Firas Al-Atrqchi
EGYPT: 66 Road 200, Apt. 3CANADA: 94 Black Hawkway
Digla, MaadiNorth York, Ontario
CairoM2R 3L9
Tel: 012 798 98 73 Tel: +1 416 514 1923
Career Summary
A senior editor with more than 16 years of internationalreportingexperiencespecialized in convergent journalism.
Work History
Associate Professor of Practice
Journalism and Mass Communication Department
American University in Cairo
September 2010 - Present
Senior Editor - Planning and Features
Al Jazeera English Website and New Media
(Doha, Qatar)
June 2007 – May 2010
As the planning and features editor, I was responsible for developing long-term strategic planning which ensured that TV and online news coverage not only converged, but also transformed the way the consumer engages with broadcast news and social web media.
The editorial process required that a convergent methodology be applied to the newsgathering operation, and I worked with teams in the field and broadcast centers to ensure that all material included pre-planned multi-media content used by online as well as broadcast journalists.
I devised a policy manual that emphasized how to bring multi-media and navigation elements on to the Al Jazeera English website to increase media consumer interactivity through the use of photogalleries, audio-galleries, video interviews and footage not used in broadcast packages, correspondent blogs and reporters’ diaries, Twitter, Facebook, Open/ID, and Livestation debates.
I also called on our field correspondents to gathernews briefs and/or summaries which can be used for SMS alerts and intended for distribution across other new social media platforms.
Assigning, editing and overseeing our freelancer staff around the world was also a key function of my responsibilities. Our freelance features, analysis and expert opinions not only converged in perfect symbiosis with TV coverage but also filled in the gaps in areas our field teams were unable to reach. I also resorted to the use of citizen journalism, particularly in times of conflict (such as last year’s war in Gaza) as well in regards to climate change, and stories of human rights abuses covered by citizen reporters during the 60th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
I also planned and implemented converged website and TV coverage of important events such as the 60th anniversary of the Nakba, the Iraq War: Five Years On, the 2009 Afghanistan elections, and more recently, the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall.Also led a multi-media task force dedicated to Al Jazeera’s special coverage of Climate Change ahead of the Copenhagen Summit.
Lecturer in Mass Media Writing
The American University in Cairo
(Egypt)
January 2007 – June 2007
I taught Mass Media Writing I and II, which are required core subjects in the Journalism and Mass Communication major. Instruction is focused on the basics of writing, editing, and reporting techniques; use of international print, broadcast and online media.
Mass Media Writing II focused on elements of writing for print, broadcast, internet, public relations and advertising.
For both courses, I devised syllabi which casually moved away from traditional print coverage and focused more on using the internet – both as a necessary research tool and publishing destination. In addition to sitting for weekly quizzes on current affairs, students were asked to choose a web article and comment on it. The class would then examine the basics used to produce such a piece online.
Introduced a new trend of media convergence into the syllabi whereby video-reporting goes hand-in-hand with online and print. Both classes were given an introductory look at issues related to media ethics.
At the end of the course semester, students in both classes were aware that international media was on the cusp of constant change, dictated by rapid technological advances. Though prior to the Twitter rage, the students in both courses realized that social media networks such as Myspace.com and Facebook were reshaping traditionally centralized news-gathering and distribution. In both classes, there was keen interest in how social media networks could change the way the news producers view themselves and how they will adapt to this mediated revolution.
Chief Editor
The Daily News Egypt
(Egypt)
September 2006 – June 2007
As the editor, I was responsible for setting the pace and vision of Egypt's first independent English-language daily newspaper.
My first task was to bring the newspaper into the modern age. It was text-heavy and off-putting to the readers. Main stories were published in full on the front page. I instructed the designers to have stories continue on the inside pages so that more stories could appear on the front page. I also increased the use of pictures, changed the newspaper banner so that it was bigger (leaving less empty white space) and using fonts that were more agreeable to readers’ eyesight.
I also increased the number of pages on the weekends, and introduced special sections on arts and culture, entertainment, and social affairs.
I also boosted our sports coverage by dedicating a full page to sports on the weekends, using expert analysis of local and international competitions and worked out a deal with filgoal.com to feature some of their reports on a daily basis.
Under my management, the newspaper also introduced guest bloggers as op-ed/commentary writers, and expanded the pool of analysts and commentators who provided weekly content.
As for editorial management, I drove the editorial agenda of all the newspaper's operations across the different channels of the organization and devised its mission statement: chiefly, to report on news and events that did not make it either in existing mainstream opposition and government-controlled media. As Egypt’s only independent English-language newspaper, we covered stories such as sexual harassment, the pressures on bloggers, arrests of the Muslim Brotherhood, and Egypt’s economy, to name a few.
I was responsible for directing the operations in the production of daily news coverage and current affairs based on this mantra across all media, including the website.
I also supervised and coordinated all shifts of professional news writers, editors, correspondents and stringers in Cairo. Over time, these responsibilities grew to include other departments of the organization throughout the region and beyond.
As the News organization was roughly two years old, I had to overcome the ambiguities of a start-up situation as well as the usual high-pressured environment of a newsroom. Deadlines are often extremely tight, and the news sector in the Middle East is expanding at such a rate that competition on a domestic and international level was an ongoing added pressure of the role.
Unfortunately, one of my greatest failures was to convince the publisher and the investors behind the paper to dedicate sufficient funds to redesign the website and give it a more competitive, more modern edge. I expressed the need for more multi-media elements such as pictures, photo galleries; and in 2007 suggested the use of YouTube, with videos hosted on the website and linked to the popular site.
