Mehdi Hasan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mehdi Hasan
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Hasan at a Labour Party conference in 2012
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| Born |
Mehdi Raza Hasan
July 1979 (age 45) |
| Citizenship |
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| Education | Merchant Taylors' School |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Organisation |
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Notable work
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Win Every Argument (2023 book) Ed: The Milibands and the Making of a Labour Leader |
| Television | The Café, Head to Head, UpFront, The Mehdi Hasan Show |
| Children | 2 |
Mehdi Raza Hasan (born July 1979) is a British-American journalist and writer. He is known for his work as a TV host and commentator. He also founded his own media company called Zeteo.
Hasan hosted The Mehdi Hasan Show on Peacock and MSNBC. He left MSNBC in early 2024. In February 2024, he started writing columns for The Guardian.
He studied at Christ Church, Oxford, part of the Oxford University. Hasan began his career working on TV shows. He later became a presenter for Al Jazeera English. He also hosted a podcast called Deconstructed.
Hasan has written a book called Win Every Argument. He also co-wrote a book about former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mehdi Raza Hasan was born in Swindon, England, in July 1979. His parents were Muslim immigrants from Hyderabad, India.
He attended Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, a private school for boys. After school, he went to Christ Church, Oxford. He studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and graduated in 2000.
Career Highlights
Early Career in Journalism
Hasan started his TV career as a researcher and producer for ITV's Jonathan Dimbleby program. He also worked briefly on the BBC's The Politics Show. Later, he became a deputy executive producer for Sky's breakfast show Sunrise.
He then moved to Channel 4 as their editor for news and current affairs. In 2009, he became a senior editor for politics at the New Statesman magazine. In 2012, he became the political director of The Huffington Post website.
Working with Al Jazeera and The Intercept
In May 2012, Hasan became a presenter for Al Jazeera English. He appeared on BBC shows like Question Time. In 2013, he took part in a debate at the Oxford Union. He argued that Islam is a peaceful religion. The audience voted in favor of his view.
Hasan hosted Head to Head on Al Jazeera English. In this show, he interviewed important public figures. In 2015, he moved to Washington, D.C., to work full-time for Al Jazeera. He hosted a weekly interview and discussion program called UpFront.
From 2018 to 2020, Hasan hosted a podcast called Deconstructed. It was produced by The Intercept, an investigative journalism website. On the podcast, Hasan discussed current news and interviewed guests. Some guests included Noam Chomsky and Bernie Sanders. He left the podcast in October 2020 to host his own show.
The Mehdi Hasan Show and Beyond
Hasan began hosting The Mehdi Hasan Show on Peacock in October 2020. In March 2021, the show also started airing on MSNBC every Sunday evening. He also filled in as a host for other MSNBC shows.
In November 2023, it was announced that his shows on MSNBC and Peacock would end. The network stated this was to focus on more direct news coverage. Hasan announced his departure from MSNBC in January 2024. In February, he joined The Guardian as a regular columnist.
Launching Zeteo and Returning to Head to Head
In February 2024, Hasan launched his own digital media company called Zeteo News. He explained that "Zeteo" is an ancient Greek word meaning "to seek out the truth." The platform aims to provide in-depth interviews and analysis. Hasan hosts a new video series on Zeteo called "Debunked!"
Several well-known contributors joined Zeteo, including Naomi Klein and Greta Thunberg. In April 2024, it was announced that Bassem Youssef would co-host a new podcast called We're Not Kidding.
In June 2024, Al Jazeera announced that Hasan would return as host of Head to Head. The program came back with interviews featuring historian Benny Morris and former translator Victor Gao.
In October 2024, Hasan appeared as a guest on CNN's NewsNight with Abby Phillip. During the show, another panelist made an inappropriate comment towards Hasan. The host and other panelists objected, and CNN quickly removed the panelist. CNN stated that there is "zero room for racism or bigotry" at their network.
Views and Beliefs
On the Situation in Gaza
In March 2024, Hasan spoke about his concerns regarding the situation in Gaza. He also mentioned that Palestinian viewpoints are not always shared in U.S. media. He has challenged how some media figures treat guests who support Palestinians.
On Pakistan
Hasan has spoken about human rights issues in Pakistan. He has criticized the country's blasphemy law and cases of people disappearing. He has also raised concerns about human rights in Kashmir. He has also pointed out alleged support from Pakistan for certain groups.
In May 2021, Pakistan's Foreign Minister made a comment about Israelis controlling media. Hasan tweeted that such comments, accusing Israelis of having "deep pockets" and "controlling" media, use anti-Semitic ideas.
On Saudi Arabia
Hasan has often spoken against the Saudi government. He challenged a statement by Donald Trump about his financial interests in Saudi Arabia. Hasan discussed this in a video essay in 2018.
His comments were made after the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi was a journalist who was allegedly killed on the orders of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. Hasan has also highlighted other human rights issues in Saudi Arabia. He had previously interviewed Khashoggi about freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia.
Personal Life
Mehdi Hasan is married and has two daughters. He became a citizen of the United States in October 2020. This allowed him to vote in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Awards and Recognition
In January 2014, Hasan received the Services to Media award at the British Muslim Awards. In 2017, he was named a European Young Leader. In 2019, he won the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Online Column Writing.
Selected Works
- With James Macintyre. Ed: The Milibands and the making of a Labour leader, London, Biteback Publishing, 2011. ISBN: 978-1-84954-102-2
- Summer of Unrest: The Debt Delusion: Exposing ten Tory myths about debts, deficits and spending cuts, Vintage Digital, 28 July 2011.
- Win Every Argument: The Art of Debating, Persuading, and Public Speaking. Henry Holt and Co. 2023. ISBN 9781250853479
Images for kids
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Hasan at a Labour Party conference in 2012
