Casablanca - Raja Battaoui
In an interview with Arabstoday, Moroccan media personality and television presenter of "Sahran Maak el-Lela" (Spend the Night with You) said his desire to experience something new led to the decision to resign from Channel 2. He denied that he stepped down because the show was drawing to an end, and said he was in talks about future projects with the channel. "I am ready for a new experience, I intend to improve Moroccan media," he stated. The veteran TV host also said it was too early to judge Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane. Arabstoday: Why did you resign from Channel 2? Emad el-Netify: I wanted to experience something new in the media industry, everybody in the media world has this ambition. Leaving Channel 2 was part of my drive to improve myself...the decision wasn't an east one, I spent over 18 years in the channel, working across the technical, reporting, airing and programing desks. I worked on preparing and starting several shows. This was an important experience to me, I am very proud of my work in Channel 2. AT: Are you and Channel 2 permanently parting ways, or is there a possibility of your return? EN: It is possible; anyway I am proud of my work there. I enjoyed working with my colleges, I consider myself the son of this channel, it made me famous. I am always looking for something better, now I can see proposals which can add value to my career. AT: Did you determine where you're going next? EN: There are proposals which I can't reveal now, I will announce them at the right time AT: Rumours suggest that Channel 2 was about to axe your show "Sahran Maak el-Lela", which is why you actually left the show. Is that true? EN: Absolutely not! The show's end has nothing to do with my leaving, my resignation matches the end of my contract. I resigned out of choice, at what I felt was the appropriate time. AT: How do you explain the channel officials accepting your resignation? EN: They turned down my resignation at first, I had actually sent it six months ago. It was refused ten times, they wanted to keep me until the last moment, as they praised my work. At last they accepted my resignation, I am very grateful to them as they gave me a chance to review myself through new experiences. AT: Did your family affect your decision to leave the channel which made you famous? EN: I did consult my family, and we discussed the positives and negatives of this decision. Thank God I am qualified enough to go in a new direction in my career. I think my family will be happy with my decision, so it's important to stress on family support in such situations. AT: How do you see the present and future of media in Morocco within PM Benkirane's government? EN: It's too early to judge Benkirane's government, although I admit there has not been much change yet. It's too early to account its positives and negatives, but they should improve local TV production, improve media, and respond to the needs of all social strata. Moroccan TV is for all Moroccans, I believe in our journalists, programmes, and technicians and I wish they can be improve to be much better…