Wadah Khanfar
Wadah Khanfar was the director-general of the al-Jazeera satellite TV network. In September 2011, Khanfar announced his resignation publicly on the micro-blogging platform Twitter, as a sudden and dramatic move at a time of unprecedented turmoil across the Middle East. Al-Jazeera is based in the Qatari capital Doha and owned by the Emir of the State.
Khanfar credited with revolutionising the Arab media landscape, began as a correspondent with the network in locations such as Africa, Afghanistan and Iraq, said his time in the field had taught him the importance of a free press with the human being at the core of its agenda.
The Palestinian-born journalist, Khanfar said in a farewell note to Al Jazeera staff that his goal at the outset was "to establish al-Jazeera as a global media leader" and that "this target has been met" Khanfar's letter was clearly written with a view to fixing his legacy: "Authoritarian regimes were terrified at the birth of this new institution and they quickly went on the offensive," he wrote.
Khanfar was selected the 'Top 10 Creative Business Geniuses' by FastCompany.com. Khanfar’s efforts in building an international news network that deploys both cutting-edge social media and old-fashioned reporting has empowered the people of the Middle East, Fast Company says.
Choosing Khanfar, ahead of innovative leaders at Apple Inc. (Scott Forstall, No. 2) and Google (Sebastian Thrun, No. 5), is a testament to the Al Jazeera editorial director’s unorthodox approach to news. According to Fast Company executive editor Rick Tetzeli, “He had done something over the last year that was very current, very public and really astounding when looked at by an American audience that doesn’t get to see what he does much on television”.
Read Wadah Khanfar' Latest article: 'Those who support democracy must welcome the rise of political Islam' From Tunisia to Egypt, Islamists are gaining the popular vote. Far from threatening stability, this makes it a real possibility....Full Text
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