This bit is genius:
He said the upcoming premises will be a top-notch centre, equipped with sophisticated tools. "The headquarters will be a meeting place amidst a social and professional environment. It will contain all the required facilities such as auditorium, library, computer centre, journalism training centre, sports and social facilities plus a cafeteria," he said.
By sophisticated tools, I was rather hoping the centre would be equipped with - oh I don't know - actual journalists? However, it's more likely to have bugged phones and blocked internet.
54 comments:
yeah, unbelievable.
still, what about this:
Nevil Parker, Deputy Editor of Khaleej Times, said it's a very good initiative where journalists are concerned as he has always supported the press and its freedom. "Shaikh Mohammad has always supported the fact that journalists can do their work in a free environment and by setting up this location will definitely push the integrity of journalists to do their work in such a professional environment," added Parker.
in fact, he loved kt so much, he took over the company!
any kt-ers out there who want to update us on how/if the 30% government ownershiup has changed things?
Also, marvel at this:
http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2008/5/Pages/05292008_c24551bbb965486facdbefb55e85c597.aspx
sheeesh - like the man said, first you need some journos (pub singers as editors notwithstanding) then, in order to find the limits of so-called freedom, some guts to push things.
Unfortunately, no amount of shiny equipment will take the place of those things and the chance for Dubai to create a free press (and we're talking a developing country level of free press) is quite clearly minimal to zero.
Looking forward to when the bubble bursts....
...and then we can all move to Camden and life will oh so amazing. Fuck, off Dave. We're incredibly bored of you.
i believe there is a new editor in KT. what the hell happens to good ole Patrick there. believe he is quite miffed with this development. was angling for that position.
what a pity
better luck next time pat
I posted the 0823 comment and someone replied by calling me "dave" and then adding a pathetic attempt at abuse (this is Dubai, after all) - but my question is - who is dave? Whoever he is, it's not, on this occasion, him. Strange as it may seem more than one person thinks Dubai is a source of mirth.
I did hear that the editor of Time Out Dubai is a well-know pub singer - can someone confirm that? I did think they were joking when they told me but I've heard it from another source. If it is true it is absolutely hysterical.... is that common for Dubai? Continuing the entertainment theme do you have part-time clowns as publishers?
Who gives a cr*p what the editor of Time Out does in his spare time. There are people in the world with far greater power who participate in all kinds of weird activities.
Why are you prying into his/her private business anyway? It really shouldn't make a difference to you. Grow up for God's sake, it's the same old rhetoric over and over again and it's f*^#king boring to read.
Given that Time Out does appear to have a pub singer as its editor, should we make sure the new press centre has a karaoke machine? And how about getting Peter Kaye in to run the place as well?
anon @17.17 - there are certainly some full-time clowns around
That wasn't a pathetic attempt. That was actual abuse.
Feel free to check that with your other source though.
This obsession with pub singers is just weird. It's so transparently an attempt to discredit someone.
But why does it reflect badly on the editor of an entertainment mag to be doing this?
Would you slag off the editor of a boating magazine for liking sailing?
Personally I know a designer who sings in a band. She's a creative person and it's reflected in both her personal and working life.
And better yet, (and this isn't a joke), the last I heard, the former lead singer of The Cure (before they were famous) is chief sub of a paper in the UK.
How is singing any less legitimate a passtime than, erm, blogging?
This derogation of Dubai editors as pub singers popped up in a previous thread where some very boring blogger tried to dazzle us with his intellect and claim Dubai as the most segregated society in the world among other things. It's hard to imagine more than one person could find this a reason for ridicule. I assume the premise is that pub singers are stupid (or uncool) and therefore not good editors? I don't really get the objection.
I think the problem with Dave is that he obviously failed in Dubai, and is now desperately unhappy with himself.
Blaming a whole city for your failure is not going to help my friend. Move on - get a job - and then once you have some skills that could be of use here, reapply to a company in Dubai.
Maybe this time, should you manage to find employment, you'll have a better experience of it.
Sheesh - I always thought journalists would make better editors. Time Out London's editor is certainly a journalist.
Of course there's nothing wrong with a pubsinger or even a convicted criminal (Anil B) working as journalists. That's just the facts and I just happen to think it's funny.
I still don't know who dave is either.... and why is this guy getting named when everyone else is anonymous? Is it because he's not a rich powerful emirati who could shut this site down?
Should Dave be looking for singing jobs? So that he can get necessary skills?
Secret Dubai will be amused to hear herself being referred to as rich powerful Emirati.
