Journalists Who Did Not Leave the Profession

Tunisian journalist Mohamed Krichene did not need to justify his 30-year tenure at Al Jazeera and within the same organization, as others had preceded him in this field. Dozens of names could be cited, but the issue does not stop there; it extends to other considerations. Does remaining in the same position constitute a virtue, a flaw, a deficiency in the individual, or a deficiency in the institution where he works?

I believe, without exaggeration, that a longer tenure is a sign of institutional stability and is not a negative phenomenon. The institution shapes the journalist, acting as the nurturing incubator that supports him; thus, he is a “strategic” asset rather than a threat, provided that prolonged tenure does not transform the individual into a new “dictator” who monopolizes the position and prevents the infusion of fresh talent.

The criterion here is measured by the journalist’s strength, his ability to renew himself, and the public’s trust in him and his credibility.

There are numerous precedents before us. For instance, the longest tenure of a famous journalist at the BBC was 72 years, held by David Attenborough.

In the Arab sphere, there is a long list. In Lebanon, for example, the name of the veteran journalist Samir Atallah stands out among the longest-serving figures in print journalism. He has been writing continuously since the 1960s, starting with An-Nahar, and continues to do so, even after appearing in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.

On the other end, Art Buchwald emerged as a writer and satirical critic, although the BBC, as a venerable station, retained journalists for long and extended periods.

Take, for example, Larry King at CNN and Barbara Walters, who served for fifty years in journalism.

We are not discussing newspaper owners or editors-in-chief, but journalists themselves, whether in television or print media.

For instance, Adel Malek is considered one of the most prominent faces of Lebanese television and was a pillar of news bulletins and political programs. He is followed by Riyad Sharara, Adel Al-Hajj, Anssi Al-Hajj, Elias Al-Dairi, Rafic Khoury, Nabil Al-Burji, and others.

This rule may not apply to employees in the strict functional sense, as research indicates that their average tenure in the organization they work for ranges between five and ten years.

Certainly, the case of journalists does not fall under the recurring question: “How long should you stay in your job for a better opportunity?”