Alhurra, the U.S. government-funded Arabic-language network, is undergoing a major change in leadership and direction, according to a recent report at National Review.
Alhurra, which launched in 2004, is part of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN), which provides news and information to Arabic-speaking audiences in the Middle East and North Africa. Originally created as a counter to extremist media outlets and to accurately portray U.S. policy in the Middle East, Alhurra has faced scrutiny from media watchdog organizations like CAMERA regarding uncritical platforming of extremist, anti-American voices.
CAMERA identified at least 18 instances when either terrorists or terrorism supporters were presented as impartial experts or analysts on the network.
Jeffrey Gedmin, president and CEO of Middle East Broadcasting Networks (Wikipedia photo by Agent021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0)
Jeffrey Gedmin, the new president and CEO of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, told National Review that CAMERA’s “concerns are legitimate,” and noted that Alhurra should not provide a platform for terrorists or terrorist sympathizers.
“It’s awful,” Gedmin admitted. “There’s no two ways about it…. They shouldn’t be our guests. There are a thousand experts. I’m sorry, we are U.S. funded. We are not a propaganda outlet, but we have a value set, and we actually have a point of view.”
Gedmin said that after he was hired last summer to lead the network, he discovered a newsroom in a deep need of reform.
“Through the course of a half a dozen years, it turned out that they didn’t have an editor in chief, they didn’t have a standards editor, they didn’t have bureau chiefs, they didn’t have a director of the newsroom,” Gedmin told National Review. “I don’t think it was anybody’s conscious bad decision.”
Under Gedmin’s leadership, however, Alhurra is making substantial strides to improve, including arranging periodic meetings with CAMERA’s Arabic department.
CAMERA is optimistic that these consultations will help keep the network’s content free from extremist influences, providing accurate, balanced perspectives on key Middle Eastern issues.
“CAMERA’s deep experience in media oversight will be crucial in ensuring that Alhurra’s programming reflects the values of American taxpayers,” said Andrea Levin, CAMERA’s president and executive director. “As CAMERA and Alhurra editors may understandably come from different perspectives, it’s natural that we will not always agree on every single topic. But an ongoing dialogue that is open and friendly is a welcome indication that Alhurra is on the right track. The recent leadership changes signal a new era for the network and we are excited to work together.”
Levin said that her organization remains committed to supporting media outlets in providing factual, nuanced, and responsible coverage of the Middle East. Through its collaboration with Alhurra, CAMERA aims to help ensure that American values of democracy, freedom, and accountability are reflected in its international broadcasting.
“It is unfortunate that other publicly funded, Arabic-speaking media outlets in the West, such as BBC Arabic, choose not to engage with us in the same well-meaning, transparent manner that Alhurra does,” Levin said.