Earlier this month, The National Review published two leaked staff memos from Al Jazeera English executives outlining how the network should have covered the massacre at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, as well as AJE’s guidelines for using sensitive terms like “terrorist,” “Islamist,” “militant” and “jihad” in its reporting.
The emails stirred some controversy at the time and revealed a split among the editorial team, with some staffers decrying Charlie Hebdo as “racist” and “extremist” while others defended the publication’s right to freedom of expression.
On Thursday, Al Jazeera English news director Salah Negm responded to the leaks in a memo to staff, which was obtained by The Huffington Post. With a subject line that read “To BE LEAKED,” the memo waived off the idea that the emails revealed anything controversial and dismissed that accusations of AJE practicing self-censorship.
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Salah Negm
Director of News
Al Jazeera English
