Journalists’ Troubling, If Divided Vote on Thomas

Journalists’ Troubling, If Divided Vote on Thomas

BY CHRISTINE TATUM

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2011 09:00:00 AM Published at Falls Church News-Press

On some levels, it has been a great deal of fun to watch the Society of Professional Journalists, one of the nation's oldest and largest journalism advocacy organizations, wrestle over the fate of a lifetime achievement award it has given for more than a decade in legendary White House Correspondent Helen Thomas' name. Earlier this week, SPJ members voted by a slim margin, 85-71, to uphold a national board decision that euphemistically "retired" the award. Oh, the hand wringing leading to that decision. Let's just say that if the Anti-Defamation League launches another campaign calling for an SPJ member's head -- as it did for Thomas' last year -- the organization's national office will be prepared. The staff received training in crisis communication a few months ago. And there's now a prevailing sentiment among some of these "professional journalists" that it's not smart to name awards after living people because you never know when they're going to exercise their right to free speech in ways that make some folks plain, old mad enough not to attend award dinners. And if a prominent journalist refuses the award itself? Oh. The. Horror! On other levels, watching a bunch of journalists -- many of whom shape the nation's news and opinion -- debate Thomas' speech has been anything but amusing. Thoroughly disturbing is more like it. Take a look at how far too many SPJ members simplistically processed her remarks, and it's no wonder that Americans have - and have had for quite some time - a lopsided view of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Consider, for example, that not one person on behalf of this esteemed association ever contacted Thomas to ask questions that would help ensure her views were debated in a full and accurate context. Instead, SPJ members read to each other passages from published reports and characterized Thomas' comments from those. Frankly, they did no research of their own. So much for the Society's ethics code, which instructs journalists to "seek truth and report it," "minimize harm" and "act independently." The Israel lobby’s influence and wrath are very old news to just about every American editor. Then there were the journalists who skipped straight to charges of anti-Semitism. Never mind that Thomas has said repeatedly she is a critic not of Jewish people, but of Israel's government and of Zionist politics, which are supported by millions of people who aren't Jewish. It is entirely possible to criticize Israel's government without harboring a trace of anti-Semitism - as Israelis demonstrate every day. But that critical distinction is lost - often intentionally -- on a lot of people in the United States. Thomas' criticism of the Israel lobby's influence on American policy and commerce surely ticked off some SPJ members, but what really steamed them was her criticism of the lobby's influence on American media. Thomas has never said that influence has no place in our country; she simply wants people to be aware of it and how it potentially affects the news and opinion that shape our country's views of the Middle East. When Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas received a standing ovation in the United Nations General Assembly last week, know that many of the world leaders who jumped to their feet were reacting in part to news coverage and editorial opinions about Israel's behavior that we don't see often in the United States. The Israel lobby's influence and wrath are very old news to just about every American editor who has handled opinion pages or dealt with the public. However, only those with backbones of steel will say so outside circles of trusted colleagues. "... To discourage unfavorable reporting on Israel, groups in the lobby organize letter-writing campaigns, demonstrations and boycotts against news outlets whose content they consider anti-Israel," wrote John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt in their 2007 book, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy. The book also notes that Menachem Shalev, a former spokesman for the Israeli consulate in New York, once put it another way: "Of course a lot of self-censorship goes on. Journalists, editors and politicians are going to think twice about criticizing Israel if they know they are going to get thousands of angry calls in a matter of hours. The Jewish lobby is good at orchestrating pressure." It is a pressure 91-year-old Helen Thomas has observed for decades - and one that was applied to her when she dared to complain about it and Israel's treatment of Palestine. One would think a journalism-advocacy group would ardently defend her right to free speech and be smart enough to make many of the same distinctions between politics and people that she does. You'd think an organization like SPJ would celebrate that this pioneer in journalism has, in many respects, prompted more Americans to scrutinize one of the world's most complex and pressing problems - and our nation's role in it. Perhaps a journalism organization will be courageous and principled enough to give Helen Thomas the praise she deserves. Clearly, it's not this one. SPJ has sensitive members to soothe and polite, professional dinners to host. Christine Tatum served as 2006-07 national president of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Al Jazeera English wins New York Press Club Award

Al Jazeera English wins New York Press Club Award

13 June 2011 - New York Press Club has awarded Al Jazeera English the “Best News Videography of a Breaking Story by an Individual or Crew” in the Spot News Video category.  The award will be presented to Al Jazeera journalists Cath Turner, Alessandro Rampietti and Geoff Mills for their piece on "Haiti Cholera Protests.” 

This prestigious award recognizes the best news videography of a breaking story by an individual or crew that was shot and aired within 24 hours of the story.  It is the first time Al Jazeera English has won an award from the New York Press Club.  Entries were judged by prominent working journalists or former journalists and academics and were selected for their expertise in each category.  The crew accepted the award this evening at the New York Press Club’s annual awards gala held at the Water Club in New York City.

‘Haiti Cholera Protests’ featured reporting by Cath Turner, an Al Jazeera English reporter based in New York.  In the build-up to the first round of Haitian elections in 2010, Cath and her crew reported on the ground from Cap-Hatien.  With anti-UN protests, a deadly disease outbreak, and ongoing fallout from the earthquake and hurricane all during pre-election campaigning, Haiti was in a very critical and potentially dangerous situation.   Cath along with Alessandro and Geoff took to the streets of Haiti to bring this volatile story to Al Jazeera’s audience worldwide in real-time.

