K8176 BBCWS R+A_15.qxd 21/6/06 5:52 pm Page 9 A YEAR IN REVIEW 2005/06 THE MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA TELLING THE INSIDE STORY ‘THROUGH OUR UNIQUE NEWSGATHERING TEAMS WE MANAGED TO GET UNDER THE SKIN OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AND GIVE PEOPLE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IRAQIS LIVE TODAY.’ ‘Drive around many parts of the city, and it A new medium-wave service was launched BBC PERSIAN SITE BLOCKED looks much like any other big Middle Eastern in Lebanon. Online usage reached an all-time capital,’ says Andrew North, who took over high of over 21 million page impressions a In Iran, BBC correspondent Frances Harrison from Caroline Hawley as BBC Baghdad month, strengthening the BBC’s impact as it had to operate under restrictions to cover correspondent in December 2005.‘Busy and prepares to launch its new Arabic television major stories.The domestic and international colourful market streets, thronging with people service in 2007. implications of the election of a new hard-line and traffic.Yet everyone going about their government – and the increasing tensions LEAVING BAGHDAD daily business here lives under the shadow Throughout the year, the rapid pace of over Iran’s nuclear programme – were the of sudden, random violence.’ events seldom slowed across the whole of dominant themes on radio and online. Caroline Hawley, the BBC correspondent the Middle East. Forming a complex chain of in Iraq since before the fall of Saddam Capturing a full picture of the situation in Iraq developments, key stories included Israel’s The BBC’s Persian Service offered audiences Hussein, left Baghdad in December to take against this daily backdrop of violence proved withdrawal from Gaza, Prime Minister Ariel strong coverage of the election, which up her new post as the BBC’s Middle East challenging and complex in a year when events Sharon’s illness and the elections in Israel, included rare interviews with the leading correspondent. ‘There is a lot I will miss in that country and the wider Middle East the Palestinian territories and Egypt and contenders, Rafsanjani and Karubi.The then about Iraq,’ she said.‘But I am relieved to continued to dominate the news headlines. their aftermath. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Egyptian be escaping a city where it is not unusual In addition to its permanent news presence in Director General of the International Atomic to be woken up by bombs.’ Baghdad, the BBC relied on the determination The BBC’s ability to report and analyse events Energy Agency Mohammad Al Baradei, and and courage of a network of contributors from a wide range of viewpoints played an Iran’s top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, were IRAQ DAYS throughout Iraq. important part when Israel evacuated its among the big names interviewed on the Ordinary Iraqis told their own stories in settlers from Gaza.Vivid on-the-ground nuclear debate. the BBC’s special days of coverage. ‘Just ‘It’s been an enormous challenge covering Iraq reporting and story telling were combined now we’ve got electricity, but I’ll bet you it and, to a lesser extent, the wider Middle East,’ with specialist depth and insight which put the Traffic from Iran to bbcpersian.com nearly won’t last more than a couple of hours at says Liliane Landor, Editor, BBC World Service withdrawal into context for a world audience. doubled during election week. However, most,’ said Um Mustafa, a hairdresser from News Programmes.‘In Iraq the security situation World Update was presented for a week both the Iranian authorities ordered the blocking Baghdad.‘Not surprisingly, there’s no one has made it very difficult on the ground – it’s from inside the settlements in Gaza and of the site in January 2006, depriving many here yet, no customers. People are generally simply too dangerous for correspondents to where the Palestinians are in control. BBC Iranians of a trusted and respected source of more afraid in the morning. Eventually they move around and we’ve had to think of more reporter Ahmad Budeiri covered the free and independent information venture out.’ creative means to cover the country.’ evacuation from inside the Israeli settlements at a time of growing tension. It remains for BBC Arabic. the dominant news site in Persian. Many GAZA WITHDRAWAL One response was to take an in-depth look people still manage to access the site, and the at the reality of life in special Iraq Days during BBC Arabic has provided news and current weekly web forums continue to attract a In August 2005, BBC News correspondents the year. People from all walks of life, all over the affairs coverage around the clock since the large number of responses both from inside witnessed events across Gaza as Israeli country, described their experiences. They Iraq war. In 2005, it launched a new Iran and elsewhere in the world.They offer soldiers began to remove people from ranged from an insurance broker whose programme for young audiences, BBC Extra, a unique window through which we can their homes. business was thriving to a hairdresser who often broadening the agenda to social issues such see what ordinary Iranians think about had to manage without any water.