Sky News Arabia has appointed Egyptian media professional and journalist Ahmed Begato as head of its Egypt bureau, where he will oversee the bureau’s operations and news coverage while leading its journalism team. His appointment follows a professional career spanning more than 20 years in journalism and field reporting on news and political issues in several countries and regions.
Commenting on his appointment, Begato said he had spent more than twenty years reporting the news from the scene and had learnt throughout that career that a good news story begins with people before reaching the screen. He said he was taking on his new role in his home country with the understanding that Egypt is too large to be told from a single perspective.
Begato to lead Sky News Arabia’s Egypt bureau
He added that his task was to build a team capable of seeing the full picture and working with professionalism, accuracy and speed. He also thanked Sky News Arabia’s management for the confidence it had placed in him, expressing his eagerness to work with his colleagues at the channel’s Egypt bureau in the coming period. During his journalism career, Begato served as chief roving correspondent for Al Arabiya and Al Hadath.
His work focused on field reporting, including following breaking news and producing reports from the scene, as well as covering political issues and international conferences. His coverage extended to several countries and areas affected by conflict and crises, including Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Russia, Ukraine, Lebanon and Djibouti.
He also worked in the Horn of Africa, drawing on his experience covering events on the ground and political issues across a broad geographical area. Academically, Begato holds a master’s degree in media from Liverpool John Moores University. His research dissertation examined production constraints and institutional framing in media coverage of the conflict in Yemen, a subject connected to one of the issues he followed during his field journalism career.
Extensive field experience in conflict zones
Begato also holds a professional coaching certificate from the International Coaching Federation, known by its abbreviation ICF. Alongside his journalism work, he trains journalists and media professionals at Egyptian and Saudi institutions, drawing on his professional experience in news reporting, fieldwork and managing journalistic content.
His activities also include supervising graduation projects for university students specialising in media and journalism. This aspect of his career combines professional training with applied academic work, through following up on students’ projects and assisting them in areas related to producing media and journalistic content.
Training and documentary work expand his media career
In documentary filmmaking, Begato has directed a number of works, including a film about the circumstances and rights of Afghan women after the Taliban returned to power. The work reflects his interest in humanitarian and political issues connected to areas where he has previously covered events. Begato published a book entitled «Stories of an Arab Correspondent on the Front Line», documenting what he saw and experienced during his field assignments.
The book contains professional insights and ideas drawn from his journalism experience, including working from the scene and following breaking developments and political issues in several countries and regions.
