Dubai TV
In 2004 Qandil moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) began hosting a program on Dubai TV called "Qalam Rosas" ("Pencil"). The program was virtually a continuation of "Ra'is al-Tahrir", a highly watched show dealing with the Arab world's major political, economic and social affairs of the day. "Qalam Rosas" would normally open with Qandil interviewing an Arab intellectual and discussing a current event. The show would then continue to a round table discussion with other journalists analyzing various social and political events and movements concerning the citizens of the Arab world. At its closing, Qandil would summarize the show with a well-known maxim or saying. The London-based Arab Media Watch organization awarded Qandil the 2006 Media Accomplishment Award to commend him for his "creativity and participation in the media world" over the course of his five decade career. In 2008 Qandil was forced to leave Dubai TV for criticizing Arab leaders, while commending Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of the Lebanese political party and paramilitary group Hezbollah.