has passed and what was once described by former egyptian dictates office nevada, as a tiny much box is now a global media empire whose flame continues to burn as a beacon free press in a region that has never needed its more jamal al jazeera doha. ah, this is al jazeera, these are the headlines president joe biden has told the cop 26 summit. us is committed to action on climate change, not just words. fighting must prove to world leaders that washington is once again, reliable partner. us temporarily left the 2015 paris agreements under former president trump. we just were planning for both short term sprint to 302030. that will keep 1.5 degrees celsius in ridge and for

a marathon that will take us, take us to the finish line and transform the largest economy in the world into a thriving, innovative, equitable, and just clean energy engine of net 0 for an a 0 world that's why today i'm releasing the u. s. long term strategy, which presents a vision of achieving the united states goal of ned 0 mission and economy wide by no later than 2050. i would addiction to fossil fools is pushing humanity to the bidding. we face us thought choice, either we stop it or it stops us. and it's time to say enough enough of built the lising biodiversity enough of killing though ourselves. we've carbon enough of t thing. nature like a toilet enough of burning and leaving and minding,

go away deeper. we are digging our own grades. 5000000 people have no died from covered 19 but the world health organization estimates the actual figure . it feels 3 times higher. at least one person is dead after a 21 story building collapsed in nigeria, city of legals, it's believe 50 people are shots. his side officials have been trying to demolish a retrofit unsafe buildings with an ac. have been demolished this year. the us supreme court is hearing arguments about an abortion law and texas, the regulation effectively benz terminations. once a fetal heart detected, it's been an effect for september that hundreds of sizes of process that again fit across the country. and those are the headlines they withers and i was 0 inside story is up next ah

$425.00. he is a beacon of balanced and uncompromising journalism in the middle east, with a bold goal to be the voice of the voiceless. but what does the future hold out of the or a media network and journalism and how is the media landscape changed? this is inside story. ah hello, welcome to the program. i'm adrian finnegan. it was established 25 years ago to give a voice to the voiceless around the world. the out of here a network has questioned leaders, angered politicians, and tackle topics often seen as to boot. but the path to become the 1st use channel

in the arab world to tell the human story has come with many risks. dangers ranged from having to close its offices, bureau and high risk regions to them even being bombed, at least 11 employees have been killed while reporting facts on the ground. many of its journalists, civil, so been detained and tortured, but the organization that began in 1996 as an arab language news channel has never stopped growing the acting director general of al jazeera media network, mustafah zerg, reflects now on its history and place among the world's media, the go to was to create a channel and media center. that would be more like the bbc. that was the model of that type. a media that is free, independent, brave. bring the truth to the people,

to the people in the middle east. because at that time, media in the middle east was under the control of the government or over and in many ways it's still that way. and it used to be the spoke us person, the mouthpiece of the government. and people actually lost every faith in that kind of media. does either want to create want to create a content to present content, to it's audience that would bring faith the media. and that's what happen to bring knowledge to the people. true information. and with the hope that that would create a new media culture out 0, tomato shall take a look back now at the history of the media network. ah, at the time of its launch in 1996, all jazeera was seen by many is merely

a drop in a media ocean dominated by mostly western news channels and outlets. 25 years later, that drop has caused ripples the world over forcing astronomy of change across the globe. before al jazeera launched, the arab wald enjoyed little if any media freedom, citizens from iraq to mauritania, were told what to think and say, through state or channels that focused on glorifying their leaders. whilst ignoring the concerns of ordinary people. but when the channel began broadcasting under the slogans of the opinion and the other opinion and the voice of the voiceless, it's earned the respect and recognition of millions and it's viewership rocketed. while most media outlets were embedded with american and british forces during the occupation of iraq, all jesse were reported the otherwise untold story of the human cost of the war. as it had done before and i've got to stand. but this came at a heavy price. odyssey ra journalists were injured, arrested,

