Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh shared the stories of Palestine globally for 25 years. She reported each day as Palestinians navigated life under occupation, making sure their voices were heard. On May 11, 2022, Shireen was killed by Israeli forces while reporting for Al Jazeera on an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank, despite wearing a “PRESS” jacket.
Our Twitter team acted swiftly, breaking the news and updating our global audience as the events unfolded. Beyond just the facts, we used Twitter’s tools for live reports, updated threads, and original content. This was only a testament to Shireen’s importance and impact as both a journalist and the loved voice of Palestine both regionally and globally.
Our aim was to keep Shireen’s story alive while holding those responsible to account. Al Jazeera took Shireen’s case to the ICC and we used our platform to raise awareness for justice. We kept our audience engaged as while maintaining our journalistic integrity to bring attention to Shireen’s story. Our coverage received the highest share of voice on Twitter, setting us apart from other outlets.
Our Approach
Al Jazeera English’s Twitter emerged as the most reliable source for precise and prompt updates on the unjust killing of our journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh. Leveraging Twitter’s distinct features, we effectively unraveled the complexities of the story, delivering comprehensive updates to our audience. Our narrative stood out due to the inclusion of original native content, often overlooked by other media entities. We delved deep into Shireen Abu Akleh’s role within her Palestinian community, her significance as a journalist, and the ramifications of her passing on press freedom.
Our coverage encompassed a meticulous investigation by Al Jazeera that countered Israel’s initial claim that Palestinian gunfire might have taken Shireen Abu Akleh’s life. The moment Israeli forces targeted mourners carrying Shireen’s casket and desecrated a Palestinian flag at the funeral was swiftly captured via Twitter’s LIVE Broadcast, and was promptly shared with our audience to show the ongoing struggle of Palestinians even in death. This emphasised the crucial role of social media in journalism, ensuring such events remained etched in memory. The truth ultimately prevailed.
We conveyed unfiltered moments from Shireen Abu Akleh’s family and highlighted the outpouring support from both the Palestinian community and global individuals, united in honoring the esteemed journalist’s legacy. Additionally, we engaged expert viewpoints, exposing the double standards in Western media’s coverage of Shireen Abu Akleh’s tragic demise. Our mission was to uphold journalistic integrity and pay tribute to our veteran journalist, while also igniting conversations on our platform.
We harnessed Twitter’s full potential, providing real-time updates through daily LIVE threads and remaining at the forefront of breaking news. Our LIVE threads featured diverse content like Al Jazeera LIVE broadcasts, detailed articles, simplified infographics, native explainer videos, and live updates, all threaded together for cohesive understanding. This content strategy ensured easy information consumption for our audience.
Moreover, we utilised Twitter Spaces to host insightful audio discussions with Shireen’s colleagues and activists, shedding light on the discrepancies in Western media coverage and their treatment of Palestinian rights.
Our coverage not only disseminated real-time information but also advocated for justice in memory of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. Through our platform, we promoted awareness about submitting a formal ICC request for investigating and prosecuting those responsible for her tragic fate.
Our Result
Twitter Achievements:
- Gained 92.6k new followers in May 2022 alone
- Total follower increase of 12.6% compared to 2021
- Both #AlJazeera and #shireenabuakleh trended worldwide in May 2022
- Total of 7.1k mentions of Al Jazeera on May 11, 2022
- Secured the largest share of voice for coverage of Shireen Abu Akleh, surpassing CNN, BBC, and Skynews
Highest Engagement Days in 2022:
- May 13: 177,344 interactions
- May 11: 162,181 interactions
Video Views:
- Achieved a total of 101 million video views in 2022, a 22% increase compared to the previous year
- Outperformed BBC, CNN, RT, and TRT World in video views
Beyond the record-breaking statistics, our coverage shed light on press freedom. We held Israel accountable for its response to the killing of our journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. We challenged Israeli authorities’ initial false claims and scrutinised the actions of those involved in the investigation as well as Israel’s disruption of Shireen’s funeral. Our approach to easily digestible content through Twitter, prevented Israel from evading responsibility for Shireen’s killing.
Our strategy recognised the significance of engaging with global audiences by leveraging Twitter’s features. This experience has reaffirmed our commitment to hold those in power accountable for their actions through the collective strength of storytelling and we will continue to honour Shireen Abu Akleh’s legacy.
