Al Arabiya excels in speed and objectivity and in bringing Arab viewers closer to the Lebanese political reality

Thanks to its extensive and full-fledged team of reporters, producers and cameramen working round the clock and on the ground, the Dubai-based Al Arabiya news channel has excelled in its coverage of the first phase of the Lebanese parliamentary elections that started on Sunday May 29, 2005.
 
A cornerstone of Lebanese politics, the first phase of the elections come at a an unprecedented time following the death of former Lebanese Prime Minster Rafik Al Hariri, the withdrawal of Syrian troops and the return of former Lebanese Army Chief Michel Aoun after a 15-year exile in France.  These events triggered sudden and swift changes in traditional political alliances with the start of the second Al Hariri era of Saad Al Din Al Hariri, the son of the former Prime Minister who is offering the toughest electoral challenge in Beirut.
 
Al Arabiya started preparations over a month before the start of the elections to ensure a comprehensive coverage of such an important and crucial election from its headquarters in Dubai Media City.  Al Arabiya has sent a dedicated news team to support its existing work team that is operating from its office in Lebanon.
 
Furthermore, Al Arabiya provided direct and comprehensive coverage of all the Lebanese polling stations during the first phase of the elections relying on its extensive network of correspondents.  Al Arabiya played a vital and important role in airing real life situations and events in each polling station to provide Arab viewers with the true feeling inside each station and allow them to know the various political agendas and activities of the candidates and their meetings with their constituents in different parts across Lebanon.
 
Also, Al Arabiya ran documentaries covering the political life in the country, providing among many others, explanations on the elections laws in Lebanon, the demographic composition of the residents of Beirut, the various political powers in action across the country and the ones affecting the Beirut elections, as well as the various candidates running for parliament and their teams, as well as key political figures in Lebanon.
 
Al Arabiya’s Elie Nakouzi presented a live programme titled “From Lebanon” will be aired 3 times a week during the election period during the elections.  Nakouzi will host political analysts and opposition and pro-government speakers to comment on the election laws and the distribution of power between the various political parties and ethnic groups in the country.
 
In addition, Al Arabiya’s election team prepared special news reports covering various issues related to the election.  Issues include the impact of the political vacuum created by the absence of Rafik Al Hariri, Syrian, American and French perspectives on the election, the impact of the Syrian withdrawal on the candidates and the various political parties involved in the electoral process.
 
The impact of the current elections on the political situation of Lebanese President Emile Lahoud was examined, as well as the role of the Lebanese youth and their views on the future of the country, the role of the Lebanese resistance and the release from prison of Samir Geagea, the leader of the Lebanese Forces militia. Reports on the security concerns of Palestinian refugee camps that are yet to come under the control of the Lebanese government, and historical reports on previous Lebanese parliaments, were also aired.
 
In this respect, Al Arabiya hosted Michel Aoun and the Druze MP Walid Jumblatt, the cornerstone of the opposition in Lebanon and a rival to Aoun, as well as the Minister of Interior Hassan Al Sab’a, in addition to political analysts incuding Salah Selim, Sami Afish, Samir Attalah, Sami Qassir, George Nassif, and Ghassan Masood, among others.
 
And across its entire coverage of the first phase of the elections, Al Arabiya maintained its objectivity and accuracy by relying on its extensive network of reporters who achieved the highest level of professionalism and neutrality in reporting on the events as they unfolded.   In this way, Al Arabiya ensured their viewers were informed at all times of the various political views prevailing during the elections.
 
In fact, al Arabiya was the first voter in the election process - the first to announce the preliminary results from its Beirut office as its news team, spread across the various polling stations, had firsthand access to the results of the Beirut elections.