and even killed. among them thought of a you who was killed by us strike on the capital. baghdad in illegally occupied palestine, al jazeera, has always been present. it's cameras broadcasting the daily struggles of palestinians living under is radio occupation correcting a narrative. the previous you fail to tell that side of the story killed by the israeli army. from the 2nd intifada to the attack on an 8th flotilla headed to the besieged, gaza strip. and until the recent war in 2021, the network has reported the story from all sides and angle. again, this resulted in its offices in gaza, being bombed this time by the israeli army, live on tv in early 2011. and that's where the motto, being the voice of the voiceless, crystallized, arab capital of the arab capital, erupted with anger. and millions of people took to the streets, demanding freedom, justice and a better life. these are the people i'll do. 0 was on the ground reporting life

while local, regional, and even some international channels failed to acknowledge the historic protests that became known as the arab spring. all the while the network remained loyal to its other motto, giving time to everyone, including the regimes that were cracking down on their own people in 2017, and a testament to how influential al jazeera had become a blockade on thought was imposed by egypt saudi arabia, bucklin and the united arab emirates, they insisted the channel must be shut down for the blockade to be lifted. a demand rejected by cutters, leader whose country hosts the network. so you're not going to shut down. i didn't know when i the country's ruler sticking to the commitments made by his father on the day the channel was launched back in 1996 and rest assured the channels freedom will not be restricted politically. it'll be a platform for every opinion. what started off as an arabic language channel 25

years ago is now a global media networks that includes 5 different channels. several websites and a plethora of digital platforms, all have cemented themselves as leaders in their field. all of them seeking the human story and striving to speak truth to power. a quarter of a century has passed and what was once described by form, adrian dictates. office nemo bought as a tiny much box is now a global media empire who's flame continues to burn as a beacon free press in a region that has never needed. it's more dramatic y'all, i just had a doha the. so let's bring it our guests. joining us from here in bo hi is colored out via who's a political cartoonist focusing on the arab spring and freedom of expression from a man. we're joined by at the old could top who's a journalist and board member of the international press institute. and scott lucas

is in birmingham, he's a political analyst and a meritus professor of american studies of the university of public a welcome to all of you. i'm going to begin his discussion with the kind of question that i'd normally reserved for the end of inside story and what i don't want it to be entirely self congratulatory. it is our 25th anniversary. so i'd like to know from each of you what al jazeera means to you personally, why is it become important to you? and what impact is it had on, on people and society where you're from scott? well, a few years before i was 0 was created, 996. i was struck by another cable l. cnn whose motto at the time of the 1991, iraq war was we keep america on top of the world. now, i am a great deal, respect for cnn. i've worked with cnn. have a great deal of respect for the b, b,

c. but by and large, the international media world for many people was of a prison seen through prism same through us and u. k. outlets or possibly european outlets that creation of al jazeera 1st alger arabic than algeria, english opened up the media space that open up the media space. in part, as you mentioned in your introduction, simply because eric communities, where was their voice out to the world, where was their voice about their own communities. but then also the notion of algebra or arabic, then out your english reporting from the ground up. that you didn't have to think of africa with middle east or latin america 1st and foremost, as a playground of washington or london or mosse for beijing. that was important. this isn't to say that i was there english despite all your best efforts has always given voice to the voiceless. but it has had that intent since the 1900 ninety's. and just to have that goal,

especially because the 21st century world. as we're seeing today with issues like climate change, the pandemic as well as conflict. those conflicts are becoming even more damaging. we need more and more voices, which simply are recognizing the human cost as well as the human aspiration, rather than representing $1.00 country or one states pointing to a top point of view towed. what does elsie remain here? what impact has it had on journalism in the middle east and north africa? people in the region now more informed as, as more of the regions journalists have sought to emulate out his ear as journalism, over the last 25 years. well, in 1995, i remember giving a lecture that arab television news ad does not have the idea of live studio interviews. they ed basically a point in anchor who is loyal to the government and they can control what the anchor asks and they can control what the answer is from a guest. now when i was 0,

