Who better to unpack this than veteran journalist, editor, and media executive Michael Jabri-Pickett — one of the key figures who helped shape the English-language news landscape across the UAE and GCC over the past two decades. He was part of the founding team behind The National newspaper in Abu Dhabi, later became Editor-in-Chief of Khaleej Times, and is now the Founder and Managing Director of This Is Dubai, a digital media and culture platform.

In an unfiltered conversation with co-hosts Dr. David Tully and Deema Maghalseh, Michael shares an insider perspective on how newsrooms really operate behind the scenes, the realities behind editorial decision-making, and how audience behavior, politics, and the rapidly evolving media landscape are reshaping journalism today.