Region | Egypt
Egyptian blogger first to win award
Whether people realise its influence or not, internet has not only became a vital instrument in communication, but also a field of competition for journalists in 'traditional' media outlets.
- By Jumana Al Tamimi, GCC & Middle East Editor
- Published: 23:16 August 30, 2007
- Image Credit: Gulf News
- Screengrab of Wael Abbas's popular blogging site Misr digital.
Dubai: Whether people realise its influence or not, acknowledge it or not, internet has not only became a vital instrument in communication, but also a field of competition for journalists in 'traditional' media outlets.
Egyptian Wael Abbas, 32, has not only said it but has proved it.
Last Friday, Abbas, a blogger, received an e-mail message notifying him of being the first blogger ever winning an award for the blog he began in mid- 2004.
Abbas was named, along with a Myanmarese investigative reporter, as the 2007 Knight International Journalism Award winners - an award which recognises individuals who have raised the standards of media excellence in their countries.
"I was surprised, but at the same time, don't know how to describe my feelings, (at the time of receiving the news of the award)," he says in a telephone interview with Gulf News in Cairo. "I had mixed feelings. I have met with appreciation and honour from strangers and foreigners, which I don't get from my compatriots."
Abbas blog, Misr digital, "regularly breaks stories on subjects generally avoided by local media, such as protests, corruption and police brutality. His vivid first-hand reports, videos and photographs have attracted thousands of readers and the attention of mainstream news outlets, which have begun to pick up his hard-hitting stories," said the announcement of the award.
Abbas described the internet as "this marvellous thing", and the "genies" that come out when he rubbed Aladdin's Lamp.
This "genie goes everywhere, to every one travelling through wires and cables and even through thin air," he was quoted as saying.
Abbas' association with the internet goes back to 1994, when he was taking part in chatting sites, and other music and literature sites. He holds a BA in English literature from Ain Shams University in Egypt.
Later, he started writing articles and sending them to friends and electronic newspapers. His writings were mainly opinion pieces on social and religious issues and some times cinematic criticism.
Reform movements
However, with several developments in the Egyptian political arena, "and the emergence of movements calling for reform and change... there were many things on the street that didn't have sufficient coverage in the [mainstream] media," he said.
It was then when he decided to have his own blog.
At the beginning, "I had in mind that I will be targeting the youth who can't live a decent life...," Abbas said. "This is why my site is in colloquial Egyptian," he says as he wanted to attract the youth who have nothing to do with politics nor with a good cultural background.
But the result was different. Now, the average number of visitors to the blog is around 30,000 a day, and one million a month. In case of "hot incidents", the number jumps to one million and a half a day.
"I found out that people of all ages are visiting and interacting with my blog, which is rich in the pictures and video clips," he said.
Abbas speaks with pride when he says more and more people are sending him pictures and clips about what is happening in their local societies and areas.
But again, life is not a bed of roses. Abbas has tasted the bitter side as well. Today, he says, he lost many things because of his blog. He was fired from one of his previous jobs. "Everytime I go to apply for a job, I am rejected unless I stop blogging, which I was told will affect being neutral in my job," he says.
Abbas makes a living from some freelancing, and writing some articles for Arabic and English-language newspapers.
While he admits he was not subjected to physical torture from the authorities, he said once he was detained for six hours with out any plausible reason.
Have your say
Do you follow blogs? Do you think they have helped in opening up the media? Which is your favourite blog site and why? Tell us at letter2editor@gulfnews.com or fill in the comments form below.
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