came that whole idea of not having live interviews was thrown out of the basket. and now even the state run television, know that they cannot work unless they have live interviews. that was the kind of a technical side, but it's actually showed how much open space the edges here are provided. but i, what i like the most about al jazeera is not only the fact that it provides opinions from both sides of a particular issue. but it actually provides pictures in video pictures of all sides. i know that there, when there was attacks in the north palestine or south lebanon, or when in guys you have like 4 or 5 live feeds. some from guys, some from the borders of god than israel sam from shed a ship out of that some from the demonstration in nazareth tell you all of the same time, no station, no satellite station has ever done that, especially when the case has to do with arabs or the palestinians, and so and now and so that, you know, you open up here and you have like 5 different feeds or live no matter what you

think of al jazeera or, or, or the editorial line of a z. or you actually get live feeds from the ground of what people are saying, what people are doing, what, what does it look like on the ground then i think that's the most important power. the resources that as a viewer has and the way they use their resources with all sides to particular story is just amazing. tell it. what does that mean for you? what impact has it had on society in the middle east and north africa? to what extent has it been a catalyst for change? would those changes have happened? if else if they haven't been in existence? i mean for me personally, i feel as some sort of godless for me as well. i mean, i, the political cartoon is just starting to do to understand what politics is and coming in as a young son over konami go reppidy here and, and don't have where,

where, where we're working and, and of course, you know, my father was very interested in the news, but he always laughed at the 9 o'clock news, which was like the small segment that they had the end of the day because it was all just raising the great leader and you know, there is, and saddam or elsewhere. so when i'll do 0 came, i mean everyone was just in their tears waiting at the edge of the chairs waiting for what the next thing that's going to happen. because for the 1st time we actually had a conversation. we actually heard from different signs. well we actually heard from the find that we never heard of before. so. busy that dad created a lot of conversation which was needed and still needed actually until today. and i remember i was going to sit down and 997. whether you know as a family and going everywhere. and l 0 is an every d v. you know, you go to the barbershop, go to a restaurant, and everyone was just there. what you know, listening told is here because this is,

you know, this is where this is where conversation happens is the only place where conversation happens. and in all of these highlights of my life a for the life of my generation, you see like, you know, the 911, you know, i still remember sitting in a dorm room in, in my, in a versity. and you know, the everyone is screaming even if you did get out there on tv, get all your on tv. so this is what everyone was, was looking for at that at that time. and of course, it became also a catalyst for other people, for competition to start, you know, and which is very important as well. so i think the world would have been very different without all just there. and of course, you know, even for me is i, my work became kind of having our news from our side. and this is really kind of what i'll start to do as well as giving the news from our side. so for the 1st time ever is not western or telling the story of what's happening and sign or what's

happening is down or what's happening elsewhere. it's actually someone from their telling the world what is going on from our point of view from, from, from what we see and how we feel. scott, you're in birmingham, in the u. k. of course, many people outside of the middle east and north africa will have no idea that al jazeera is this huge media network with, with a whole range of, of different television and internet services. how important do you think the addition of the english landel channel, the english language channel and on websites was to the network and its impact globally? well, it was important for the channel, but it was more important for those of us who wanted news and information. i can remember in 2003 at the time of year rock war that of course, at that point it was primarily al jazeera arabic out here, english. i think it just started its website, which immediately came under attack. we didn't have al jazeera english television

at that point, but at least we heard of these reports coming out of the arabic world, even if we couldn't speak arabic. and we saw the images of our guitar mentioned, which brought that war to us, or be it through our outlets. you said, oh look what, what we've got come out 0. and then i can recall in 2000 age 2 very, very different stories that taught me why i'll just hear english were so important on the outside as it were during the israeli attacks on johnson. at the end of that year, cnn could not report from gaza city. it could not report on the human cost. it was based in cairo, the baby she was coming out of jerusalem aus. is there an english who i think providing a mel molding unsure he taught tundras, were the only 2 english language correspondence reading out the essential news of what was happening during that 6 week conflict. but at the same time, i was actually seeing this in atlanta, georgia visiting my parents. and as always,