Cath Turner stated, “We are very honored to have received this award tonight.  Haiti has been such an important story for us during the recent difficulties it has been experiencing.  It means a lot to have our work recognized and appreciated as it has been tonight.”

To view ‘Haiti Cholera Protests’ please follow the below link

 http://english.aljazeera.net/video/americas/2010/11/201011198102062157.html

--ENDS--

Abbas: The Long Overdue Palestinian State

The Long Overdue Palestinian State 

By MAHMOUD ABBAS 

Ramallah, West Bank 

SIXTY-THREE years ago, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was forced to leave his home in the Galilean city of Safed and flee with his family to Syria. He took up shelter in a canvas tent provided to all the arriving refugees. Though he and his family wished for decades to return to their home and homeland, they were denied that most basic of human rights. That child’s story, like that of so many other Palestinians, is mine. 

This month, however, as we commemorate another year of our expulsion — which we call the nakba, or catastrophe — the Palestinian people have cause for hope: this September, at the United Nations General Assembly, we will request international recognition of the State of Palestine on the 1967 border and that our state be admitted as a full member of the United Nations. 

Many are questioning what value there is to such recognition while the Israeli occupation continues. Others have accused us of imperiling the peace process. We believe, however, that there is tremendous value for all Palestinians — those living in the homeland, in exile and under occupation. 

It is important to note that the last time the question of Palestinian statehood took center stage at the General Assembly, the question posed to the international community was whether our homeland should be partitioned into two states. In November 1947, the General Assembly made its recommendation and answered in the affirmative. Shortly thereafter, Zionist forces expelled Palestinian Arabs to ensure a decisive Jewish majority in the future state of Israel, and Arab armies intervened. War and further expulsions ensued. Indeed, it was the descendants of these expelled Palestinians who were shot and wounded by Israeli forces on Sunday as they tried to symbolically exercise their right to return to their families’ homes. 

Minutes after the State of Israel was established on May 14, 1948, the United States granted it recognition. Our Palestinian state, however, remains a promise unfulfilled. 

Palestine’s admission to the United Nations would pave the way for the internationalization of the conflict as a legal matter, not only a political one. It would also pave the way for us to pursue claims against Israel at the United Nations, human rights treaty bodies and the International Court of Justice. 

Our quest for recognition as a state should not be seen as a stunt; too many of our men and women have been lost for us to engage in such political theater. We go to the United Nations now to secure the right to live free in the remaining 22 percent of our historic homeland because we have been negotiating with the State of Israel for 20 years without coming any closer to realizing a state of our own. We cannot wait indefinitely while Israel continues to send more settlers to the occupied West Bank and denies Palestinians access to most of our land and holy places, particularly in Jerusalem. Neither political pressure nor promises of rewards by the United States have stopped Israel’s settlement program. 

Negotiations remain our first option, but due to their failure we are now compelled to turn to the international community to assist us in preserving the opportunity for a peaceful and just end to the conflict. Palestinian national unity is a key step in this regard. Contrary to what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel asserts, and can be expected to repeat this week during his visit to Washington, the choice is not between Palestinian unity or peace with Israel; it is between a two-state solution or settlement-colonies. 

Despite Israel’s attempt to deny us our long-awaited membership in the community of nations, we have met all prerequisites to statehood listed in the Montevideo Convention, the 1933 treaty that sets out the rights and duties of states. The permanent population of our land is the Palestinian people, whose right to self- determination has been repeatedly recognized by the United Nations, and by the International Court of Justice in 2004. Our territory is recognized as the lands framed by the 1967 border, though it is occupied by Israel. 

We have the capacity to enter into relations with other states and have embassies and missions in more than 100 countries. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union have indicated that our institutions are developed to the level where we are now prepared for statehood. Only the occupation of our land hinders us from reaching our full national potential; it does not impede United Nations recognition. 

The State of Palestine intends to be a peace-loving nation, committed to human rights, democracy, the rule of law and the principles of the United Nations Charter. Once admitted to the United Nations, our state stands ready to negotiate all core issues of the conflict with Israel. A key focus of negotiations will be reaching a just solution for Palestinian refugees based on Resolution 194, which the General Assembly passed in 1948. 

Palestine would be negotiating from the position of one United Nations member whose territory is militarily occupied by another, however, and not as a vanquished people ready to accept whatever terms are put in front of us. 

We call on all friendly, peace-loving nations to join us in realizing our national aspirations by recognizing the State of Palestine on the 1967 border and by supporting its admission to the United Nations. Only if the international community keeps the promise it made to us six decades ago, and ensures that a just resolution for Palestinian refugees is put into effect, can there be a future of hope and dignity for our people. 

Mahmoud Abbas is the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the president of the Palestinian National Authority. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/17/opinion/17abbas.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212 

Society of Professional Journalists members draft resolution to restore the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award

This resolution will be presented to the Convention of the Society of Professional Journalists for a vote to restore the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award. The resolution has been drafted and endorsed by many members of the SPJ dissatisfied with the failure of some of the SPJ's national leadership.

