Al Jazeera mourns the loss of its first on-air anchor, Jamal Rayyan, at 73

Rayyan died at age 73. Source: Al Jazeera.

Rayyan delivered the network’s inaugural news bulletin when Al Jazeera went on air on 1 November 1996, making him the first face audiences saw at the launch of what would become one of the Arab world’s most influential broadcasters.

He died on Sunday after a journalism career spanning more than five decades. During his time at Al Jazeera, Rayyan covered major regional and global events, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Arab Spring.

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Born in Tulkarm in the West Bank in 1953, Rayyan began his media career in 1974 with Jordan Radio and Television before working for several international outlets, including the BBC Arabic service, prior to joining Al Jazeera at its launch.

At Al Jazeera, he became one of the network’s most recognisable anchors and helped shape its early newsroom, mentoring younger journalists and contributing to the channel’s rise as a major regional news platform.

Tributes from colleagues described him as a central figure in the network’s history and a broadcaster whose calm delivery and professionalism made him a familiar presence to audiences across the Arab world.