Founder’s Message

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Founder’s message

H. Al Askari, founder of HANZALA Digital Media, an independent Arab digital media platform launched in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with the aim of providing serious, professional content that brings together news, verification, and context.

My connection to the media began years ago in the United Arab Emirates, where I founded and led the media coverage team at Al Jazira Club. I worked in photography, editing, and media coverage for a number of tournaments and sporting events, including FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournaments, as well as other sporting competitions in the UAE.

My professional mentorship under media professional Jaber Al Jabri played an important role in shaping my approach to media work and my understanding of a journalist’s responsibility toward the news and the audience.

With years of experience and work, the idea for HANZALA grew out of a real need for an independent Arab platform that approaches news and digital content with greater clarity and responsibility, distinguishing confirmed news, information under verification, and opinion without confusion or misleading presentation.

We place neutrality and independence at the heart of our media work. HANZALA’s role is not to adopt one party’s narrative or defend one side at another’s expense, but to present the available facts, information, and context clearly, distinguish news from opinion and claims, and allow readers to see the picture and form their own judgments.

Neutrality does not mean treating accurate information and unsubstantiated information as equal. It means committing to verification, attributing claims to their sources, and explaining what is confirmed and what remains under verification, without steering the audience toward a particular political or media position.

At HANZALA, we believe media work should go beyond relaying what is said. It should be grounded in verification, accuracy, transparency, and respect for the audience’s judgment. We therefore seek to build a modern digital newsroom serving Arab audiences within Canada and beyond, covering relevant local, Canadian, Arab, and international issues professionally and responsibly.

The platform also aims to offer a model of independent Arab digital media based in Canada, drawing on prior media experience and bringing together identity, professionalism, and modern tools for publishing, reporting, and digital verification.

Welcome to HANZALA Digital Media. I look forward to this platform becoming a trusted space for information, its context, and the complete picture.