Richard Gizbert

Richard Gizbert presents the "The Listening Post", a weekly show on Al Jazeera English. The show provides insight into how the news is handled by the world's media and it has been praised by critics.

Aaron Barnhart, TV writer for the Kansas City Star, wrote that the Listening Post "might be the best media-critique program in English anywhere." Stewart Purvis, former editor-in-chief and CEO of the Britain's ITN, said "The Listening Post has delivered", and that its real value "is the breadth of its monitoring beyond the mainstream".

Gizbert joined Al Jazeera English after spending 11 years as a London based correspondent for ABC News. During that time he covered conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Chechnya, Somalia and Rwanda. He also gained experience in covering the Middle East, reporting on Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian occupied territories and Israel. His work has also taken him to the Russian and Canadian Arctic, Africa, India and South America.

After being fired by ABC News in 2004, Gizbert fought and won a wrongful dismissal case against the network, in which an employment tribunal awarded him $100,000 in compensation. In his legal claim, Gizbert argued that his refusal to accept assignments in Iraq led to his firing. The tribunal agreed, ruling Gizbert's stand on Iraq was a "primary" reason for his dismissal.

According to the UK's Guardian newspaper, Gizbert's victory "could have far-reaching effects for war-zone journalism". Jeremy Dear, General Secretary for the National Union of Journalists in Britain, said the victory was "hugely important" for journalists and their families,

Martin Bell, former BBC correspondent and former member of UK parliament, testified on Gizbert's behalf at the tribunal. After the verdict he said "Richard has been very brave, beyond war-zone valour, taking on ABC News. He's taken a stand for young journalists."

Prior to joining ABC News, Gizbert worked as a correspondent-producer for CJOH-TV in Ottawa, where he produced in-depth features for Sunday Edition, the national current affairs programme. Prior to that, Gizbert was CJOH's parliamentary correspondent for five years, responsible for national political coverage. For his reporting of a hostage situation on Parliament Hill, Gizbert received the National Award for Breaking News Coverage.

From 1983 to 1985, Gizbert was a correspondent and political editor for CFTO-TV in Toronto, covering federal politics and co-anchoring special events coverage.

Gizbert grew up in the Ottawa area and is a graduate of Algonquin College in Ontario. His brother Christopher is a noted geologist and faculty member at Quest University Canada. Another brother, Daviken, teaches history at McGill University in Montreal.