Jay Bahadur
Encyclopedia
Jay Bahadur is a Canadian journalist and author. He became known for his reporting on piracy in Somalia
, writing for The New York Times, The Financial Post, The Globe and Mail, and The Times of London. Bahadur has also worked as a freelance correspondent for CBS News and he has advised the U.S. State Department on piracy. His first book, The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World
(2011), is his account of living with the pirates for several months in Puntland
, a semi-autonomous region in the northeast of Somalia. Bahadur currently lives in Toronto
where he runs Journalist Nation, a citizen journalism
website.
, Canada. He attended the University of Toronto
, graduating in 2007 with a B.A. in Political Science, Economics, and History. In 2008, Bahadur was working for a market research firm in Chicago. Interested in working as a journalist, Bahadur was told by real journalists to avoid going to school to study journalism and to obtain experience working as a freelancer in "crazy places" instead.
Initially, Bahadur wanted to visit Somalia to write about the election in the northwestern part of the country, but the news coverage of the hijacking and capture of the MV Faina
by Somali pirates in September 2008 made him switch gears. Deciding to cover the piracy angle, Bahadur contacted journalists in Somalia and made arrangements with Radio Garowe
. He quit his job and purchased a ticket to Somalia. Several months before Bahadur arrived, Canadian freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout
was kidnapped in Somalia and held hostage by gunmen.
In January 2009, Bahadur traveled for almost two days to reach the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia. Once there, he met with the pirates and learned about the history of the industry. During his journey, Bahadur discovered information that challenged basic assumptions about the pirates: there were not as many pirates as he was led to believe, they were not controlled by international crime syndicates and they were not working with jihadists.
He visited Africa several times, spending three months in areas that most journalists never visit. Bahadur returned from his first trip in March 2009, just before the Maersk Alabama hijacking
in April. This timing led to heightened interest in his book and he subsequently sold it to a publisher. Bahadur planned on finishing his first book before 2010, but it took much longer than he expected. His book, The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World was released in the U.S. on July 19, 2011.
Bahadur currently lives in Toronto.
, The Financial Post, The Globe and Mail
, The Times
of London, and he has worked for CBS News
as a freelance correspondent. On August 9, 2011, Bahadur appeared as a guest on The Daily Show
. At their request, Bahadur visited the U.S. State Department in 2010 and delivered a briefing on Somali piracy
.
Bahadur also runs Journalist Nation, an international citizen journalism
news site.
Piracy in Somalia
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
, writing for The New York Times, The Financial Post, The Globe and Mail, and The Times of London. Bahadur has also worked as a freelance correspondent for CBS News and he has advised the U.S. State Department on piracy. His first book, The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World
The Pirates of Somalia
The Pirates of Somalia is a non-fiction book by Canadian journalist Jay Bahadur about his experiences and observations living among pirates in the autonomous region of Puntland during the recent upsurge in Somali piracy. An advance excerpt appeared in a May 2011 edition of The Guardian...
(2011), is his account of living with the pirates for several months in Puntland
Puntland
Puntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
, a semi-autonomous region in the northeast of Somalia. Bahadur currently lives in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
where he runs Journalist Nation, a citizen journalism
Citizen journalism
Citizen journalism is the concept of members of the public "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information," according to the seminal 2003 report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information...
website.
Life
Bahadur was born in 1984, a native of TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada. He attended the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, graduating in 2007 with a B.A. in Political Science, Economics, and History. In 2008, Bahadur was working for a market research firm in Chicago. Interested in working as a journalist, Bahadur was told by real journalists to avoid going to school to study journalism and to obtain experience working as a freelancer in "crazy places" instead.
Initially, Bahadur wanted to visit Somalia to write about the election in the northwestern part of the country, but the news coverage of the hijacking and capture of the MV Faina
MV Faina
The MV Faina is a roll-on/roll-off cargo ship operated by a Ukrainian company that sails under a Belize flag of convenience.The Faina is owned by Waterlux AG, based in Panama City, and managed by Tomex Team in Odessa, Ukraine....
by Somali pirates in September 2008 made him switch gears. Deciding to cover the piracy angle, Bahadur contacted journalists in Somalia and made arrangements with Radio Garowe
Radio Garowe
Radio Garowe is a community radio station based in the city of Garowe in Puntland, a self-governing region in northern Somalia. Established in 2004, Radio Garowe broadcasts daily on 89.8 FM.-Sources:* - MondoTimes.com* - Sydney Morning Herald...
. He quit his job and purchased a ticket to Somalia. Several months before Bahadur arrived, Canadian freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout
Amanda Lindhout
Amanda Lindhout is a Canadian humanitarian and former freelance journalist who was kidnapped on August 23, 2008 in Somalia...
was kidnapped in Somalia and held hostage by gunmen.
In January 2009, Bahadur traveled for almost two days to reach the semi-autonomous region of Puntland in northeastern Somalia. Once there, he met with the pirates and learned about the history of the industry. During his journey, Bahadur discovered information that challenged basic assumptions about the pirates: there were not as many pirates as he was led to believe, they were not controlled by international crime syndicates and they were not working with jihadists.
He visited Africa several times, spending three months in areas that most journalists never visit. Bahadur returned from his first trip in March 2009, just before the Maersk Alabama hijacking
Maersk Alabama hijacking
The Maersk Alabama hijacking was a series of events involving piracy that began with four Somali pirates seizing the cargo ship southeast of the Somali port city of Eyl. This event ended with the action of 12 April 2009. It was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the...
in April. This timing led to heightened interest in his book and he subsequently sold it to a publisher. Bahadur planned on finishing his first book before 2010, but it took much longer than he expected. His book, The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World was released in the U.S. on July 19, 2011.
Bahadur currently lives in Toronto.
Career
Bahadur is a Canadian journalist. He has written for The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Financial Post, The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
, The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
of London, and he has worked for CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
as a freelance correspondent. On August 9, 2011, Bahadur appeared as a guest on The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
. At their request, Bahadur visited the U.S. State Department in 2010 and delivered a briefing on Somali piracy
Piracy in Somalia
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
.
Bahadur also runs Journalist Nation, an international citizen journalism
Citizen journalism
Citizen journalism is the concept of members of the public "playing an active role in the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing and disseminating news and information," according to the seminal 2003 report We Media: How Audiences are Shaping the Future of News and Information...
news site.
Selected publications
- Heroes in a Land of Pirates. (January 4, 2010). The New York Times.
- I'm not a pirate, I'm the savior of the sea. (April 15, 2009). The Times.
- Somali pirate: 'We're not murderers... we just attack ships'. (May 24, 2011). The Guardian.
- The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World. (2011). HarperCollins. ISBN 030737906X.
Further reading and resources
- Ewing, Mike. (July 26, 2011). Ontario Morning Podcast. CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
. Event occurs from 10:00-19:35. - Kirkus ReviewsKirkus ReviewsKirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
. (May 15, 2011). The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World. 79(10), 828-829. - Nanjiani, SShereen NanjianiShereen Nanjiani is a radio presenter with BBC Radio Scotland.Before launching her radio career in 2006, Nanjiani was the chief news anchor at STV Central, having presented the news programme, Scotland Today since 1987...
. (June 6, 2011). Extended Interview with Jay Bahadur. BBC Radio ScotlandBBC Radio ScotlandBBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
.