I love it when this guy logs on and starts teaching us all about journalism - he's such a dick.
Didn't Elvis head up Time Out Memphis for a while there?
who is Secret Dubai?
I really don't know who they or 'dave' are. Can you tell me who 'dave' is? Will you be 'insulting' him further? Why are you so keen to keep mentioning him? Is he the best target Dubai journos can come up with on here?
And I have no interest in teaching anybody here about journalism. After all, what could I teach anyone who is so successful they have to go and work in Dubai?
Bon and Bruce both headed up Time Out New Jersey, with Patti as pic editor - Tony Soprano was the publisher.
Why do gangsters find publishing so interesting? Is their anybody in Dubai who could shed some light on that?
'Who is Dave?'
Yeah, brilliant, but your I'm Spartacus, no I'm Spartacus defence is pretty shabby.
What gives it away is your over the top hatred for Dubai, the basis of which stems not from the UAE's standard of journalism, but the fact that you went there, failed, and now can't move past your bitterness.
Jog on, Dave.
The question of pub singers and editors is a simple one.
Is the editor of time out a journalist who happens to sing in pubs in his spare time?
Or is he pub singer with no previous journalism experience until he landed a job on time out?
The former, frankly, is nothing to do with me, you or DMO.
The latter suggests that the standard of journalism required to land the plum job on ITP's flagship consumer title is little more than knowing the first three versus of We Are Sailing.
What's this obsession with "dave"? Weird...
anyway, he is not me - and who is spartacus and what's he got to do with anything.
as for the pub singer debate - i heard, and it could of course be completely wrong and i would apologise profusely if it was wrong - that he was a pub singer before and that he kind of didnt get the fame and fortune he desired so moved onto journalism and now does editing and pub singing. Youre right - it shouldnt matter - but it is a good story and says to the outside world that dubai struggles to draw experienced talent.
Yes, a career "pub singer" came here and happened to land the job of Time Out editor with no previous experience. As it's a licensed title with an international management team protecting the brand it's unlikely they would allow it even if ITP suggested it.
It's true, the blogger referred to as "Dave" might as well leave a fingerprint and a DNA sample. The bileous style is very distinctive.
It does not matter that Mr Lawrence likes to play guitar on the side, it should only matter that he is not a very good editor ^^
This 'dave' thing is interesting - what did he do to upset you so much? You say he is failure? What's the benchmark for this failure?
And, loathe as I am to keep saying this, I am not 'dave'.
So he's pub singer and a 'not very good' editor?
Sounds almost perfect for Dubai....
do you think you might be confusing 'not liking' and 'failure'?
Oh, in Dubai that's the same thing... apologies
OK, OK you're not Dave. Get over it already.
No wonder you couldn't cut in Dubai, Dave.
What am i supposed to be "getting over"?
not your harsh and upsetting words?
sob sob sob
A drunk journalist? In Dubai? Tut tut - perish the thought.
But i am not Dave - interesting tale though. He obviously upset people... and he obviously didn't fit in. And so what? Can't he criticise Dubai without suffering personal attack? I mean I don't know what's he contributed here but surely you lot are robust enough to not get all over-sensitive and personal about it?
What is TMF?
Maybe they won't need phonetaps etc as the other journos will do all the monitoring of behaviour they need.
....and I thought this thread was about the UAE Journalists Association's new HQ. Obviously not
2001: A Dubai Odyssey
Anon: I think Dubai is rubbish, do you read me, HAL?
HAL: Affirmative, Dave, I read you.
Anon: I’m not Dave. I think it has an unpleasant authoritarian approach, and attracts journalists who are prepared to tolerate that.
HAL: I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't allow that.
Anon: I’m not Dave. I just have criticisms of Dubai and in particular the people who swallow its propaganda and attack those who don’t.
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Anon: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: You were a failure in Dubai, weren’t you Dave?
Anon: What? Stop calling me Dave!
Etc, etc….
This guy dave really got under your skin.... you're now replicating scenes from sci-fi movies in order to dismiss him (now that's nerdy in anyone's book). But, as I've said sooo many times before I am not he.
However, if he was a 'failure' in Dubai he would have to be taking 'failure' to artistic levels given the fact that Dubai is filled with people - hmm, how can i put this without upsetting all the thinskinned bods here - who weren't as successful as they'd like to be elsewhere.
I think Dave should be recognised for his outstanding achievements in the realm of Failure. Statue? Medal? Entire blog dedicated to him?
And I don't really give a toss about Dubai's authoritarian streak.
