CHIEF OF ABU DHABI TELEVISION FIRED

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004179 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA/PPD, NEA/ARP AND IIP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO TC SUBJECT: CHIEF OF ABU DHABI TELEVISION FIRED ¶1. (U) The chief of Abu Dhabi Television (ADTV) was removed from his post after the station resumed normal programming sooner than appropriate during the official mourning period for the death of the late president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Ahmed Ali Al Baloushi was in charge of Abu Dhabi TV in his capacity as Director-General of Emirates Media Inc. (EMI) and has been asked to "stay at home." The Minister of Information and Culture Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, one of the late president's sons, was quoted in the English language Khaleej Times on Nov. 13 as saying that the decision was taken following a certain "blunder." Ali Al Ahmed, director of ADTV, has been appointed as acting director-general of EMI. The Khaleej Times was the only local paper that covered the story. ¶2. (SBU) Sources told the embassy that Al Baloushi was supposed to coordinate the return to normal programming with Dubai TV sometime after the three day period during which all private businesses were closed (public sector was closed until November 20). Instead, ADTV went on the air a day before it had been agreed upon, embarrassing the Abu Dhabi leadership. Coming on the heels of a financial fiasco in which ADTV reportedly overpaid by millions of dirhams to produce several entertainment shows rather than buying canned product, the slight to the emiri family reportedly enraged Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, who ordered Al Baloushi's departure. SISON