to do all in their power to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice swiftly.”

In the last 15 years, 18 other Turkish journalists have been killed for their work, many of them murdered, making it the eighth deadliest country in the world for journalists, CPJ research shows. The last killing was in 1999. More recently, journalists, academics, and others have been subjected to pervasive legal harassment for statements that allegedly insult the Turkish identity, CPJ research shows.

Dink, a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, had been prosecuted several times in recent years—for writing about the mass killings of Armenians by Turks at the beginning of the 20th century, for criticizing lines in the Turkish national anthem that he considered discriminatory, and even for commenting publicly on the cases against him. His office had also been the target of protests.

In July 2006, Turkey’s High Court of Appeals upheld a six-month suspended prison sentence against Dink for violating Article 301 of the penal code in a case sparked by complaints from nationalist activists. His prosecution stemmed from a series of articles in early 2004 dealing with the collective memory of the Armenian massacres of 1915-17 under the Ottoman Empire.

Armenians call the killings the first genocide of the 20th century, a term that Turkey rejects.
Ironically, the pieces for which Dink was convicted had appealed to diaspora Armenians to let go of their anger against the Turks. The prosecution was sharply criticized by the European Union, which Turkey is seeking to join. Dink said he would take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France, to clear his name.

Dink was one of dozens of writers who have been prosecuted in the past two years under controversial penal code provisions that criminalize statements deemed as insulting to the Turkish identity, particularly in regard to the Armenian killings, CPJ research shows. The local press freedom group Bia said at least 65 cases have been launched against journalists, writers and academics. The EU has urged Turkey to reform its laws to eliminate such prosecutions.
Dink edited Agos for all of the newspaper’s 11-year existence. Agos, the only Armenian newspaper in Turkey, had a circulation of just 6,000 but its political influence was vast. Dink regularly appeared on television to express his views.

In a February 2006 interview with CPJ, Dink said Turkish nationalists had targeted him for legal harassment. “The prosecutions are not a surprise for me. They want to teach me a lesson because I am Armenian. They try to keep me quiet.” Asked who “they” are, Dink replied, “the deep state in Turkey”.

He was referring not to the Islamist-based government of Prime Minister Erdogan, but to the secular nationalist forces supported by sections of the army, security forces, and parts of the justice and interior ministries. The nationalists, political heirs of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, still exert considerable influence in Turkey.
Dink said in the CPJ interview that he hoped his critical reporting would pave the way for peace between the two peoples. “I want to write and ask how we can change this historical conflict into peace,” he said.

In the interview, Dink said he did not think the tide had yet turned in favor of critical writers—“the situation in Turkey is tense”—but he believed that it ultimately would. “I believe in democracy and press freedom. I am determined to pursue the struggle.”

CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

Muslim Writers Competition information Jan. 17, 2007

AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR MUSLIM WRITERS

The headquarter of celebration of esfahan (IRAN) is going to launch an international competition for Muslim writers with cooperation of child and teenage council and by participation of activists in child and teenage literature In the year of prophet by internet due to the attribution of thiscity as the capital city of culture in Islamic world by ISESCO.

Hence, we hereby invite all writers who are professional in child literature to present their works entitled by" MOHAMMAD PROPHET".

The purpose of this international competition is to encourage writers to create written works with great quality and to set up a basis to present their works in the realm of child and teenage literature.COPMPETITION CONDITIONS:

1-Title of competition: Holy prophet life (MOHAMMAD P.B.U.H), his characteristics and features, prophet and children and prophet's miracles

2-Each writer is allowed to send three stories.

3-Published and unpublished stories are acceptable.

4-Published works should have be written after January1st 2006

5-Story text should be presented and typed in the size of A4 paper.