‘Through our as health and women’s rights. Interactive events inside and outside their country. contacts we managed to get under the skin of programming was extended to provide a Representations are being made to lift what is happening and give people a better growing forum for radio and online audiences the ban. understanding of how Iraqis live today,’ says to debate the latest events.‘We have been Hosam El Sokkari, Head of BBC Arabic.‘On a called a “Parliament for Arabs”, where The uprising in Andijan was the most From top Protesters in Andijan, Uzbekistan during day-to-day basis, it’s not just the explosions, the people can contribute different views and important event in Central Asia. When the uprising in May bombs and the conflicts but also how do they perspectives without fear of being marginalised demonstrators were shot dead in the Uzbek Saddam Hussein threatening to boycott feel about the changes in Iraq and how do they or judged,’ says Hosam El Sokkari. city last year, BBC World Service, uniquely his trial perform their normal duties and tasks.’ among international media, was able to Supporters of Hamas celebrate the ‘BBC Arabic is one of the leading news report from the scene and provide full election results during a rally in Hebron providers in the Middle East and we will be coverage of the aftermath.The powerful An Israeli election worker counts ballot ‘PARLIAMENT FOR ARABS’ the only one offering a coordinated service audio recording of the events as they papers at the Knesset across radio, online and television,’ says Jerry unfolded is now the only original record of A woman shows her ink-stained finger after voting in Baghdad Despite considerable competition, BBC Arabic Timmins, Head of Africa and Middle East what happened in Andijan on 13 May 2005. A Jewish woman from the Kfar Darom radio listening held up strongly, aided by the Region.‘TV will give us access to areas we are Services in Uzbek and English have succeeded settlement in Gaza confronts Israeli launch of new FM services in key areas, such unable to reach on FM and meet a genuine since that date in analysing the long-term soldiers sent to implement Israel’s policy as Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq and in Gaza. audience demand.’ impact despite very restricted access. of withdrawal 10 ANNUAL REVIEW 2005/06 ANNUAL REVIEW 2005/06 11 K8176 BBCWS R+A_15.qxd 21/6/06 5:52 pm Page 11 A YEAR IN REVIEW 2005/06 REPORTING NATURAL DISASTERS EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS GET CLOSER TO EVENTS ‘GETTING FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS FROM ORDINARY LISTENERS MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE TO OUR COVERAGE.’ It was a year of natural disasters on an Interactive technology established a dialogue would do to the psyche of the United States exceptional scale, from Hurricane Katrina between people in the region and other parts and its reputation abroad. Online sites and its aftermath – which devastated towns of the world, which featured on BBC websites. featured reaction, discussion, analysis and and cities, including New Orleans, on the In a live link-up using laptop computers at the images from the devastated areas, again LANDSLIDE WARNING southern US coast – to the South Asian time of the festival of Eid, schoolchildren from including many first-hand contributions from earthquake that left nearly 75,000 dead in Bradford in England put questions directly to listeners and web users. Hundreds of More than 650 people were confirmed dead in Guatemala in the Kashmir region and the mudslides that children in the city of Muzaffarabad, which was messages were received from people October after tropical storm Stan killed hundreds in Guatemala and other virtually demolished by the disaster.‘The concerned about the whereabouts of family triggered landslides; more died in parts of Central America. earthquake has affected me,’ says ten-year-old or friends living in or visiting the region. Mexico and other parts of Central Hamzah Hassa, a pupil at Bradford’s Thornbury America. It took several days to fly BBC World Service provided comprehensive primary school.‘It’s made me very sad.Two of In the past eight months, the BBC has reporter Claire Marshall from coverage from its own correspondents on the my family friends died.’ returned to the region to report on the Mexico to the remote region of ground and, more than ever, by linking with progress being made in rebuilding Guatemala worst affected.When people affected.