Hisham melhem biography meaning

For the best experience with monocle. He talks to Monocle about covering a winter of Arab rebellion.

Hisham Melhem is a

I was in Davos on 25 January when the big event happened. Physically we were in Davos, preparing for a session, but everyone was thinking Cairo. You are a reporter; you have that bug and want to be in the middle of it. There is this not very accurate view of the US government as a monolithic structure that speaks with one voice, and there is very little appreciation for the fact that you have debate — sometimes tough debates — not only between the White House and State Department, or the National Security Council and State or Defense, but within each agency.

If you are confused in Washington, just imagine the degree of confusion in the streets of Cairo — and in the palace of Cairo. Who is speaking for America? That was before the era of satellite TV in the Arab world. There was a time when you would be lucky, even for a hard-working journalist, to get an interview with the deputy assistant secretary of state.

But things have changed. That was one of the reasons Obama gave me his first sit-down TV interview after a week in office, because he wanted to get something out to the Arab world through me. We talk to people at State and at the National Security Council — and of course we talk to people at think-tanks. When you are in the heat of unfolding events, it is extremely difficult, especially when you work for television, to get quick access.

You might get the access, but you might not get it in time. But most Arabs get their news from television, just like Americans.