6-Stories should be written for child and teenage interlocutors (between 6 to 15 years old).7-

Stories can be written in Persian, Arabic or English.8-There is no geographical and age limitation for participants.9-It is necessary to write: name of the writer, title of the story, complete postal address and telephone number at the beginning of each story.10-Volunteers must fill an application form carefully.11-The application form is available in www.icow-esfahan.comThe last legal time to send works is 04/02/2007Result proclaim date: 05/04/2007

COMPETITION GIFTS:Great gift: inscription, inlayed badge and $3000 for the best storySecond gift: inscription, inlayed badge and $1000Third gift: inscription, inlayed badge and $1000Persuasive gift: inscription, inlayed badge for 10 peopleFor more information call :( +98)9131082054

Reporters without Borders issues new report on risks facing Palestinian journalists

Palestinian journalists caught in the Gaza crossfire
Report of fact-finding visit
View article:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=20262

Reporters Without Borders today released the report of a visit it made to Gaza and Israel from 4 to 7 December to investigate the disturbing situation of journalists working in the Gaza Strip, to meet with the authorities and to propose ways of improving the security of the media.


Palestinian and foreign journalists working in the Palestinian territories are exposed to two different kinds of threats, one from the Israeli army, which has been responsible for many acts of violence against the press since 2000, and more recently from the various Palestinian factions that do not hesitate to target media that criticise them.


The Gaza Strip has become the scene of especially violent inter-Palestinian clashes this year. The tension between Hamas, the ruling Islamic party that won the elections at the start of the year, and Fatah, President Mahmoud Abbas’ party, has led to a political stalemate that has paralysed Palestinian institutions. The split within the government has inevitably had repercussions on the street, and journalists are no longer safe.


Representatives of all the Palestinian factions and the Israeli army profess a desire to respect press freedom and the work of journalists, but the statistics belie their claims. This year alone, the Israeli army attacked or threatened 16 journalists and wrecked the premises of three news media, while Palestinian militants caused damage to seven news media by setting them on fire or smashing equipment, and attacked at least four journalists. Six foreign journalists have also been kidnapped by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.


Reporters Without Borders believes that the safety of journalists will never be taken seriously until the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli army decide to apply the law by bringing those responsible for crimes against journalists to justice. Systematic investigations must be carried out, the findings must be published and those found guilty must be punished.


Reporters Without Borders also proposes the creation of a distinctive sign so that journalists can be more easily identified. The organisation is normally opposed to the use of signs that could mark journalists out as targets. Identifying oneself as a journalist in Iraq or Afghanistan significantly increases the risks to which one is exposed. But in some cases it could provide additional protection in the Palestinian Territories, where journalists face a regular and professional army.


Reporters Without Borders therefore proposes to rapidly bring together Palestinian and Israeli journalists, politicians from both camps and Israeli military officials to discuss this question and find a solution that would reduce the risks to which journalists working in the Palestinian territories are exposed.


It is also vital that all Palestinian factions should quickly agree on a joint statement calling for both local and foreign journalists to be respected. The opening-up of the state-owned media - the news agency WAFA and the radio and TV broadcaster PBC - to all Palestinians regardless of their political affiliation are also essential conditions for improving press freedom.


Lastly, the creation of a regulatory body would help control the excesses of media used as propaganda outlets by certain factions. Professionalising the media and giving them a universally-recognised status would also help to combat the stigmatisation of journalists, who are often branded as “traitors to the nation” as soon as they try to stand back and put some distance between themselves and the political parties.


Entitled “Palestinian journalists caught in the Gaza crossfire,” the report is available on the Reporters Without Borders website (www.rsf.org).

CPJ: Sudanese journalists convicted for column on government perks

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465­1004 Fax: (212) 465­9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org
Contact: Joel Campagna e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x104


Sudanese journalists convicted for column on government perks


New York, December 27, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the criminal convictions on Tuesday of two Sudanese journalists in connection with a column critical of government perks.


A criminal court in the capital, Khartoum, ordered Zuhayr al-Sarraj, former columnist for the private daily Al-Sahafa, to pay a fine of 5 million Sudanese pounds (US$2,500) or spend one year in jail, according to the newspaper’s former editor, Noureddin Madani. Madani was also convicted in the case and ordered to pay a fine of 2 million Sudanese pounds (US$950) or spend six months in prison.


