From the 7 Days website:
Do you realise the harm you are doing?
We at 7DAYS have always welcomed fair competition, and competitiveness, in the field of journalism especially if it is to the betterment of the press and media at large, as well as the readers, both expatriates and citizens of the UAE alike.
Unfortunately, however, over the last few days we have found ourselves at the receiving end of a concerted and vicious campaign aimed at discrediting our name and professional conduct.
It is with great sadness and dismay that we find fellow media organisations continuously attacking a specific feature, which 7DAYS has officially apologised for, for being culturally offensive to the country of the UAE, and far more seriously, continuing to incorrectly, and shamefully, imply that we deliberately misquoted the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in our edition of Tuesday, November 21, 2006.
We take great offence at these allegations because we have the utmost respect for the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and everything that he does and represents.
The cover story in question was derived from the official UAE press agency WAM, and the respected international wire agency Agence France Presse (“AFP”). Not at any point in the cover story did a single member of 7DAYS’ editorial team add any extra comments, and it should have been abundantly obvious to those in the newspaper industry, as well as to any reader, that the words, are clearly outside the quote of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa, and were not in any way attributed to him.
"As a result, the standing laws on immigration in Western countries can not apply fully to these workers," who often complain of not being paid salaries or over poor housing at labour camps in the desert, he said.
This paragraph was taken directly, and without alteration, from AFP.
It seems that there are those who are pursuing their own agenda against 7DAYS, and have seized this window of opportunity to discredit us without checking the facts.
It is particularly disappointing to read those who are accusing 7DAYS of misrepresenting the President, of blindly pursuing this line without doing their own research as to what exactly AFP and WAM disseminated, which is what was printed eventually in 7DAYS, word for word.
That these newspapers could allow their editorial staff to publish such unsubstantiated and incorrect opinions in the pursuit of tarnishing a fellow publication’s reputation goes beyond the bounds of fair and professional competition.
Not only are these allegations damaging to 7DAYS’ reputation and standing in society, but they have also called for petty boycotts by advertisers and sponsors.
When 7DAYS commits an error, and we have in the past, we are the first to put our hands up and admit it. But if certain parties are waging a campaign against us purely for their own benefit, financial or otherwise, then the UAE’s journalism industry has more serious issues to consider.
Like everything in this
of a country, don't dare to speak the truth or it will be twisted as either blasphemy, lies or treason. The government is great to promote their promotion of "freedom of the press" as long as none of that freedom to express refers to them or their corrupt country.
The treatment of workers in this country is truly apalling. But don' dare tell the truth and tarnish the "iconic" reputation of the UAE
or there is hell to pay.
Unfortunately this attitude pervades all aspects of this place including EK. And that is why ultimately the UAE will never be anything more than a 3rd world wanna-be with deep pockets and no soul.
Just my 2 cents worth.