In Focus: A gentle soul Galal Nassar pays tribute to Hosny Guindy, the man who steered Al-Ahram Weekly 's fortunes for more than a decade Five years have passed since the death of Hosny Guindy, and to me it seems like a century. Times have changed so much since that day in 1990 when, as a young intern at Al-Ahram, I was told that Samir Sobhi, then deputy editor of Al-Ahram, wanted to see me in his office. He was looking for new journalists to work on the English language paper Al-Ahram was about to release. I went to room 422 to see Sobhi. Incredibly, I was offered a position on what was to become Al-Ahram Weekly. I had not yet graduated. My next interview was with Hosny Guindy, then deputy chief foreign editor of Al-Ahram and soon to be the editor in chief of the Weekly. Puffing on his pipe -- years later his doctors ordered him to quit -- he told me he didn't want to hire journalists who were set in their ways but was trying to put together a young and creative team including people already working in Al-Ahram and outsiders. Some of the new recruits came from news agencies. Aware of the clichés that dominate Egyptian journalism, he wanted the new publication to be forward looking and fresh in its style and attitude. Attention to detail was something for which Guindy was known. His team was full of experienced and talented people: Samir Sobhi, Mohamed Salmawy (first managing editor), Mahmoud Murad (editor of investigative and home reports), Mursi Saadeddin, Mona Anis (editor of the culture and opinion sections), Bahgat Badie, Wadie Kirolos, Fouad El-Gohari, Sophie Sarwat (sports editor) and others. The team spent weeks poring over every detail, choosing the fonts, finalising the layout, issuing pilot editions, selecting opinion page writers and establishing links with a network of foreign correspondents. Several native English speakers were hired to polish the final copy and make sure that the language was accessible. Soon after the launch Hani Shukrallah, a prominent journalist and intellectual, joined the team as managing editor. Following Guindy's death, Shukrallah served as executive chief editor, keeping the publication on the same course Guindy had charted. With full backing from the newspaper's godfather, then Al-Ahram Establishment chairman of the board Ibrahim Nafie, Guindy decided to create a liberal newspaper that would give voice to opinions from across the Egyptian political spectrum. The Weekly became a newspaper like no other, offering the views of the government as well as civil society, playing fair while firmly defending national interests and security. It broke the mould by refusing to be a mouthpiece of the regime or the ruling, seeking to be objective yet fair, impartial yet loyal to its readers. Eventually the Weekly became synonymous with reliable reporting in Egypt and the Arab world, offering varied views but remaining objective and level-headed. Guindy put together a team of young reporters trained to cover local events, culture, politics, the economy and sports and provide commentary and analysis. He hired a network of professional correspondents reporting from the scene of events, providing an Egyptian perspective on world affairs. He solicited contributions from eminent columnists from across the political spectrum, from the extreme right and the extreme left to moderate Islamists. Regular contributors included Naguib Mahfouz, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal, Mohamed Sid- Ahmed, Edward Said, Ahmed Kamal Abul-Magd, Azmi Bishara, Joseph Mosaad, Salama Ahmed Salama, Clovis Maqsud, Hassan Nafaa, Gamil Matar and Mohamed Selim El-Awwa, etc... A partnership developed between Egyptians and foreigners working for the paper, with qualified native English speakers working as copy editors at the central desk. The paper boasted a talented team of layout experts working under Samir Sobhi, who gave the paper a distinguished look and kept timely liaison with the print house and the advertising and distribution departments. A team of illustrators and photographers worked for the paper, including George Bahgory, Ragaei Wanis, Gomaa Farahat, Nagui Kamel, Gamil Shafiq, Randa Shaath, Yves Paris, Sherif Sonbol and Antoune Albert. Guindy was sensitive to the critical moment at which the newspaper was launched, in the middle of the Gulf War, a terror wave in Egypt and shock waves across the Arab world. He was also aware that the Arab point of view was poorly presented abroad and the region was misunderstood and misrepresented in the foreign media. This placed a heavy responsibility on the fledgling publication yet Guindy insisted on credibility and objectivity, steering away from any hint of propaganda. From the day the Weekly was launched, on 28 February 1991, to the day Guindy died on 10 August 2003, he managed to turn the Weekly into the region's leading English language publication. It wasn't easy. He had to constantly defend his editorial line against those who frowned upon such liberalism. Guindy turned the government, the opposition, the intelligentsia and civil society into allies. His insistence on professionalism and objectivity paid off. For 13 years the Weekly was praised by the Higher Council of Journalism as a model of professional standards. One of Guindy's lasting achievements was to separate advertising from the editorial line of the newspaper. He refused the usual quota of advertising revenues paid to chief editors. He never allowed colleagues to negotiate advertisements on behalf of the newspaper. We never heard him complain about pressures from above. Somehow he managed to keep the paper above the sea of sycophancy that had engulfed most other media. He never made concessions or tried to please the powers that be, neither before nor after he became chief editor. His main focus was on the paper's success and high standards. The thing everyone remembers about him is his immense capacity for love. He blended professional discipline and avuncular care. Maybe because he studied psychology at the American University in Cairo, or maybe because he had a knack for it, he managed to run the newspaper not as a boss but as a friend. Sitting with him was like having a session with a psychiatrist. Whether it was work problems or family concerns, he always listened. From nine in the morning till late at night he made the rounds, discussing business in corridors, dispensing advice behind closed doors, welcoming guests to his office, resolving problems in the newsroom, and always encouraging colleagues. He read every word in the paper, not with the eyes of a censor, but with those of a journalist jealous for quality. He looked at photos and captions, discussed titles and leads, and offered comments with subtlety and respect. He also fought for proper pay for his co- workers, arguing all the time that financial security was necessary for creative work. At times the financial situation of the entire corporation would become shaky and Guindy would threaten to leave his job unless his colleagues receive reasonable salaries and the technical backing they deserved, be it computers or communication equipment. His kindness left a deep impression on his colleagues and made the newspaper feel more like home than a workplace. Hosny Guindy is gone now. Many of our former colleagues have left to seek better deals with other organisations. The spirit he fought so hard to maintain is unfortunately dying as well. Since his time pressures on the media have built up and the entire mood has shifted. Had fate been merciful to let Guindy go before things changed so much? Sometimes I wonder. He was a gentle soul, and our world has little patience for men such as him.
