The year 2023 will be remembered as a crucial period for the news industry, marked by a series of world-shaking events. In 24/7 news cycles, Al Jazeera English X provided our audience with informative and digestible coverage. From the crackdown on Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan and the earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria, to Israel’s war on Gaza, and beyond. The AJEnglish X account covered the news with accuracy.
Our dedicated social media team remained vigilant, ready to spring into action at any moment as breaking news unfolded. Our goal was to focus on creative ways of producing original native content by optimising the platform’s plethora of features. With the highest journalistic integrity, we reported the facts and showed their impact through human stories that gave our audiences a deeper understanding of the issues.
Turkey-Syria Earthquakes
On February 6, 2023, a series of powerful earthquakes and aftershocks ravaged southeastern Turkey and northern Syria, resulting in widespread devastation and the tragic loss of over 50,000 lives. With our team’s round-the-clock coverage, we ensured that this tragic event was brought to the forefront of news on our platform.
Our primary focus was on delivering real-time breaking news through a daily thread; supplemented by a LIVE blog from our global news desks. We kept our audience informed of the latest developments as the aftermath of the earthquakes and aftershocks rapidly intensified. With the use of X threads, we curated a diverse range of content, including live on-field reporting through our broadcasting feature, in-depth articles, simplified infographics tailored for X, and native explainer videos. The focus was on providing real-time updates as the events unfolded, ensuring a diverse and comprehensive coverage of the situation to engage our audience. We spanned beyond the immediate event and captured its extended consequences consistently.
Crack down on Pakistan’s former PM Imran Khan
Since Imran Khan’s removal from power in Pakistan, he has consistently been one of our core stories, engaging our X audience until today. We extensively covered his numerous rallies, where he demanded immediate national elections. Before Imran Khan’s arrest, our exclusive interview with the former prime minister garnered an impressive total of 1.4M views, making it the highest social video engagement of 2023. On the day of his arrest, protests erupted across major cities in Pakistan. Our coverage focused on a LIVE thread supplemented by a regularly updated blog, allowing us to establish a substantial online voice against our competitors. We showcased impactful social videos and photo galleries capturing the essence of the protests, accompanied by a multitude of news stories, resulting in a significant increase in our audience reach and engagement. We made a deliberate effort to incorporate expert opinions on the matter through exclusive social videos. By providing easily digestible information and fostering a space for discussion, we successfully cultivated a platform for people to gain insights and exchange perspectives.
War on Gaza
Al Jazeera English excelled as the go-to source for timely and accurate coverage of Gaza as the war broke out. Leveraging X’s tools, we provided comprehensive updates, expert analyses, and insightful explainers. Our focus on breaking news included daily live threads and video analyses, supplemented by 24/7 coverage and global perspectives. We emphasised original content, particularly through impactful video series’ like Bird's Eye View, which aimed to uncover the grounds for Israeli claims through thorough reporting by our dedicated investigations team. With our dedicated reporters on the ground, we highlighted personal stories and international reactions, combating misinformation with compelling social videos. Through live streams and live-cut edits, we captured raw moments of the war, honouring our journalists and fostering meaningful dialogue. We aired live coverage from Gaza, including journalist Youmna Al Sayed reporting amidst an Israeli air strike. We also shared a heartbreaking story from correspondent Wael Dahdouh, who lost his family to an Israeli bombing. Additionally, we streamed South Africa's historic ICJ genocide case against Israel amidst ongoing war on Gaza.
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Our team is committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the stories shaping our world, amplifying the voices of those most affected, and helping our followers understand the broader implications for us all.
