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Tribune News Network
DOHA
THE Managing Director of Al Jazeera English Channel Giles Trendle has said that"for a country that claims to be democratic and respect the freedom of press, Israel's ambassador to Washington DC should not downplay the cold-blooded murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi."
In a detailed statement released on Thursday Trendle said:"There is a long-established expression in newsrooms around the world which says if a journalist does his or her job well they will very likely be criticised for it. Why? Because that journalism discovered the true story. Good reporting should uncover stories, not just cover them. It should dig for the truth, and cover and challenge all relevant sides of all stories. So often politicians, governments, and corporations want their narrative to be believed. The truth is sometimes inconvenient. Sometimes the true story is actually the opposite of what they want people to believe. Journalists should exist to shine a light into those hidden corners, to ensure people get the full and real picture, and are properly informed." The statement added:"So, in response to the statements made by Ron Dermer, the Israeli Ambassador to America who attacked us for double standards in our reporting of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, I'd suggest he actually watches our coverage in order to get the full picture.
Ron Dermer's argument is that we are in some way partial, and led by an agenda. He suggests it is somehow wrong that we covered the murder of one man at the same time as thousands of civilians are dying in the war in Yemen and in Syria. He went on to claim Al Jazeera is"pressing hard to ruin relationships with Saudi Arabia".
Watch our coverage, Mr Dermer. It's available for you and everyone else to see. All of our coverage throughout our long history of reporting from all over the world is online and ready to be seen. You will see extensive reporting of the tragedy unfolding in Yemen. Comprehensive coverage throughout the long years of the Syrian conflict. You will see that our coverage of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi is comprehensive and balanced. And you will see extensive reporting of the diplomatic crisis in The Gulf - with all relevant sides of that story represented.
By any definition the cold-blooded murder of a prominent journalist in the Saudi Embassy in Turkey is a huge story. It is the starkest challenge to freedom of speech you can imagine, and a personal tragedy for the family of man who was respected in Washington DC, and whose work was trusted by his readers in all corners of the globe. We covered the story in full, providing context and background where necessary. We had no agenda. Like all the other mainstream media worldwide, this was a huge story which rightfully resonated with all media companies."
He concluded,"So, my message to Mr Dermer is watch us before making incorrect accusations. You will see the full picture when you do."
