If Al Jazeera English was truly fearless it would use the term ‘Islamist’

Next year Al Jazeera English (AJE) will celebrate its 10^th anniversary.  It was launched to great fanfare in 2006 luring across the brightest and best in the industry with a chequebook that compensated for ratings.  Refreshingly, it offered viewers both an alternate global perspective along with ‘fearless reporting’. To a large extent it has fulfilled these promises.  It reports from areas untouched by more western-centric channels, and its journalists haven’t flinched from what this might entail.  Despite the recent release of Peter Greste, two more remain imprisoned in Egypt where they have languished for more than 400 days. Yet there is more to fearless reporting than braving bullets or repressive governments.  It also involves a moral choice about what and how you choose to report.  Depressingly, on the rise of Islamism in all its manifestations, AJE has chosen not to be fearless – rather it has chosen to be silent. Recent editorial guidelines make this clear.