A resolution reinstating the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award

WHEREAS the Society of Professional Journalists has been awarding the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement award since 2000, with the inaugural award presented to Thomas in recognition of her long and distinguished journalism career, and

WHEREAS the SPJ national board voted in January to retire that award in a special telephone meeting with three-minute time limits on board-member comments and no advance consultation with chapters or national mission committees, and

WHEREAS the national board retired the award without undertaking any substantive discussions with Thomas to clarify her remarks, and

WHEREAS the board's vote to retire the award followed discussion within the national leadership occasioned by Thomas's exercise of free expression as a private individual, specifically -- as reported by SPJ's president -- because she "made comments some find objectionable in a prepared speech," and

WHEREAS SPJ, in a press release before the board vote, said the Executive Committee "condemn[s] [Thomas's] statements in December as offensive and inappropriate," and

WHEREAS the Society has for many years encouraged the vigorous exercise of freedom of expression and repeatedly warned against the dangers of content-based and viewpoint-based restrictions on free speech, regardless of whether some might deem the speech offensive, objectionable or inappropriate, and

WHEREAS SPJ presents other highly coveted awards named for individuals, living and dead, that have not been similarly subjected to heightened scrutiny and reconsideration based on the personal views of the people in whose honor they were named, and

WHEREAS some SPJ national leaders have argued that future potential recipients of the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award might misinterpret the Society's intent in naming the award in honor of Thomas's career achievements in journalism,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the delegates of the Society direct national officers and staff to:

* Restore the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award, effective December 1, 2011, and

* Accompany all promotional materials for the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award with the following language:

"The Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual or individuals for a career of extraordinary service to journalism and the journalism profession. The award is named after longtime White House correspondent Helen Thomas for her tenacious and illuminating reporting over a period of more than 55 years. The award is the highest the Society bestows for distinguished journalism careers and, in keeping with its guiding principles, is presented without regard for the personal views held or expressed by any past or future recipient."


end

Proud to have served as the emcee for the Gala Dinner of Life for Relief

I was honored to serve on Friday as the emcee for a phenomenal Gala Dinner to celebrate the 18 years of great work by Life for Relief in Dearborn on Friday night (before the NAAJA 6^th Annual Journalism Conference at the Hyatt which began Saturday). Life for Relief (www.lifeusa.org) does so much great charitable work. And while the dinner was packed with supporters, the biased and unfair mainstream American media was down the street covering the vicious hatred of Terry Jones who did his best to provoke with his hatred violence from the people of Dearborn. Terry Jones was a major story for the media but none of the mainstream media covered the Life for Relief dinner and their achievements, one of the major problems making the American news media more and more irrelevant. The mainstream media ignores the achievements of all Muslim and Arab organizations but always focuses on the negative and the conflict. 

NAAJA (www.NAAJA-US.com) will help change that pattern of unprofessionalism from the media.

Please take a moment to view this YouTube video by Life for Relief’s Ayman Aburahma which detailed some of the great charitable work they do across the globe helping families, mothers, children, the elderly and everyone in need.

Life for Relief video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSGaAS74AOU

Thanks so much

Ray Hanania

www.Hanania.com

NAAJA Dearborn Journalism Conference recap

I wanted to share with you the wonderful support letter that NAAJA received from the prestigious Washington Arab American Journalists Association. The letter is below. NAAJA officially recognizes Mohamad Dalbah and the WAAJ as our official Washington DC sister organization and will be working and networking with them in the future to organize a journalism conference there soon.

Our 6^th annual convention was an amazing success. Presented several 2011 NAAJA Excellence in Journalism Awards and scholarships totaling $2,000 to three students:

2011 EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARDS

George Hishmeh, Washington DC based syndicated columnist and journalist ... He worked at the Chicago sun times steer arriving in the us in 1968 and a few years later was hired by the Washington post ... Born in Nazareth, Palestine, George Hishmeh is an example of how American Arabs can walk through the door and in to journalism careers ... So for his years of service, NAAJA is proud to present George Hishmeh with the 2011 NAAJA excellence in journalism award

Laila Diab ... Laila Diab has been working in journalism and communications for nearly 30 years, writing stories about American Arabs in Chicago and across the nation ... She is an educator and a volunteer to help young people better understand in Chicago how they can be more successful in life. NAAJA is proud to present the 2011 excellence in journalism to Laila Diab

Delinda Hanley, editor, The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs is one of the most important American Arab magazines in the country. It is the one magazine that offers news and facts that are often Intentionally excluded from the coverage of the American Arab and Muslim community. Delinda Hanley has dedicated much of her life working for the Washington report which is celebrating 29 years in publication, working as the news editor. NAAJA is proud to present the 2011 excellence in journalism to Delinda Hanley for her dedicated to accuracy and professional journalism.

