Media Outlets Face Challenges in Covering Egypt

The U.K.’s Royal Television Society yesterday revealed the shortlist for its prestigious Television Journalism Awards. Amid stalwarts like BBC News and Sky News was a relatively new face, Al Jazeera English, which is in the running for News Channel of the Year.

The nomination caps off a turbulent few weeks for the international news network and its parent company, which for years has been on the frontlines of breaking news stories across the Arab world.

Al Jazeera has garnered critical acclaim for its coverage of the protests in Cairo—and, in the process, has faced numerous hurdles. Last week, the network said that its Arabic news website had been hacked, allegedly by opponents of Egypt’s pro-democracy movement. “Our website has been under relentless attack since the onset of the uprisings in Egypt,” an Al Jazeera spokesman said. “We are currently investigating what happened. While the deliberate attacks this morning were an attempt to discredit us we will continue our impartial and comprehensive coverage of these unprecedented events.”

The website hacking was the latest in a string of obstacles for Al Jazeera in Egypt. Its signal was blocked in the country and in other parts of the Arab world and the press credentials of its local staff revoked. Al Jazeera also reported that its Cairo office was stormed by a “gang of thugs” and that a number of its journalists were detained.

Indeed, the detention of journalists has been a common story of the last few week, as has been attacks on reporters. Facing increasing violence in the country, high-profile U.S. anchors Brian Williams and Katie Couric, among others, left Egypt last week. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who was attacked by pro-government supporters, has also elected to leave. He said on his Twitter feed this weekend: “It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to leave #Egypt. CNN continues to have many teams in place. It was a hard decision to leave.”

Twitter, of course, has been one of the big stories out of Cairo, with protesters and their supporters around the world using social media to disseminate their message. Nonetheless, traditional TV has remained a primary source. In the U.S., CNN had a moment atop the ratings heap thanks to its Egyptian coverage. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera English’s coverage has given it a leg up in its attempts to finally secure U.S. carriage. Last week, the network launched an online “Demand Al Jazeera” campaign, allowing visitors to its website to request that their cable providers carry Al Jazeera English. Within 24 hours, more than 10,000 emails had been sent to platforms across the country. “The U.S. response to our coverage has been phenomenal and our cosmopolitan appeal clearly speaks to an international audience,” said Mohamed Nanabhay, the head of online for Al Jazeera English. “We remain committed to making our coverage accessible to as many people as possible and are humbled that our audience has taken up the call to demand that cable providers carry Al Jazeera English.”

Terrestrial broadcasters worldwide, meanwhile, are offering up specials to provide context to the uprising in Egypt. CBC last week aired the documentary Egypt: A Nation in Waiting, which was filmed by Al Jazeera journalists in 2008. BBC One this week will air the Panorama special The Battle for Egypt. And France Télévisions Distribution is providing international networks a special on President Hosni Mubarak that includes an interview with the embattled leader, as well extensive archive footage.