From the heart of events, he tells stories that do not fit into simple headlines. He goes beyond a summary of facts and focuses on how conflicts affect real people – their everyday lives, difficult choices, and the emotions that linger long after the cameras leave.
Jakub Szántó has worked in television journalism for 26 years, including five years as a foreign correspondent for Czech Television in the Middle East. The region became a true home to him – he lived there with his family, experiencing everyday life in Israel, Palestine, and the wider area. The atmosphere of the place, constant tension, and at the same time fragile yet ordinary moments left a deep mark on them. For him, the Middle East was never just a professional assignment, but a space that fundamentally shaped his view of the world.
Alongside his journalistic work, he is also the author of several books in which he connects the perspective of a reporter with that of a historian. He writes about war, collective memory, and people’s relationship to a region often reduced to violence and conflict alone. He has long said that “receiving the same amount of hate mail from each of the opposing sides is a sign of well-done journalism.” This captures his approach precisely – a commitment to understanding and offering context instead of quick judgments, especially in a time when the world feels increasingly divided.