Christine Tatum, for SPJ President: The society of professional journalists is the leading professional journalism organizations in the world. It has more than 10,000 members working in print, broadcast and online media. For years, the SPJ has supported inclusion of American Arabs and one of the people who helped facilitate American Arab involvement ... Bringing true diversity to a fully un-diverse profession is Christine Tatum who as national SPJ president helped launched the Arab section of the organization in 2007-2008. Last year, her successor unilaterally shut that section down without ever contacting our group ... A pattern in the SPJ that is unfortunate and wrong ... For her leadership and dedication to diversity and for supporting the rights of American Arabs NAAJA is proud to present the 2011 excellence in journalism award to Christine Tatum.

SCHOLARSHIPS ... Presented by Rehab Amer, and NAAJA Coordinator Reima Abuarabi

1 --​​  Batoul  Baidoun, Presented by Rehab Amer; Star International Academy, High school senior. Batoul's academic counselor is Hutham Tankersley. Batoul received a scholarship for $1,000. Batoul wrote about the role of the new media and the tragedy of Rehab Amber and the adoption of HB 4118                                                    Sponsored by Dr. Nazer Abdel-Fattah

2 --  Fadel Nabilsi, of Central Academy, Ann Arbor, MI received a scholarship for $500. Fadel wrote about the tragedy of the family of Rehab Amber and HB 4118 the Amer act. Sponsored by Nina Sky Productions (Nina Bazzy).  Fadel's instructor is Tahani Dari, who is the assessment coordinator and career adviser ...                                                                                                              

3 -- Ali Ghandour ... His career counselor is Hutham Tankersley; He is a high school senior at Star International Academy. He received a scholarship for $500 and wrote an essay about the tragedy of Rehab Amer and the Amer Act HB 4118. Sponsored by NAAJA. The Star International Academy is headed by Nawal Hamady. There are several schools in their group

Note: Central academy Ann arbor is a part of global educational excellence ... And we thank Mohammed Issa for all the work he does at global educational excellence and for supporting this conference and our students. We also had entries from many other students and institutions including universal academy ... And also from the University of Michigan scholarships to high school seniors:

We had more than 130 students attend the conference in addition to about 100 full registration attendees and more than 50 speakers on 12 panels. The students were sponsored by Mohamed Issa (65 students) and Ziyad Brothers Importing (65 students).

Dignitaries included:

- Dearborn Mayor the Honorable Jack O'Reilly who spoke forcefully about the racism of Terry Jones and the ridiculous hate claims by bigots that Dearborn is the center of Sharia Law.

- Wayne County Executive the Honorable Robert A. Ficano congratulated NAAJA and the scholarship winners.

- U.S. Rep. the Honorable John Dingell (15th) congratulated NAAJA and the scholarship winners.

Our Keynote speakers were:

- Lawrence Pintak, author "The New Arab Journalist”

- Mohamed Abdel Dayem, Middle East & North Africa Program Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists

At the end of the program, I performed standup comedy, (raking Ikhras and KabobFest across the coals) to thunderous laughter.

And phenomenal Middle Eastern music was provided by the Usama Blabaki orchestra

Our emcee was Warren David. The Detroit Chapter of NAAJA including Laila alhusinni, our chapter coordinator, and NAAJA staff Sameh Alhady, Reima Abouarabi, Zena Zahr, Saira Mussani and Areej Kattan, organized the event at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn. More than 35 organizations sponsored the dinner.

RAY HANANIA

www.NAAJA-US.com

WAAJ Letter

April 29, 2011

Dear members of NAAJA

Dear Ray

It is with profound honor and pride that we at Washington Association of Arab Journalists (WAAJ) congratulate you and the NAAJA members as well as the Arab community in Dearborn for making this conference a success.

We at WAAJ consider NAAJA a sister organization that represents journalists of Arab heritage across the nation.  WAAJ on the other hand is a representative of Arab and Arab –American journalists in the Washington D.C area.  Our institution represents newspapers and Satellite channels that transmit from the Arab World into and outside the Arab world.

With this in mind, we at WAAJ hope and aspire that we can join forces with NAAJA to build a much bigger and stronger organization that will represent us all.

A new organization that will have NAAJA’s grass root national presence and WAAJ’s Washington and the Arab world strong presence will be the best hope to defend our members’ rights and above all present the story and the perspective of the Arab world in this country.

Ray, as a “historic figure” in the Chicago Arab press and media, you know how important for our community and its institutions to speak in one voice and to be represented by strong institutions. Therefore, my friend, let’s put our hands together and start working together.

In closing, we, again, congratulate you and Liala Hussini for your hard work and efforts to make this conference a success and our hope and goal that by next year, conference there will one big organization that represent us all, and we all will be in one conference.

Thank you so much and God Bless all of you

Yours truly

Mohammad Dalbah

President

Congratulatory letter to NAAJA from the esteemed Washington Arab Journalists Association

April 29, 2011

Dear members of NAAJA

Dear Ray

It is with profound honor and pride that we at Washington Association of Arab Journalists (WAAJ) congratulate you and the NAAJA members as well as the Arab community in Dearborn for making this conference a success.

We at WAAJ consider NAAJA a sister organization that represents journalists of Arab heritage across the nation.  WAAJ on the other hand is a representative of Arab and Arab –American journalists in the Washington D.C area.  Our institution represents newspapers and Satellite channels that transmit from the Arab World into and outside the Arab world.

With this in mind, we at WAAJ hope and aspire that we can join forces with NAAJA to build a much bigger and stronger organization that will represent us all.

