Exploring Diversity in Media: A Case Study of Al Jazeera TV Network
Summary
This study of Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN) reveals a significant gap between its public commitment to diversity and the internal reality. While employees celebrate diversity as an ideal, they criticise its implementation as superficial and performative.
Key findings highlight systemic barriers: non-Arab staff and women face exclusion from leadership, Arabic-speaking Gulf affiliates dominate decision-making, and pro-diversity policies are seen as tokenistic "checkbox exercises." Geopolitical pressures and self-censorship further undermine these efforts.
The research concludes that for AJMN to live up to its mission, it must move beyond symbolic gestures and enact deep structural change—redistributing power, addressing intersectional inequalities, and truly embodying the inclusivity it champions.