Im stephen sackur. When the Aljazeera News Network was launched in qatar in 1996, it had a seismic impact on the media landscape in the middle east. Here was an arab broadcaster refusing to play by local rules. It was ambitious, punchy and provocative in its coverage of the region and the world. Two decades on, maybe its time for payback. Saudi arabia and its closest allies recently demanded qatar close the network down. My guest is mostefa souag, director general of aljazeera. Do his channel have a future . Mostefa souag, welcome to hardtalk. Good day, stephen. We have to start with the threat of closure that appeared to be hanging over aljazeera just a few short days ago. The threat of course which came from saudi arabia and its allies, which demanded the closing of the Aljazeera Network as a condition for lifting an economic blockade on qatar. Be clear with me. Is there still a risk you may have to shut down . Well, first of all i would like to say that aljazeera has created a new m
Im stephen sackur. When the Aljazeera News Network was launched in qatar in 1996, it had a seismic impact on the media landscape in the middle east. Here was an arab broadcaster refusing to play by local rules. It was ambitious, punchy and provocative in its coverage of the region and the world. Two decades on, maybe its time for payback. Saudi arabia and its closest allies recently demanded qatar close the network down. My guest is mostefa souag, director general of aljazeera. Do his channel have a future . Mostefa souag, welcome to hardtalk. Good day, stephen. We have to start with the threat of closure that appeared to be hanging over aljazeera just a few short days ago. The threat of course which came from saudi arabia and its allies, which demanded the closing of the Aljazeera Network as a condition for lifting an economic blockade on qatar. Be clear with me. Is there still a risk you may have to shut down . Well, first of all i would like to say that aljazeera has created a new m
Im stephen sackur. When the Aljazeera News Network was launched in qatar in 1996, it had a seismic impact on the media landscape in the middle east. Here was an arab broadcaster refusing to play by local rules. It was ambitious, punchy and provocative in its coverage of the region and the world. Two decades on, maybe its time for payback. Saudi arabia and its closest allies recently demanded qatar close the network down. My guest is mostefa souag, director general of aljazeera. Do his channel have a future . Mostefa souag, welcome to hardtalk. Good day, stephen. We have to start with the threat of closure that appeared to be hanging over aljazeera just a few short days ago. The threat of course which came from saudi arabia and its allies, which demanded the closing of the Aljazeera Network as a condition for lifting an economic blockade on qatar. Be clear with me. Is there still a risk you may have to shut down . Well, first of all i would like to say that aljazeera has created a new m