Introduction:

Over the past 4 months (Starting March), Beirut Today has entered a new phase of organizational growth, supported by Qarib capacity building program. This partnership came at a time when sustaining independent journalism in Lebanon required not just content production but structural resilience. The program helped us reorganize, delegate responsibilities, and expand our reach in ways that directly impact both our newsroom and our audience.

Brief Overview:

This support was crucial because it enabled us to establish a functioning editorial and operational structure, mitigate burnout among team members, and re-engage our audience with fresh, contextualized storytelling. It transformed how we work and how we connect.

Context

Beirut Today, an independent media platform that covers underreported issues in Lebanon, faced challenges in maintaining editorial consistency and growing its audience due to limited human and financial resources. The escalation of conflict in the region further strained the team—forcing the former managing editor to relocate and shifting the editorial focus toward daily war coverage, which contributed to staff burnout. The region’s ongoing political volatility also placed a heavy mental burden on journalists who were managing multiple roles without adequate structural support.

What Qarib Supported

Qarib program provided a 10-month program to benefit from 2 experts. Jana Antabli assumed responsibility for social media management under the direction of the managing editor, while Mira Chammas reorganized financial systems and led project proposal efforts in collaboration with the team. This restructuring was driven by a strategic decision from the new Managing Editor, Karem Monzer, to distribute responsibilities more evenly, improving workflow, boosting productivity, and supporting the team’s mental well-being.

Key Milestones Achieved

1. Task Distribution & Mental Health: For the first time, editorial, financial, and digital responsibilities were divided, reducing pressure on individual staff and enhancing mental health and team morale.
2. Team Formation and Hierarchy: A formal team structure was established, with clearly defined roles, which improved efficiency and accountability.
3. Team Structure & GrowthA formal team structure with clearly : defined roles improved efficiency and accountability. We also onboarded five new freelancers to support written and video content production.
4. Audience Growth: 
   1. Instagram followers grew from 16.6K to 20.3K within 3 months (Starting in April, when tasks were distributed and the training was done).
   2. Profile activity increased by 256%.
   3. Profile visits increased by 271.6%, and external link taps rose by 44.4%.
   4. Overall reach on Instagram grew by 920%, with only 24% of that driven by ads.
5. Content Strategy Revamp: 
   1. Shifted to a consistent posting schedule of 2–4 posts daily.
   2. Introduced short teaser reels tied to longer Qarib-supported videos.
   3. Started covering more cultural events, focusing on theatre
   4. Started a series titled Tales From The Terrace, where we interview a guest from abroad, and they share their experiences from Beirut and the region.
   5. Focused on culturally rooted, context-rich storytelling and city life.

Quote

“When we divided the tasks among team members, it wasn’t just about improving workflow, but it was a mental health necessity. In a region burdened by political tension, no journalist should carry the newsroom alone.”

— Karem Monzer, Managing Editor, Beirut Today