The two journalists were charged two years ago in connection with an al-Sarraj column criticizing perks that parliament and President Omar Bashir had approved for high-level government officials. The journalists were charged under the Sudanese criminal code and press law with slander and inaccurate editing, according to Sudanese journalists.


“It’s alarming that the Sudanese government treats journalists as criminals for scrutinizing official actions,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “This spurious case speaks volumes about the government’s stance on press freedom.”


The Sudanese Council of Ministers initiated the charges, claiming that al-Sarraj had exaggerated in the column, “Dividing the Spoils.” Madani told CPJ that the government had never contacted the journalists to point out any errors.


“This verdict is meant to silence journalists,” Madani told CPJ. “Why does the government take a journalist to court? Does the government need money? Two million [Sudanese] pounds does not benefit the government; it is about pressuring journalists.”


Madani, is now deputy editor-in-chief of the Arabic language daily Al-Sudani, and al-Sarraj is a columnist for that paper. Both plan to appeal Tuesday’s verdict, Madani told CPJ.


Al-Sarraj still faces trial for a January 2006 column in Al-Sahafa, which criticized Bashir for failing to address the many problems facing the Sudanese people. He was arrested by Sudanese security forces and held for 60 hours at Kober jail in Khartoum on January 3 and later charged by the national security prosecutor with “insulting the president.” If convicted, al-Sarraj risks losing his license to practice journalism in Sudan.


Press freedom has been heavily curtailed in Sudan in recent months. On October 15, Abu Obeida Abdallah, a reporter for the pro-government daily Al-Rai al-Aam, was released after being held incommunicado without charge for more than two weeks by security forces. In September, several opposition and independent newspapers were seized or heavily censored, among them Rai al-Shaab, an opposition Arabic-language daily for the Popular National Congress party, and Al-Sudani.


CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.

Morocco Magazine banned for publishing religious jokes

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA
Phone: (212) 465­1004
Fax: (212) 465­9568
Web: http://www.cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org/
Contact: Abi Wright
e-mail: info@cpj.org
Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105

MOROCCO: Magazine banned over religious jokes


New York, December 22, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by the banning in Morocco of an independent magazine and the charges brought against its director and a reporter for publishing an article analyzing popular jokes about religion, sex, and politics.
Driss Ksikes, the publisher and director of the weekly magazine Nichane, and reporter Sanaa al-Aji, were charged with denigrating Islam under Article 41 of the Press and Publication Law 2002. The charges stem from a 10-page article examining how popular humor reflects issues in society.


“We tried to understand society through jokes,” Ksikes told CPJ. “What we did just reflects what is there in society.”


Ksikes and al-Aji face three to five years in prison and fines ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 dirhams (US$1,100 to 11,000) under the press law. Their trial has been set for January 8.


“We understand that Nichane may have offended people by publishing these jokes,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “But that cannot be a justification for banning a magazine and threatening its journalists with jail. We call on the Prime Minister to rescind the ban and on the legal authorities to halt the prosecution at once.”


Nichane was banned by Prime Minister Driss Jettou late on December 20. Authorities informed the publication of the order early the following morning. Its Web site has also been closed. Nabil Benabdellah, minister of communication, said at a press conference that Nichane would remain shuttered until the outcome of the trial, the state news agency Maghreb Arabe Presse reported.


The news agency quoted Benabdellah saying the article “harm[s] the fundamental values of the Moroccan society, all the more reason that these values constitute the basis of cohesion between the various components of the Moroccan people.”


The Arabic-language magazine is a sister publication of the independent French-language weekly TelQuel. Both magazines are owned by the TelQuel Group headed by Ahmed Reda Benchemsi.


Benchemsi told CPJ that staff at Nichane had received death threats via phone and e-mail since the government made the charges against the publication. He said that the religious jokes involved God, angels and prophets as characters, but did not make fun of them. He added that Nichane staff did not write any of the jokes.


