The Digester

The Palestinian broadcaster, who opened Al Jazeera's first bulletin in 1996, had a journalism career spanning more than five decades.

Rayyan died on March 15, 2026, at the age of 73.
He presented Al Jazeera's inaugural bulletin when the network launched on November 1, 1996.
He began his career at Jordanian Radio and Television in 1974 and worked for broadcasters including Emirati TV, South Korean public broadcasting and BBC Arabic.
His reporting covered major events such as the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the Arab Spring.
Al Jazeera's director general described him as a cornerstone of the channel's identity and a mentor to generations of journalists.

Jamal Rayyan, Al Jazeera's first presenter, dies aged 73