A new organization that will have NAAJA’s grass root national presence and WAAJ’s Washington and the Arab world strong presence will be the best hope to defend our members’ rights and above all present the story and the perspective of the Arab world in this country.

Ray, as a “historic figure” in the Chicago Arab press and media, you know how important for our community and its institutions to speak in one voice and to be represented by strong institutions. Therefore, my friend, let’s put our hands together and start working together.

In closing, we, again, congratulate you and Liala Hussini for your hard work and efforts to make this conference a success and our hope and goal that by next year, conference there will one big organization that represent us all, and we all will be in one conference.

Thank you so much and God Bless all of you

Yours truly

Mohammad Dalbah

President

First night of NAAJA 2011 Conference -- Life for Relief Gala Dinner, Shatilla's Bakery and more

Drove from Chicago to Dearborn (4 1/2 hours) and then worked with Laila and Reema to help organize the Welcome Reception Tables ... lots of people expected. Set up the boards, reception tables, Panel Room Posters. Too much work goes in to a conference.

One typo in the program book -- I hate typos. Laura Fawaz is a graduate from Oakland University not Wayne State University. We had it right on the Speaker's Bios Page but not on the Program Panel Page. Sorry Laura.

Octavia Nasr is now following my Tweets. Her story and the story of Helen Thomas are among the topics to be discussed on a panel featuring journalists Lloyd Weston and Christine Tatum, the former president of the SPJ. We reached out to Octavia and Helen to try to get them to speak at the conference.

I was invited to serve as the emcee for the Life for Relief Gala Dinner project tonight so I had to run there and manage their wonderful program. Life for Relief is one of the pre-eminent charitable organizations in the country. one of the best actually. They are devout Muslims and their respect and tolerance for others is a model for everyone to follow. Their work on behalf of orphans and those in need around the world is phenomenal.

Afterwards, we went to Shatilla's Bakery on Warren Avenue to have Knaffa. Joining us included Delinda Hanley from the Washington Repor ton Middle East Affairs, columnist George Hishmeh, publisher Mansour Tadros, writers Amani Ghouleh and Laila Diab, and two great friends from Bridges TV, its president Hunaid M. Baliwala and their marketing director Mohamed Numan Ali joined us. Lots of fun.

-- Ray Hanania
www.NAAJA-US.com
 

Dearborn Arab Journalism Conference features local leaders and journalists from across country

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                 Ray Hanania

APRIL 28, 2011                                                                                 rayhanania@comcast.net

                                                                                                                                    Laila alhusinni

                                                                                                            lealhusinni@yahoo.com

Dearborn Arab Journalism Conference features

local leaders and journalists from across country

Chicago/Detroit – Journalists from across the country will join more than 300 attendees and 120 students at a weekend-long conference to address challenges facing the nation’s American Arab and Muslim community in the decade since the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Welcoming the attendees at the 6^th Annual Conference of the National American Arab Journalists Association at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan beginning Friday April 29 are Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, and Congressmen John Conyers Jr., and John Dingell.

Keynote speakers at the Saturday Gala dinner include Mohamed Abdel Dayem of the Committee to Protect Journalists and author Lawrence Pintak (“The New Arab Journalist”). The luncheon speaker Saturday is veteran journalist and columnist George Hishmeh. Warren David president of the highly popular online media site, ArabDetroit.com, is the evening’s emcee. Middle East entertainment will be provided by the Usama Balbaki Orchestra and award winning journalist Ray Hanania, columnist for Creators Syndicate, will provide laughter offering his special brand of Palestinian American Comedy.

The evening will feature the presentation of the first annual NAAJA Journalism Scholarships to three high school students pursuing careers in journalism or communications. More than 120 students are being sponsored courtesy of several sponsors including Ziyad Brothers Importing.

Twelve panels beginning Saturday morning at 9 am in two rooms will address a wide range of issues including the pro-Democracy protests sweeping the Arab World, the struggle for freedom by Palestinians, the challenges facing American Arab newspaper publishers, techniques for using social and online media, immigration reform, healthcare issues, civil rights in the 10 years since Sept. 11, and how to tell the American Arab and Muslim story to mainstream Americans.

A panel will also discuss the growing challenges facing American Arabs in journalism reviewing the assaults on Octavia Nasr and Helen Thomas, while another will explore U.S. Policy in the Middle Eat with the State Department’s Near Affairs Director of Public Diplomacy Phil Frayne and journalists George Hishmeh and Ali Younes.

The complete program is available online at www.NAAJA-US.com.

“We are very excited to have everyone that counts in American Arab and Muslim journalism attending this conference,” said Conference Coordinator and NAAJA Detroit organizer Laila alhusinni. “Everyone and anyone who fashions themselves as a journalist and who cares about the future of American Arabs and Muslims will be at this three-day conference.”

Ms. Alhusinni, co-host of the weekly morning radio show Radio Baladi simulcast live on radio in Chicago on WJJG AM 1530 and in Detroit on WNZK AM 690, said the conference will also present four NAAJA Excellence in Journalism Awards.

