Draft:Al Mayadeen Network

Al-Mayadeen Network

Al-Mayadeen Network Logo
Formation	June 11, 2012
Founder	Ghassan bin Jidu
Type	Private
Legal status	Active
Headquarters	Beirut
Official language	Arabic
Slogan	"al-Waqi' kama huwa" (Reality as it is)
Website	https://www.almayadeen.net/

Al-Mayadeen Network (Arabic: قناة المیادین) is a satellite television news channel headquartered in Beirut, maintaining representative offices across various cities in the Islamic world. Founded in 2012 by Ghassan bin Jidu—a former prominent journalist for Al Jazeera—the network emerged in the wake of the Islamic Awakening across Muslim nations. It was established primarily to provide comprehensive news coverage of the Resistance Front in the Middle East. Utilizing a highly professional journalistic approach, Al-Mayadeen has cemented its position as a leading news network in the Arab world, emerging as a formidable competitor to other major regional media outlets.
Because of its extensive coverage of the Resistance Axis and its production of original television documentaries, the network has frequently encountered hostility from adversarial media, leading to multiple interruptions of its satellite broadcasts.

Media Status and Importance

Based in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, Al-Mayadeen is a prominent television news network. Its editorial policies are distinctly framed around the Resistance Axis in the Middle East, aligning its primary orientation with the Resistance Front and the broader aspirations of the region's populace. Operating independently, Al-Mayadeen is sustained entirely through non-governmental investments. Recognized as one of the most popular broadcast networks in the Arab world, it maintains strategic bureaus in key global cities, including Tehran, Washington, D.C., Ankara, Beijing, Baghdad, Kabul, Cairo, and Tunis.

Resisting the pervasive influence of Saudi Arabia over regional news media, Al-Mayadeen strives to offer an unfiltered and realistic portrayal of events unfolding in the Middle East and the Arab world. Furthermore, through its professional management, skilled executive staff, and advanced journalistic techniques, the network effectively elucidates and analyzes global developments for its audience. Consequently, it has evolved into a serious rival to established global networks such as the BBC, Al-Arabiya, and Al-Jazeera.

History of Establishment

Al-Mayadeen Network officially commenced operations on June 11, 2012, under the directorship of Ghassan bin Jidu (b. 1962), a distinguished Tunisian-Lebanese journalist. Formerly a prominent correspondent for Al-Jazeera, bin Jidu resigned in protest over what he perceived as the network's departure from objective, professional reporting, particularly concerning its coverage of the protest movements in Syria and Bahrain.

Etymology

The selection of the name "Al-Mayadeen" was reportedly motivated by two primary factors:

• Mayadeen, the plural form of Maydan (square or plaza), evokes the pivotal public squares—such as Tahrir, Taghyir, and al-Lu'lu'—where citizens across Arab nations congregated during the Islamic Awakening.
• The name can be deconstructed into the letters "Alif, Lam, Mim, Ya, Din," thereby carrying a subtle Islamic connotation.

Network Slogan

Al-Mayadeen's official slogan is "al-Waqi' kama huwa," which translates to "Reality as it is." According to the director of the network's Tehran bureau, this motto is inspired by a well-known prophetic tradition: "O Allah! Show me the reality of things as they are" (Arabic: اللهم أرنی الأشیاء کما هی).

Production of Television Documentaries

Beyond its regional news broadcasting and daily coverage of the Resistance Front, Al-Mayadeen has produced a series of documentaries and specialized television programs profiling key figures within the Resistance Axis. Notable productions include the 50-minute documentary "Nasrallah in the Eyes of the Enemies," focusing on Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, as well as a compelling four-part documentary series on Qasem Soleimani, which features titles such as "72 Hours," "Soldier Qasem Soleimani," "The Qasem We Will Miss," and "The Martyr of Jerusalem."

Satellite Broadcast Interruptions

Although Al-Mayadeen was established amid the initial wave of protest movements sweeping the Middle East and parts of Africa, the onset of the Syrian war against ISIS solidified its reputation as the primary media organ of the Resistance Axis. This distinct ideological alignment provoked hostility from adversaries of the Resistance Front. Consequently, nations such as Saudi Arabia initiated a campaign of systematic confrontation, effectively blocking the network's transmission on major regional satellite providers, including Nilesat and Arabsat.

Saudi authorities justified this censorship by citing a guest commentator's harsh criticism of the kingdom's mismanagement during the 2015 Hajj incident. Concurrently, acting in coordination with Western allies, efforts were made to suspend the network's official Facebook account. Furthermore, reports indicate that Saudi Arabia exerted financial pressure on Egypt to permanently terminate Al-Mayadeen's terrestrial and satellite broadcasting rights within Egyptian jurisdiction.