Al Jazeera to boost Qatari staff figures

Manama: Al Jazeera, the Doha-based channel that has helped change the Arab media landscape, is moving ahead with plans to recruit a large number of Qataris.

Under a strategy launched by its news head, the pan-Arab channel will hire Qataris who hold a university degree, preferably in media or communication studies, be thoroughly knowledgeable about regional and international developments and be less than 30 years old, local daily Al Sharq reported on Monday.

Well-known Qatari media people will oversee the project, launched as part of the changes promoted by the channel since the appointment of Shaikh Ahmad Bin Jassem Al Thani as its head.

Shaikh Ahmad in September became the network director general following the resignation of Palestinian-born Waddah Khanfar after eight years at the helm of the channel launched in 1996.