“We are honored to have so many high quality professional journalists speaking at this event,” said Hanania, who is a political columnist with the Southwest News-Herald and Lawndale News in Chicago, and with the Jerusalem Post Newspaper and PalestineNote.com. Hanania is the national coordinator for NAAJA.

Panel speakers at the conference on Saturday include:

- Suzanne Manneh, New America Media

- Hunaid M. Baliwala, President, Bridges TV

- Stephen Franklin, former Chicago Tribune Middle East correspondent, reporter Detroit Free Press now director of Ethnic Media for the Chicago Community Media Workshop

- Ginnnah Muhammad, radio talkshow host

- Stephen Coats, Sabeel Media

- Weam Namu, journalist

- Brian Bowe, visiting assistant professor of journalism in Grand Valley State University's School of Communications

- Geri Alumit Zeldes, assistant professor in the School of Journalism at Michigan State University

- Ali Beydoun, Arab American Student Union, Wayne State University

- Laura Fawaz, photographer, journalism graduate, Oakland University

- Delia Habhab, Wayne State University Communications graduate

- Faiz Ahmed, Editor-in-Chief of the East West Link newspaper, and studies at Oakland University

- Peter J. Hammer, Prof. of Civil Rights, Wayne State Uni.

- Ron Scott, radio talk show host

- Imad Hamad, ADC Michigan

- Dawud Walid, Executive Director of CAIR Michigan

- Hasan Nawash, Palestine Center Dearborn

- Janice Milhem, president of Milhem Images, Inc.

- Barbara Harvey, Jewish Voice for Peace, Detroit Chapter board member

- Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire

- Gregg Krupa, editor and reporter at newspapers and magazines in New York City, Boston, Detroit and Providence, Rhode Island

- Niraj Warikoo, reporter, Detroit Free Press

- Joe Grimm is a professor of media at Michigan State University, former editor, recruiter at the Detroit Free Press

- Roop Raj, reporter Fox 2 News Mornings in Detroit

- Oralandar Brand-Williams, Detroit News reporter

- Steven N. Garmo, Esq. Attorney & Counselor at Law, Law Offices of Garmo & Associates, P.C.

- Marshal E. Hyman, Esq. Attorney specializing in Immigration and Nationality Law

- Lena Masri, Esq. immigration attorney

- Charlie Langdon, news analyst for Fox News

- Renée Ahee, APR, Facilitator and presenter, Executive Director, National Arab American Medical Association

- Ahmad Adam, President/CEO and Founder of Crescent Foods

- Dr. Raymond Hilu, internal medicine specialist at St. John Health System and a teaching physician, has confirmed his participation.

- Cindy Goodaker, executive editor of Crain’s Detroit Business, has confirmed her participation.

- Kim Koslowski, Journalist, the Detroit News

- Christine Tatum, former President of the Society of Professional Journalists

- Lloyd Weston, journalist and Wayne State University alumni

- Peter Wirth, President GW Associates, Washington DC

- Mansour Tadros, al-Mustaqbal Chicago

- Warren David, ArabDetroit.com

- Khalil Ramal, Veteran journalist and reporter covering Detroit and the Middle East

- Delinda C. Hanley, news editor, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs

- Phil Frayne, Director, Office of Press and Public Diplomacy, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, US State Department

- Ali Younes, Washington DC based columnist

- George Hishmeh, award winning journalist

More than 35 organizations, businesses and journalism associations are co-sponsoring the conference.

NAAJA also hosts the new Arab American News Wire (www.ArabAmericanNewsWire.com) which will pay freelance writers to write news and feature stories about American Arab and Muslim communities that will be distributed free-of-charge to American Arab and Muslim publications and media.

A limited number of registrations will be accepted at the conference.

# # #

Al Jazeera celebrates one million Facebook fans

Al Jazeera celebrates one million Facebook fans

Doha, Qatar, 28 April, 2011 - Al Jazeera is proud to announce that it has reached more than one million fans on its Arabic Facebook page making it the first and only Arabic news channel to do so. 

Al Jazeera has been particularly praised for its social media efforts in recent months. The network's new media team has been seen as crucial in both newsgathering and news broadcasting during the Arab uprisings. Fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter have increased dramatically during this period.

Al Jazeera’s Head of Social Media, Riyaad Minty, stated: “This is a huge moment for us. The really wonderful thing has been that these numbers have been achieved organically till now – we have not invested huge amounts of money in building this fanbase.

“I can remember first launching the page in 2009, and watching it grow has been phenomenal.  At that time it was seen as a somewhat strange move, but as we can see from this milestone, the page is central to our output.

“We want to continue to grow. Across all of our Facebook pages, including the English one, we have over two million fans in total. Our presences on YouTube are amongst the most popular channels there.”

[ENDS]

Notes

A picture of Al Jazeera's social media team celebrating with a specially branded cake is available on request from saeedo[AT] al jazeera.net

Links:

Al Jazeera Arabic on Facebook www.facebook.com/aljazeerachannel

Al Jazeera English on Facebook  www.facebook.com/aljazeera

Diversity still lags in Newsrooms, and American Arabs still targeted for exclusion

Diversity is a major ingredient of good journalism. While a journalist's skills and training are important to writing and producing a good news or feature story, it turns out that diversity is a key ingredient to insure that the news reporting covers all of the angles. It turns out that a reporter's personal experiences often open doors that might not otherwise be open to other reporters when covering any story. When the door is not opened, no one except those from the community involved would know that the door remains closed. In other words, journalism benefits from diversity and the goal of presenting the most accurate and complete story also suffer when diversity is limited.

