Alhurra.com opens the door for independent voices in the Middle East
Alhurra Television’s all-news Arabic-language website, Alhurra.com, has commissioned some of the most noted and outspoken authors to be a part of the newly created op-ed section of the website. “From A Different Angle,” includes commentary by featured writers who are journalists, intellectuals and human rights advocates from across the Middle East and the U.S.
As an American network, we are in the unique position where independent voices, reformers and liberal thinkers can share their thoughts and ideas freely, without censorship or government interference,“As an American network, we are in the unique position where independent voices, reformers and liberal thinkers can share their thoughts and ideas freely, without censorship or government interference,” stated MBN President Amb. Alberto Fernandez. MBN manages and oversees Alhurra and Radio Sawa. “This is something that can be rare to find in the region and is just the first step in bringing these important voices to MBN.”
Contributors to the op-ed section include former Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya host Hafiz Mirazi, former Syrian Minister of Culture Raid Ismat, Jordanian journalist Malik Athamneh, journalist and writer Hussain Abdul Hussain, Hudson Institute’s Sam Tadros, Iraqi writer and analyst Nibras Kazimi, Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s Dr. Matthew Levitt, and Syrian author Colette Bahna. Topics covered will range from politics and religion to arts and culture.
“From A Different Angle” will also include short video commentaries from a variety of American foreign policy experts who discuss op-eds that they have written in the Western press.
The columns will also appear on Alhurra’s Facebook page, providing an opportunity for readers to share their opinions and openly discuss the ideas brought forward by the authors.
About MBN
The Middle East Broadcasting Networks is a non-profit corporation is financed by the U.S. Government through a grant from the BBG.
MBN operates Alhurra Television, an Arabic-language television network that broadcasts to 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa via satellite, as well as Alhurra-Iraq Television. MBN also operates Radio Sawa, an Arabic-language radio network that broadcasts music and news 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with more than 370 newscasts per week.
rayhanania
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
"I write about three topics, the Middle East, politics and life in general. I often take my life experiences and offer them in an entertaining way to readers, and I take on the toughest topics like the Israel-Palestine conflict and don't pull any punches about what I feel is fair. But, my priority is always about writing the good story."
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992. Hanania began writing in 1975 when he published The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper which was distributed through 12,500 Middle East food stores in 48 American States (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues for the Arab News in Saudi Arabia as the Special US Correspondent for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com, the TheArabDailyNews.com, www.TheDailyHookah.com and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has also published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday Newspaper in New York, the Orlando Sentinel Newspapers, and the Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Palestinian, American Arab and Christian, Hanania’s parents originate from Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
The managing editor of Suburban Chicagoland Online News website www.SuburbanChicagoland.com, Hanania's columns also appeare in the Southwest News Newspaper Group of 8 newspapers.
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His Facebook Page is Facebook.com/rghanania
Visit this link to read Ray's column archive at the ArabNews,com ArabNews.com/taxonomy/term/10906