The magazine apologized on public television for any offense caused. “We were not trying to offend any of our Muslim readers, and if anyone thought so then we strongly apologize, especially because we have a respectful relationship with our readers,” the magazine said in a statement.


In February, another weekly came under fire for offending religious beliefs. Le Journal Hebdomadaire accused the authorities of orchestrating protests against it for publishing a photograph of a French newspaper showing one of the controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that triggered widespread anger in the Muslim world.


CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.cpj.org/.

ICJ Book on Arab and American Journalists can fight media bias

Press ReleaseDecember 8, 2006
ICFJ Publishes Arabic Version of “Fighting Words”

Our practical handbook on how to fight stereotypes, loaded language, and other biases in media coverage now available free for journalists

Contact:
Dawn Arteaga, ICFJ Communications Manager
202.349.7624
darteaga@icfj.org

(Washington, D.C.) – “Fighting Words: How Arab and American Journalists Can Break Through to Better Coverage,” published by the International Center for Journalists in Washington, D.C., is now available in Arabic. The manual, the offshoot of a no-holds-barred conference between American and Arab journalists, identifies sources of bias in media coverage and ways to prevent it.

Coauthored by an American, Lisa Schnellinger, a media consultant in the Middle East, and an Arab, Mohannad Khatib, general manager of Jordan’s ATV, Fighting Words examines misperceptions on both sides and suggests how journalists can avoid stereotypes and other pitfalls.

“With the U.S. engaged in wars in two Muslim nations, it’s more essential than ever that the Arab and American public get the depth and nuance they need from the news media to make good judgments—rather than flip the page or turn the channel,” said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. “Superficial, biased and wildly provocative coverage, from both regions, only fans the flames.”

The manual, first published in English in September, was primarily sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. To order a copy in either language, contact publications@icfj.org, or visit www.icfj.org.

####

The International Center for Journalists , a non-profit, professional organization, promotes quality journalism worldwide in the belief that independent, vigorous media are crucial in improving the human condition.

In the past 22 years, ICFJ has worked directly with more than 20,000 journalists from more than 176 countries. Aiming to raise the standards of journalism everywhere, particularly in areas with little or no tradition of a free press, ICFJ offers hands-on training workshops, seminars, fellowships and international exchanges to reporters and media managers around the globe. For further information, visit www.icfj.org.

Interview with publisher/editor of Chicago's Arab Horizon Arab Newspaper

Amani Ghouleh, the publisher and editor of al-Offok al-Arabi (The Arab Horizon) and her husband, Abder Ghouleh, English section editor of the newspaper, are the guests on the most recent edition of 30 Minutes broadcast live on the Internet and also every Friday evening in January on Comcast Cable TV Channel 19 (8:30 PM).

30 Minutes is hosted by journalist Ray Hanania, who is also managing editor of Arab American TV Online (www.ArabAmericanTVOnline.com) which offers a wide variety of online TV programs and programming featured exclusively on Comcast Cable TV in 140 Chicagoland suburban communities.

END

Arab Journalism Scholarship launched

AAIF Launches Scholarship for Arab American Journalism Students

The Arab American Institute Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the Al Muammar Scholarships for Journalism, the most generous scholarship program of its kind offered to Arab American students.


Beginning in 2006, up to four scholarship grants, valued at $5,000 each, will be awarded to eligible Arab American college students who are majoring in journalism, as well as college seniors who have been accepted to a graduate journalism school. Awardees will be selected by a panel of judges drawn from the print and broadcast media in the United States. The initial scholarships will be for the 2006-2007 academic year with funds paid directly to the schools designated by the awardees.


The Al Muammar Scholarships were established this year by AAIF supporter Mashael Moamar in honor of her parents, Zakia and late Abdulaziz Al Muammar, who have always been strong advocates of educating women. Also noteworthy, is that Ms. Moamar’s late grandfather, Ibrahim Al Muammar, was a journalist in Egypt.