The ket to remember is that as a journalist, your personal experience is important. They say a reporter should never interject their own personal opinion in to a story. But the reality is that reporters do interject their opinions in the story by the way they come to decide what to include in it. In reality, what happens is that a reporter is really injecting what they "know" in to the story, more than their personal opinions in to the story. And what they "know" sometimes is important to a story's accuracy and completeness.

Mainstream American journalists continue to fall short in their coverage of American Arabs and Muslims. They have turned what they do coverage in to a religious story, merging the words "Arab" and "Muslim" into synonymous meanings, which they should not do. There are 4.5 million Arabs in the United States and only 45 percent are actually Muslim (Sunni or less, Shiíte). There are about 7 million Muslims in the United States and only 22 percent are actually Arab. The largest group is African American Muslim followed by South Asian Muslims.

In other words, most Muslims are NOT Arab and Most Arabs are not Muslims. So why treat them the same? Expediency? Convenience? But more importantly, because of the lack of diversity. Most non-Arabs or non-Muslims would not realize the distinction. So their coverage reflects an inaccurate premise. That in turn creates a false knowledge about Arabs and Muslims, and feeds into the stereotypes about each group. In the end, the American public is less informed than they could be and as a result might embrace decisions that wrongly deal with issues involving Arabs, Muslims or the Middle East or the Muslim World. American foreign policy could be skewered because we have made the wrong decisions based on the lack of accurate information or factual knowledge.

And you know something, that is a tragedy, because the Middle East is one of the most important topics in our country. It has the most impact on our lives. It consumes much of our time. So why wouldn't we want to be accurate about understanding the Middle East?

That's where diversity in the news room comes in, and why many editors and publishers who are more political than the politicians they cover, want to keep Arabs and Muslims out of the mainstream media.

Their idea of diversity is to only embrace the accepted groups such as Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. They don't want Arabs and Muslims helping the journalism professional to make the accurate decisions about the world events around us because they want to manipulate those events and can do a better job when not all of the accurate facts are known.

Knowledge is power, but so is the ability to control knowledge which is also a power, too. If you can control and manipulate knowledge and facts, you can control and manipulate the mainstream public.

Groups exist to champion these issues. UNITY: Journalists of Color is one group. But Minorities and special interest ethnic groups often find themselves competing for bread crumbs in the larger society, so they find themselves in rivalries for what little power they can get and share. UNITY includes Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans, but they have done everything they could to exclude Arabs and Muslims from participating as equal numbers and equal partners at the table.

There is only so much "food" to share and only so many chairs at the table. To let in other groups would dilute the influence and presence of those already at the table, like Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. So there is a hostility not only from the mainstream Americans in journalism but also from those minorities that have already "made it."

Worse is that fact that the situation of diversity in mainstream journalism is pathetic. The idea is that a good goal would be to achieve a balance where minorities and ethnic groups have a presence in professional journalism equal to their presence in society. What percentage are Blacks, for example, of the larger mainstream society? They should have that presence (or close to it) in order to insure that professional journalism reflects the concerns, interests and priorities of Blacks in their coverage.

When an ethnic group is not represented, professional journalism is that much less professional. Let's use Blacks as a theoretical example for the sake of argument.

We know that the experiences of African Americans in this country is important. It can be a negative story where Blacks are blamed for crimes, and undesirable events. These negative stories would dominate the media coverage of the Black community and the impression conveyed would be that Blacks are a problem as a community.

Without Blacks working in the mainstream news media, professional journalism, that is how the media would see Blacks, as a negative story covered only when bad things happens and when Blacks are viewed as the cause of the problems.

But, when we include Blacks in professional media, we start to see another aspect, one that Blacks themselves are helping to define. A positive side to the Black community, one that offers insight in to the issues being covered that drives down the idea that they are a "negative" story and that includes other stories about their successes, achievements, contributions to society and positive news that helps the rest of the country see a true picture of African Americans.

They are not all bad.

It's amazing that even has to be stated.

They are not all bad.

Every community has bad, and good. But when you do not have a seat at the journalism table, the ability to see the "good" is skewered and fogged and not immediately clear. You see the bad and you rarely see the good. The "bad" is thrust ons societies. The "good" has to be mined, found through a specific effort and work.

Replace Blacks with Arabs and you see the problem. The mainstream media does a poor job of covering American Arabs because Arabs are excluded from the journalism profession.

A PEW Research survey from 2010 showed that only 13.26 percent of the more than 41,500 working journalists are "minorities."  The term "minority" is even narrowly defined to include only those identified by UNITY, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans.

Worse, is the fact that the professional organizations which are sentinels to these issues also lack diversity. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) for example has no American Arabs on their national board or on any elected or appointed authority position. Of their many local chapters of the SPJ (Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, etc) there are no American Arabs in elected positions and maybe a few on local committees.

So how does the SPJ represent the issues of journalists when they don't have participation from everyone, especially the one community which is a part of the major news stories that have fixated the attention of this country?