getting news from al jazeera english is website. my sister charge didn't turn that off. turn that off, turn that off. that's a website that's terrorist, the f b i will read the house. so even then, after hours during the show that stablish itself was becoming important. that misconception of what it was in the united states that idea, that was, it was the enemy. you still had to fight against that when you tried to say, look, they're not the enemy, they're what we need in this 21st century world. stowed out here, of course, funded by the country government as a private entity with public benefit, that is a angle separation between states and broadcaster, as there is with, with public broadcasters all over the world. it is editorially independent. and yet it's often accused of being the mouthpiece of the cavalry government. or do you think viewers and users of its digital services realised that, do you think that, that, that it's different to other broadcasters in the region?

does it matter to them? well, for through all to operate m a worldwide satellite station, you need a lot of resources and no matter who the source of the resources there is always there a problem. i think in the cut their case, there was 2 advantages that there had for the fact that as you said, there was a strong attempt to separate the funders from that toria policy. it worked most of the time, but didn't work all the time, but it was much better than all the state one media. the 2nd part was that cut, they're generally the small country in the arab world. and so there wasn't that much that they cut their news happen, in fact, when cut there. and so the re be had, there are conflict actually that's when the editor ariel independence of cut there was actually challenges and tested didn't do very well, i think. but still, on almost all other news, other than the country news cutter was fine, they covered all points of view. they sat down on the same points of view and

opposition cut duffy's point of view and the opposition, the moroccan, the king's position, and the opposition. and so on and so forth. so you know, of the 330000000 arabs got there really is not that much of a story. and so in that sense, it actually played, it was very helpful that they didn't really have to worry about their own situation . and as a result, you know, on the palestine issue, they were great on lebanon, they're fine, syria, they're fine. most of the countries that they covered, they were fine. in fact, i would argue that in the arab spring, the media was so strong that it actually went, it was ahead of the public because what we thought was that the local leader is a local part. you are not able to organize fast enough to take over power and we've had those problems that we've seen in egypt and other countries that really they couldn't govern as quickly with good. busy trained experience, the leaders that we needed, but the media was way ahead of them. call it something like 100 nationality is

represented in our diversity is room is working across all of our channels and, and platforms. how important do you think that diversity is in the networks coverage of, of events. if it were stuff by people purely from the middle east and north africa that be very different tone of voice wouldn't definitely, definitely. i mean, for me i it's, it's definitely the diversity that brings in a lot of different voice. there's a lot of different stories, the interests, and also discovering using as well because the locality is very important. i mean, you know, if the journalist is looking for a story locally, it really brings out what the societies talking. and in a lot of times, you know, i get a call from a friend and all the 0 or i also bit stories and it's about this is what's happening right now. we should speak about this or they should speak about this or, you know, so it's very important and i think it's very important and expertise as well that

people get from that, you know, because you get one from the staff staff and that's amazing. that's really great. to bring all of this in and work with local arab journalists to defer their, their, their, their expertise as well. scott, bye bye. striving to give all sides of a story and reflect diverse points of view. the networks often come in for criticism. it was the 1st arab broadcast to bring the israeli perspective to the arab world. just how important was that editorial standpoint, you think 25 years ago. why does, does not mission to strife a true for honesty, balance of allowing viewers and readers to make up that old mind their own lives? why is that that still controversial today or in any issue of international conflict? there's more than one side of the story, but precisely when you talk about israel and palestine,

