A new war has emerged in the region with the coordinated US-Israeli attack on Iran and the subsequent military escalation. Our partners in the region have once again found themselves in exceptional circumstances, circumstances that have accompanied the program for the past two and a half years, since our partners launched their productions within the Qareeb program.
Lebanon’s Media Law, the Qarib Award, and Productions Challenging the Norm
Despite the ambiguity of the situation and the possibilities it presents, the Qareeb program has witnessed achievements by its partners in several areas.
Among these achievements was the unprecedented meeting held at the Lebanese Parliament between one of our partners in Lebanon, the “Union of Journalists in Lebanon,” and a large number of MPs representing the majority of parliamentary blocs. The meeting, coordinated by the Union, aimed to garner support for the final version of the media law, which the Union has actively participated in discussing over the past years within parliamentary committees and in the presence of several experts. The meeting was also attended by local and international organizations who presented their analyses and observations on the proposed law, as well as journalists from various media outlets.
Speakers and participants discussed the development of the proposal, which began in 2010, the reforms it offers, and the importance of its enactment at this time. Participants also emphasized the importance of amending certain fundamental articles that affect the core of the law, to ensure it better meets international standards and provides a genuine guarantee of freedom of expression. Among the most discussed points were those related to the repeal of certain defamation laws, which could pave the way for the continued prosecution of journalists for criticizing officials.
We are sharing here an article published in Al-Modon magazine about the meeting for further reading.
In highlighting the successes of our partners, we would like to mention the Sila Wasl platform and the podcast series: “The South Speaks,” which discusses the experiences of young people during the recent war waged by Israel on Lebanon…
The podcast series “The South Speaks” is one of the project’s most impactful outcomes. Across 10 episodes, the series explored war, displacement, mental health, journalism in conflict, collective memory, and survival in southern Lebanon through audio storytelling that revisited the tragedies of the last war on Lebanon and its multifaceted impact.
The impact of this podcast series on the war’s aftermath extended beyond digital platforms to academic and educational circles. As a result, members of the Sila Wasl team were invited to conduct a session with students at Phoenicia University in southern Lebanon as part of their course on “citizen journalism.”
The session focused on storytelling through sound, crafting impactful and credible audio reports, and explaining the importance of podcasts as a tool for civic engagement and community storytelling. The Sila Wasl team also provided practical insights into the pre-production, recording, and editing phases of any media content in sensitive contexts.
Shamaa TV and a significant increase in viewership.
Shamaa TV has recently made a tangible impact on its viewers through its on-the-ground coverage of issues directly affecting citizens’ lives. Its reports have addressed a variety of topics, particularly service-related and livelihood issues, amidst the difficult economic and security conditions in the Palestinian territories.
Among the most prominent of these reports was one that focused on services in Jenin and the neglect that characterizes the work of official bodies, especially the city’s municipality. The station produced a series of field reports featuring interviews with residents who spoke about the lack of attention given to their concerns. This work has clearly translated into a significant increase in Shamaa TV’s digital presence, with its Facebook platform experiencing substantial growth, including a 423% increase in viewership and a 513% increase in engagement.
Qarib Training
As part of a series of training programs offered by the Qarib program for partner journalists, a data journalism training course began at the start of March. Training courses on investigative journalism and creative writing in the digital world are scheduled to begin soon.