Hassan Fattah teaches us about freedom of the press

"Abu Dhabi’s The National newspaper has refused to run an advertisement by the Doha Debates promoting a controversial session about Dubai, broadcast by BBC World News last Saturday and Sunday. A Doha Debates spokesman said the advertisement had featured a picture of two panellists against a Dubai skyline with the question: “Is Dubai a bad idea?” Sources close to the newspaper said its staff had been afraid of upsetting Dubai’s rulers, already sensitive over international coverage of their financial crisis. The National’s advertising manager Andy Tideswell told agents in Doha that “due to the content of the Doha Debates ad a late decision was taken to pull the ad from the January 8 issue.” (thanks Richard)