when you talk about the u. s. versus trying out, or when you talk about russia versus lots of other folks. you know, there's a tendency for people to go into camps, you know, my side right, your side wrong. and i'll just say, or english out a 0 arabic, although not as much in certain cases, but they strove to present more than one side of the point of view about these conflicts. and they do so today i think whether it's talking about e. c o p n t great, for example, whether it's talking about the multisite issue that we're seeing right now happen in sudan. in other words, they actually are covering multiple sides of conflicts that often don't even have a single side that break through internationally. but having said that, without wanting to spoil your party, i think there's a couple of challenges to keep that going. i think the 1st is for how to 0 is that is that issue of resources that issue being able to have the capacity to tell multiple sides of the stories of al jazeera had problems trying to launch a channel and united states. you know that story because that society is

a very difficult media market right now. out 0 has had to cut back on certain areas of the world such as covering europe. but still it strives for that. and the reason why i think that's important is because fathers looked at al jazeera english and out there arabic. and they said, look, that's what model to reach lots of people. but they did it not to present all sides of the story. when the russians did it with r t, they did it to present very clearly a single print. one side of the story. china was c g t, v has done it to present beijing side of the story. and indeed, there are certain us outlets who present only one side of the story and not only internationally but from within the us. so that challenge to continue to give voice, not just to the voiceless, but to give voice to all the voiceless. ok, not just some that's the challenge to continuous 3rd where we're getting short on time here. so i need a, a brief issue answer please. if you can give me one, do you agree with that? are acting, director general says that there's still much to be done. what do you think that

the challenges that face al jazeera are for the next 25 years? well, there's always for sure there's a lot to be done and for sure. and the world needs to hear different points of view and we need the ability to infiltrate, not only television, but also the social media. now with a j less than others. you doing a fabulous job. and i think what needs to be done is to really understand the young people and the new technology that is being developed every day as we speak and how to kind of stay on the front or at least alongside the new technology. i think that the biggest challenge you have that about geography, it's more about technology. would you agree with that? yes, absolutely. i mean this is, this is what's, what's ruling the world right now. it is acknowledging, but also it's independence bank. the. ready more that i'll do the we're present itself as you know, as an independent entity and pushes for more media freedoms. it's definitely,

it has a respect already over a lot of people who are active because of what happened during the spring because of the, the support showing both sides of the story but didn't continue, especially now with the, with, with, with, with the policy the what's, what's happening now in the region. i think it's a huge challenge to show that we are, you know, it is an independent channel, gentleman that we must end our discussion many thanks. indeed for being with us on this 25th anniversary. i really appreciate it's a colored a bear that would tub and scotland because thank you to don't forget you can see the program again at any time just by visiting the website. that's algebra dot com for further discussion. join us at our facebook page at facebook dot com forward slash ha inside story. and you can join the conversation on twit, i'll handle at a j inside story from me. adrian finnegan, the whole team here though. huh. thanks for watching. we'll see you again,

bye for the ah ah 25 years ago and you iraq in television news in the middle east began with a 2 part documentary series, mocking the 25th anniversary of al jazeera, telling the story of the channel launch. and now it became a recognized global brand. ah,

the story of al jazeera, a unique pop in the country with an abundance of results. red byron walk indonesia whose firms forming we moved full to grow and frock. we balanced for green economy, blue economy, and the digital economy with the new job creation law, indonesia is progressively ensuring the policy reform to create quality jobs, investment. let be part when denise is growth and progress, invest indonesia. now we know what's happening in our region. we know how to get the plate that others cannot. if i, as i said, i'm going on the way that you tell the story is what can make a difference in the country with an abundance of results for the trade bar and walk indonesia, his firms forming. we moved full to growth and fraud. we balance for green economy, blue economy, and the digital economy with the new job creation law,

indonesia is progressively ensuring the policy reform to create quality jobs invest . let me park when this is growth and progress. invest even easier now. ah. ready this is al jazeera ah hello, that i'm, how am i, he's in, but be able to see when you are coming to life for me to ha, coming up in the next 60 minutes. we can do this. we just have to make a choice to do it. so let's get to we're starting challenge in see opportunity. see you as president joe biden works to reshape the fight against global warming, while other leaders are much more stark.