I'm compelled to run for the national board of the SPJ as an at-large director. The purpose is to impose myself on an incomplete system to force the SPJ and thereby force professional journalism to be professional by helping them to achieve a true state of diversity, or at least to get closer to being truly diverse.

If the organizations and watchdogs of journalism don't think it is important -- like PEW or Poynter for example -- that makes it an even worse problem. They don't see the problem. Or, maybe PEW and Poynter are ignoring the problem because none of their writers, educators, professional journalists are Arab or Muslim. When you are not at a table, you are pushed aside. You are not recognized as being a part of the team that addresses the issues. You are excluded form the national voice and the discussions and the talk and the meetings and therefore you are excluded from the process of making the situation better.

That needs to change. Not just because it is the right thing to do for American Arabs and Muslims, but because it is the right thing to do for America and for professional journalism.


Maybe I can either change it, or prompt other American Arabs and Muslims to do the same. Maybe I can prompt other American Arabs and Muslims to also join the SPJ and make change from inside the organization. Entering a hostile organization is in fact the best way to change that hostility. The best way to get something to change is to be involved in that something. That has always been my role as one of the few American Arabs in professional journalism, since 1976. The web site of the Society of Professional Journalists is www.SPJ.org. I hope you will join SPJ and join the fight to make the voice of professional journalism more representative, and to counter the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim voices that have had free reign to do what they want to keep us out.

-- Ray Hanania
www.NAAJA-US.com

State Department official to present at Arab Journalism Conference Phil Frayne will review events sweeping the Middle East

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                       Ray Hanania

APRIL 13, 2011                                                                                  rayhanania  @  comcast.net

                                                                                                                        Laila alhusinni

                                                                                                            lealhusinni@yahoo.com

State Department official to present at Arab Journalism Conference
Phil Frayne will review events sweeping the Middle East

Chicago/Detroit – U.S. State Department official Phil Frayne will join a panel discussion at the 6^th Annual National American Arab Journalism Association convention addressing changes in the Middle East and American foreign policy.

Frayne, the Director of the Office of Press and Public Diplomacy for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, will join professional American Arab journalists George Hishmeh and Ali Younes during the panel which is one of 12 panels that will be presented on Saturday April 30, 2011 during the conference program.

Titled “American Arab Journalism 10 Years since Sept. 11^th Strengthening our role in educating the American Public & the Arab World,” the 2011 NAAJA Journalism Conference will closely examine the challenges facing American Arabs in the decade since the terrorism attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“We’re very excited to have Mr. Frayne join our distinguished panels of speakers that will be presented in two separate conference rooms all day on Saturday during the conference,” said NAAJA National coordinator Ray Hanania.

“Mr. Frayne joins a panel of American Arab journalists who will discuss with attendees issues such as Arab world coverage of the pro-Democracy movements, the factors pushing for the change, and the challenges facing American Arab journalists seeking to educate the American public on Middle East issues.”

Mr. Hishmeh, an award winning veteran journalist and former president of the Washington Arab Journalism Association, will also offer special insights at a luncheon earlier in the day. The keynote speakers at the Gala Dinner that evening include Mohamed Abdel Dayem, Middle East & North Africa Program Coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Lawrence Pintak, the author of the new book “The New Arab Journalist.”

The conference emcee this year is Warren David, president of ArabDetroit.com. The dinner will also feature a presentation on the civil rights challenges since Sept. 11.

Other panels will explore issues ranging from the attacks against American Arab journalists Helen Thomas and Octavia Nasr to the controversy surrounding the release of the movie Miral. A complete listing of panels are online on the official conference web site at:

www.NAAJA-US.com

Click the Conference Drop Down Menu and select 2011 Dearborn Conference at the top of the website.

“American Arab journalists are under siege,” observed alhusinni. “From Helen Thomas to Octavia Nasr, we are being targeted because of what we represent. And, what we represent is a determination to insure that the mainstream news media is fair, accurate and includes the voices of American Arabs and Muslims in their daily reporting. That doesn’t always happen.”

The conference goals are to strengthen the growing network of American Arab Journalists, NAAJA and help launch more chapter networks in other cities. Currently, NAAJA has more than 300 members – there is no fee to join – and has five chapters including in Chicago, Dearborn, Washington D.C., Oregon and Austin.

NAAJA will also recognize three students with scholarships ranging from $1,000 to two $500 awards. NAAJA is dedicated to supporting young American Arabs to help them pursue careers in journalism.

More than 20 organizations and businesses and journalism associations are co-sponsoring the conference.

NAAJA also hosts the new Arab American News Wire (www.ArabAmericanNewsWire.com) which will pay freelance writers to write news and feature stories about American Arab and Muslim communities that will be distributed free-of-charge to American Arab and Muslim publications and media.

Registration is only $75 per person ($55 for students) and includes lunch and dinner plus full access to all panels on Saturday and the Saturday night Gala Banquet. The Hyatt is offering a special room rate of only $89 per night for conference attendees.

To register online or to get more information, please visit the official web page of NAAJA at www.NAAJA-US.com.  A link to the Dearborn conference, and past conferences, will direct you to registration.

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