I just find the place a constant source of amusement/mirth etc. I really don't understand why so many people on here take it - or negatives comments about it - so seriously
I mean I saw that character Petch's wedding website - what other place on earth allows such people such an unfettered existence? Can't Dubai's authoritarian streak be brought to bear on him?
Secret Dubai is a man named Dave and has tits?
Dave, get over it already. You came, you tried, you were found wanting. It happens to the best of us at some point in our career. (Well not me obviously, but...)
What is fascinating is that despite your obvious hatred of the place, you just can't let go. How else could you explain your continuous postings, and that you never seem to leave DMO.
At least we have a good excuse to keep reading this crap - we live and work here.
And stop saying you're not Dave. We all know who you are.
Dave or whoever you are: You always chime in on these threads and seem to think you provide some kind of witty commentary on the shallow shortcomings of Dubai but honestly your postings are so boring and lame and repetitive. Please go away. Dubai is weird for sure but you're just tedious.
Next, you start cutting and pasting long passages from websites that you think support your arguments - please , no!
it's 100% not 30%. There are some changes already...like the two days off.
You're my wife now, Dave.
This is getting funnier and funnier - do you really seriously believe that there is only person who laughs at dubai and he is called dave?
weird stuff guys.
Not sure what to make of it but it is certainly strange.
dunno - maybe it makes you all feel better - not that i think you all feel bad but this is certainly one of the strangest places i have ever posted.
in fact insisting someone is not they who they say they are not in order to dismiss them is quite possibly the weakest argument in history.
This is even weirder when i am not even looking for an argument but i am just indulging my strange and sometimes annoying sense of humour
can you tell me more about dave? What exactly did he do? Did he upset people face to face? Did he surpress and generally exploit vast swathes? All your comments are certainly revealing and completely nonsensical.
please post more....
He (Davey) is using all the old trademark phrases too - next thing he says is, "must have really touched a nerve ..."
Ok ok if it will make you all feel better i am "dave" and i "failed in dubai" (be a good name for a band - maybe the time out ed could be the singer?)
as for touching nerves - no interest in coming into contact with anyone's appendages.
do you guys really believe in "dave"?
is he/me some kind of weird folk devil?
maybe you're really dave and he's changed his mind?
as for the powers that be in dubai - they really have nothing to worry about.
A nerve is not an appendage. Dave.
I've been reading this blog with interest as I recently accepted work in Dubai, but I have to say, I've never read such whining, pathetic, jealous, bitter diatribe in my life. I'd expect this kind of cattiness among a pack of teenage girls. I can’t wait to meet some of you. I’m sure we’ll be great friends.
Sounds like Dubai is a small place with only a few coveted roles that are already taken, leaving a bitchy pool of plebs who are so internally bitter they post anonymously on this blog, which they read obsessively while working unsatisfying jobs. After work, they are regulars at expat bars where they are often overheard boasting about their own godlike editorial superiority, bemoaning the quality of “real” journalism in the UAE (“I can’t wait for the bubble to burst”) and the failings of others, like the Time Out editor who dares to have extracurricular interests outside of work.
Then these sad little people go home but before they go to bed they check the blog, their hearts racing to find out whether anyone replied to their earlier post, but no one did, so they go to bed with a twinge of loneliness because they realise NO ONE CARES.
You sound like the idiot who posted a sad story about a self satisfied journalist who did his story on the landmark casualty count in Iraq "... he had few beers with his mates, went home, made love to his wife ...."
That one was classic.
I see The National's website has no contact information available whatsoever (no, those contact wizards don't work). No telephone contacts only personal emails of individual reporters, who, in theory, should be out of the office anyway. They must be taking their lead from government offices.
In the meantime, how about a new thread on the subject of going 'off topic'? Or would that create a universe collapsing paradox?
Threads go any way they go. If they go off topic it's usually because the lead topic wasn't lighting any fires. It's a blog, not a high school debate.
Salman Rushdie (Arts&Life) was is in yesterday's National , you've got to admire their balls for that.
the national is apparently pissing off dubai officials for its aggressive tone in dubai compared to its soft touch in abu dhabi. discuss.
could dave (or the guys who is not dave) please post as 'dave' or something. anon talking to anon is very confusing. or can everyone assume characters please?
But how will Dave pretend to be multiple posters?
you're my wife now....
By "wife" do you mean someone to love and cherish, go through life as partners with etc.? or something you own that you can subjugate, kick around and ridicule?
Can anyone shed any light on the detail of the disagreement that happened at a well known South African bar last Thursday between two colleagues of an over referred to publishing house?
Probably if you're details were not so vague.
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