Rizwan Khan

Rizwan Khan, born April 1962 in Aden, South Yemen, is a British television news reporter and interviewer, who first rose to prominence while working for the BBC and CNN. As of 2006, he is working for Al Jazeera English, where he has his own show.

Biography

Born in 1962 in Aden, South Yemen to Pakistani parents, Rizwan Khan moved with his family to London, England at the age of four. Khan graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Medical Physiology from the Cardiff based University of Wales, and then a Post-Graduate course in Radio Journalism at the University of Portsmouth, also went to wood green high school college of sports, maths and computing.

He took a course in radio journalism in Portsmouth and in 1987 was selected for the BBC News Trainee scheme - a two year BBC training system, usually taking only 6 people per course. Khan progressed to jobs as a BBC Reporter, Producer, and Writer, working in both television and radio. Khan would later become one of the founding News Presenters on BBC World Service Television News.He hosted the news bulletin that launched BBC World Service Television News in 1991. After presenting there for two years he was approached by CNN for their own international channel where he became a senior anchor for the network’s global news shows and special events including the historic live coverage of the Hajj.

Khan joined CNN International, based in Atlanta in May 1993, where he reported world news as a Senior News Anchor.

Events he covered included the 1996 and 1999 coverage of elections in India; the 1997 historic election in Britain; and in April 1998 the unprecedented live coverage from the Muslim pilgrimage, the Hajj.

In 1996 he launched his interactive interview show, the flagship shows for the network: "CNN: Q&A with Riz Khan" and he has conducted thousands of interviews with guests including the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, former US Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela, and genomic scientist J. Craig Venter to name a few. Khan also secured the world exclusive with Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf, following his coup in October 1999. Khan also hosted "Q&A-Asia with Riz Khan". These interactive shows put world newsmakers and celebrities up for viewer questions live by phone, e-mail, video-mail and fax, along with questions and comments taken from the real-time chatroom that opens half-an-hour before each show.

Khan currently hosts the Riz Khan Show on Al Jazeera English. On his show Riz interviews analysts and policy makers and allows viewers to interact with them via phone, email, SMS messages or fax.

Khan speaks Urdu, and understands other South Asian languages such as Punjabi and Kutchi. He has studied French, and can understand some other European languages, including Swedish.Fact|date=October 2007

In 2005 he authored his first book: "Al-Waleed: Businessman Billionaire Prince", published by Harper Collins.

References

* [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB111862259989457599-Ihjg4Nllad4n5yqZ4KHcKiJm5.html "Why I'm Joining Al Jazeera," op-ed by Riz Khan, Wall Street Journal 13 June 2005, p. A12]

External links

* [http://www.rizkhan.com Riz Khan's official website]
* [http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D43F7C85-694A-4BCE-A766-49DC0BA4E590.htm Profile at Al Jazeera English]
* [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=211474400 MySpace Profile]