Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Al-Jazeera boss Wadah Khanfar steps down to be replaced by Qatari royal



TV channel head quits after revolutionising Middle East broadcasting for past eight years, especially during Arab Spring

Ian Black, Middle East editor
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 September 2011

"Qatar's government has replaced Wadah Khanfar, the director-general of the al-Jazeera satellite TV network, with a member of its own royal familya sudden and dramatic move at a time of unprecedented turmoil across the Middle East.

Khanfar, credited with revolutionising the Arab media landscape, announced that he was resigning after eight years that consolidated both the channel's reputation and his position as one of the most powerful figures in the region.

The new director-general is said to be Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, an executive at Qatargas and a member of the country's ruling dynasty.....

Recently, al-Jazeera has been accused of pulling its punches over the uprising in the Gulf state of Bahrain. It barely reports on events in Qatar itself....."

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