None of these changes have been implemented.
Freelance editor and journalist
Egypt, Syria, Qatar, and Canada
December 2005 – September 2006
Freelance work for: Al Jazeera English, The Week of India, eLondon Technology Review magazine, Al Ahram Weekly, Islamonline, Democracy Now, Open Democracy, CTS Michael Coren Live, The Muslim Woman magazine (South Africa), Mississauga News, Food and Home magazine (Aurora, Ontario), Business Monthly magazine (American Chamber of Commerce), Detroit Free Press, the Toronto Star, Yellow Journalism, Media Monitors Network, Forward Magazine, Egypt Today, etc.
Senior Editor - News
Al Jazeera English website
(Doha, Qatar)
May 2004 – December 2005
As news editor of the website, I was a member of a small team of editors who worked in shift to provide 24-hour online coverage of world events in tandem with Al Jazeera’s editorial line. This position pre-dated the launch of the English Channel and focused mainly on complementing the coverage of the Al Jazeera Arabic network.
The responsibilities on shift included chairing editorial meetings to decide what stories to assign journalists and freelancers within a 10-hour shift pattern. The position involved reading through wire reports and assigning journalists to rewrite content for the web. This was followed by editing their output and deciding the layout of the web page.
Editor
Carnival Arabia/Egypt TodayMagazine
(Egypt)
September 2003 – April 2004
Editorial functions include writing articles on the Arab entertainment industry; special issue production; assigning news desks and page editors with daily directives as well as provide feedback and beat updates; arranging and conducting interviews; researching; editing and rewriting copy; writing headlines; working with writers to improve their style and skills.
Editor and Senior Writer
Imprint newspaper
(Toronto, Canada)
January 2002 – September 2003
Editorial functions include managing a staff of 11 writers, editors, and photographers; writing op/ed pieces and socio-political articles; designing the newspaper layout using desktop publishing programs and coordinating with the publisher on distribution, circulation and special issue production; assigning news desks and page editors with daily directives as well as provide feedback and beat updates; arranging and conducting interviews; researching; editing and rewriting copy; writing headlines, and cropping and marking photos for reproduction.
Technical Writer
Cyberscribe Solutions
(Vancouver, Canada)
January 2001 – January 2002
Responsibilities included developing documentation structure, format and style guides; writing, editing and desktop-publishing procedures manual, developing new material for user manuals and related documents for a wide range of voltage and current transducers. Most manuals were in the 500-page range and included comprehensive graphics indices and tables of contents. Converted documents to PDF, with hyperlinked tables of contents and extensive bookmarks for distribution to users; created press-optimized PDFs for printers; wrote and edited new material for GUI Help system.
Corporate Communications Writer
General Physics Canada
(Vancouver, Canada)
May 2000 – January 2001 (contract)
Created a single source instruction manual for training British Columbia's Workers Compensation Board staff on the claims E-File system. The manual included staff-specific branding and index and was based on the Board's business requirements and written in consultation with Subject Matter Experts. As a value-added service, screen shots of the interface were also created to facilitate quicker learning. Each manual included a hyperlinked table of contents, index, and navigated text references.
Staff Writer
Stockscape.com
(Vancouver, Canada)
May 2000 – January 2001 (contract)
As energy, biotechnology and information technology staff writer, responsibilities included writing editorials, articles, and newsletters, monitoring energy prices, investment opportunities, IPO’s, NYMEX and NYSE, TSE, CDNX and OTCBB performance, and planning daily and weekly storyboards and online news strategy.
Assistant Editor
Business Today and Egypt Today Magazines
(Cairo, Egypt)
January 1997 – September 1997
As an Associate Editor and writer in two monthly publications, responsibilities included editing articles, assigning tasks and working with writers to meet goals and deadlines, focusing on global oil and gas markets and telecommunications, and local Egyptian topics, respectively.
Editor
POSE Magazine
(Cairo, Egypt)
September 1993 – September 1996
Editorial functions included writing general interest articles (health, entertainment, high society, fashion); designing the newspaper layout using desktop publishing programs and coordinating with the publisher on color separations, distribution, circulation and special issue production; assigning hired writing team with monthly editing policies; arranging and conducting interviews; researching; editing.
Reporter
Middle East Times
(Cairo, Egypt)
February1992 – September 1992
As a journalist for a Middle East English-language weekly socio-political newspaper, responsibilities included covering Middle East markets and economies, the political landscape, and cultural news.
Teaching and lecturing experience
Taught Mass Media I and II courses at the American University in Cairo.
Taught English comprehension and composition at Long Island University’s English Language Department workshop.
Lecturer on World Politics in the Age of Terrorism at McMaster University and CAW (certificate program)
Lecturer on War and the Media; a series of sponsored media analysis events in Toronto
Lecturer at Canada’s Innoversity Creative Summit, a media event on cultural diversity
Frequent guest Middle East analyst on Michael Coren Live
Education
June 1997
Master of Arts, Journalism and Communications, from the American University in Cairo
Thesis: Copyright Law in the Age of the Internet
February 1994
Bachelor of Science in Physics from the American University in Cairo
Skills and Proficiency
- Proficient in English, Arabic and French
- Working proficiency of Serbo-Croatian.
- Office 98-2007, PowerPoint, GIF Animation, Adobe PhotoShop 3.0-5.5, Quark, Framemaker 6.0, HTML