Turki al-Dakhil, a Saudi broadcaster, author, and public intellectual, is General Manager of Al Arabiya News Channel, the most widely viewed news network in the Arabic language.
Following a traditional Islamic education at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University in Riyadh, he began his career as a print journalist, covering politics and culture for the Saudi newspapers Okaz, Al-Riyadh, and Al-Watan; the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, and the pan-Arab news magazine Al-Majalla — then later as a radio correspondent for the French-owned pan-Arab Monte Carlo Radio and the Saudi-backed regional juggernaut MBC FM. He continued his education in the United States, pursuing journalism studies, digital media, and photography. Inspired by what he gleaned from the United States, he proceeded to co-found Elaph, a popular online news magazine with a liberal bent; and Alarabiya.net, the TV news channel’s online presence and currently the highest-traffic Web site in the Arabic language.
Over a ten-year period, Aldakhil’s weekly Al Arabiya talk show “Spotlights” provided an opportunity for proponents of Arab and Islamic social reform to make their case to a mass audience, as well as a challenge to advocates of strident ideologies whom he also hosted on the show. In 2007, Arabian Business Magazine ranked Dakhil among “the world’s most influential Arabs.” In addition to his television work, Dakhil is a prolific newspaper columnist. Mr. Aldakhil tweets @turkialdakhil.
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