TODAY represents a new dawn for the Saudi Gazette. As with all new beginnings it's important to put a marker down of what the readers can expect from the changing of the guard at the top. As the newly appointed Editor I think it is a moral imperative that the newspaper reflects the changing tapestry of life in the Kingdom. Over the past seven years so much has changed for the better in the lives of our citizens. Going forward I want to become the purveyor of the many positive stories that continue to unite and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood in our great nation. So much has been achieved under the commitment by King Abdullah, Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, to promote dialogue and initiate peace. We will strive to communicate the many achievements on this front on a daily basis as we feel there is a gap in the market for someone to celebrate our successes both at home and abroad — our role as a peacemaker, our stabilizing impact on OPEC, our progressive policies toward female education and entrepeneurship. Last but by no means least our enduring economic stability whilst so much of the Western world is mired in a double dip recession. At a broader level we will strive to offer a complete package — breaking news, insightful analysis, sports and entertainment and trivia. I will continuously strive to raise the bar at the Saudi Gazette — not out of any compulsion to beat the competition but to hold ourselves accountable toward the worthy aspirations we have outlined here. After all there is no greater contentment than doing something better than before and leading the way toward an ever-blossoming metamorphosis. It may not be overnight but surely the changes will become more and more evident over the coming weeks and months. Please rest assured our dedicated team of journalists are fully committed to realizing the new mission. Their mandate will include zero tolerance of discrimination as this runs counter to the teachings of Islam. Rather they will aim to foster mutual respect and understanding between ourselves and the world community we co-exist in — forever building bridges between different cultures. I must end with a nod toward the ever-changing paradigm shifts in the news media. The break-neck technical advancements of the past few years have led to a sea-change in the publishing landscape. Readers are far more demanding and promiscuous given they are now spoilt by the luxury of limitless access to online news, the growth of citizen journalism and social media. This will accentuate the challenges we will face to stay current for our readers — a challenge I am confident we will rise to. We begin our journey today! Khaled Almaeena Editor-in