The scholarships are consistent with the goals of the AAI Foundation which include aiding Arab American youth with leadership and service programs, including awards for public and community service and Washington, D.C. internships. Therefore, the Foundation is proud to administer the Al Muammar Scholarships and thanks Mashael Moamar for her generosity.


“We are honored to have this opportunity to help channel financial aid to deserving Arab American journalism students,” AAIF Executive Director Helen Samhan said. “Our young generation has so much talent, energy and cultural perspective to offer,” Samhan continued, “that the country at large will benefit from more Arab Americans entering careers in journalism and public affairs. Mashael Moamar’s generosity could not have come at a better time.”


To be eligible, applicants of Arab descent must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled full-time in an accredited college or university in the United States. They must have a current grade point average of 3.3 or higher, and a demonstrated commitment to the field of print or broadcast journalism. An applicant’s sensitivity to Arab American issues and record of social advocacy and community involvement will also be important considerations. Applications must be postmarked by Wednesday, February 15, 2006. Awardees will be announced in May 2006.


Visit our student’s page for additional information and applications or contact AAI Program Coordinator Sabeen Altaf at (202) 429-9210. To learn more about the programs of the AAI Foundation, visit AAIF’s homepage.

Chicago Headline Club/SPJ Journalism Awards announced

Greetings from the Chicago Headline Club chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

We are now accepting nominations for our 30th annual Peter Lisagor Awards for Exemplary Journalism, the Chicago area's premier local journalism honors.

You should soon receive a nomination packet in the mail. You may also download an entry form that can be saved, filled in and printed from a computer by visiting

http://data.memberclicks.com/site/chc/lisagors07.pdf

This year, in-depth reporting prizes for daily newspapers will be issued in pairs, for circulation more and less than 300,000. Review the contest rules and categories, along with lists of past winners at

http://www.headlineclub.org/mc/page.do?sitePageId=22756

The deadline for entries is January 19, 2007. Chicago Headline Club members may submit their own work for half-price. Questions can be directed to Pat Kosar, (630) 681-9212 or

lisagor@mail.headlineclub.org.

Nominations are also open for our Ethics in Journalism Award. We encourage you to let us know if you've seen a reporter, editor or news organization performing in an ethical manner: taking personal risks by taking a stand or refusing to follow the pack. Download the nomination form at

http://data.memberclicks.com/site/chc/ethicsform.pdf

and return it to us care of our partners, Business & Professional People for the Public Interest, by February 10, 2007.Winners of the Lisagor Award and Ethics in Journalism Award will be honored at an April 27th banquet, along with the receipient of our second annual Watchdog Award for Excellence in Public Interest Reporting.

This honor, which comes with a $3,500 cash prize funded by the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, replaces our traditional "public service" Lisagor award.

More details are coming soon.

Baghdad Radio editor murdered

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465­1004 Fax: (212) 465­9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105 IRAQ: Radio station editor killed in Baghdad


New York, December 4, 2006—Unidentified gunmen killed Nabil Ibrahim al-Dulaimi, 36, a news editor for the privately-owned station Radio Dijla, shortly after he left his home in Baghdad’s al-Washash neighborhood for work today, sources at the station told the Committee to Protect Journalists.



“We offer our condolences to the family of Nabil Ibrahim al-Dulaimi,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “He was a member of what has become one of the deadliest professions in Iraq. Iraqi journalists and media staff are constantly being targeted with impunity,” he said.


Murder accounts for 69 percent of work-related deaths among journalists and media support workers in Iraq, with crossfire accounting for the rest. In all, 89 journalists, including al-Dulaimi, and 37 media support workers have been killed for their work since the the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, making it the deadliest conflict in CPJ’s 25-year history.


Radio Dijla has been targeted previously. On September 13, unidentified gunmen kidnapped Muhammad Abdul Rahman, 55, a former broadcaster for the station. He is still missing and the identity of the kidnappers is not known, according to CPJ sources.


CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.