Award winning Saudi journalist praises blogging

A Saudi journalist became the first in the kingdom to win one of the most prestigious international media awards hailed blogging as an very effective ways of bringing the Arab perspective to western media and readers.

Faisal J. Abbas, 27, the first Saudi to win a 'Cutting Edge Award' at the London-based International Media Awards on Monday, said blogging provides Arab journalists with an open forum to communicate their point of view and ideas to western readers.

Blogging democratizes communication

"Blogging takes communication to a new level of openness and makes a free form of dialogue between the Arab Muslim world and the West possible," Abbas told Al Arabiya. "It is a journalist's heaven, allowing for direct interaction with readers."

At the age of 18, Abbas made his debut as a reporter for Future Television in Lebanon and since then has worked in advertising at Leo Burnett, and wrote for various prominent Arab papers. He became an active blogger for the Huffington Post in 2008 and began utilizing the forum to make the Arab voice heard in western mainstream media.

Abbas is credited as one of the first Arab journalists to have written a letter to Barack Obama upon the president's election. 'An Open letter to President Obama,' posted on Jan. 20 explained the hopes and concerns of the average Arab citizen and triggered considerable response from readers across the world.

"There was massive response to the blog entry that revealed how many western readers understood the Arab perspective and appreciated efforts to reach out to them," Abbas said.

"This piece demonstrates how Abbas's writing bridges cultural divides and offers real and valuable insight," Adrian Monck, head of journalism and publishing at London's City University said in a statement.

“Those of us who have followed Faisal’s insightful and honest work are very pleased, although not surprised, at this deserved recognition of what he has accomplished in such a short time,” Jim Hoagland, the two- time Pulitzer Prize award winner and veteran Washington Post writer said in a statement.

The award was founded by the Next Century Foundation (NCF) which works mainly to support peace initiatives across the Middle East.

William Morris, Secretary General of the NCF said the award came in
"recognition of his continuing efforts both through his blogging and in the press to encourage standards of excellence and counter the dissembling that would otherwise increase levels of misunderstanding."

Those of us who have followed Faisal’s insightful and honest work are very pleased, although not surprised, at this deserved recognition of what he has accomplished in such a short time

Jim Hoagland, Washington Post

More needs to be done

Despite his optimism towards blogging and its ability to "democratize communication," Abbas said both Arab and western media have certain hurdles to overcome.

Arab media in particular has a long way to go, Abbas argued. "For decades we have been the audiences of mind numbing state controlled media. Despite technological progress many media outlets are not free to report on abuses and corruption and matters that interest people."

"Blogging certainly provides a fresh perspective that is free from establishment control, but we must also value and look to maintain 'traditional' investigative journalism through which many brave journalists have brought to light critical issues," Abbas said, referring to Seymour Hersh's coverage of the 2004 Abu Ghraib torture scandal after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.