In 2004 the British Council designed and launched a project which sought to develop the power of media in the region to raise awareness of the key social issues facing young people in the region, and in particular the scourge of unemployment
The Media in Society project focused on building a network of media expertise across the 6 participating countries (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinian Territories and Egypt) and the UK, working through two leading UK partners in the Guardian Foundation and the BBC World Service Trust. A programme of networking and capacity building was then devised on a national, regional and international level, bringing journalists from each participating country into contact with their counterparts in the UK and across the region.
In Egypt a partnership was established between the BBC World Service Trust and an independent daily newspaper 'Al Masry Al Yom'. Working through their own Arabic-speaking trainers, the Trust delivered training in investigative social reporting for 30 Egyptian journalists. The focus was on maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards of reporting, ensuring coverage is balanced and properly sourced, but also putting an emphasis on the human side of the major social issues affecting Egypt today. The benefits of the training reverberated throughout the staff. Editor-in-Chief of 'Al Masry Al Yom' observed:-
'We could notice an apparent progress in the performance of the colleagues who participated in the training. Most of those colleagues have improved their product, and some of them were promoted to take on supervisory responsibilities.'
In Jordan, leading British radio producers delivered training in developing effective content with a focus on social issues, as well as giving input in the critical foundation skills such as presentation techniques and marketing. Zafar Younis, founder and Managing Director of Play FM 99.6, commented:-
'I can feel the difference the workshops made on the whole sector. I am sure the listeners could feel the difference too.'
Relationships were also forged at community level. Ma'an Community Radio (the Voice of the South.) Under the project, the station was twinned with Awaz FM, an Asian community radio in Scotland for a comprehensive programme of reciprocal visits to develop a shared understanding of how radio can effectively serve communities.
Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories and Syria all developed project strands which explored the impact of the visual in news reporting. In Lebanon, the British photographer Jenny Matthews led a workshop on photo-journalism. The publication which emerged from the workshop highlighted the ability of a photograph to cut through to the heart of the issue in news reporting. In the Palestinian Territories, the Birzeit University Media Institute led a project with animators at Zan Studios to develop a series of animations under the title 'Humoum Motarika' ('Animated Concerns'). Journalists and animators collaborated to develop a comic character able to convey some of the frustrations and concerns of living in Palestine today.
In Syria the focus on political cartoons was developed. Working with the Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat, the project sought to integrate the work of cartoonists into broader joint media pieces tackling social issues. A partnership with Steve Bell of the Guardian was formed and with Ali they led a discussion with journalists in the region on the power of cartoons as a tool for positive social change. In Steve's words, this gave him the opportunity to 'work closer with Syrian cartoonists in exchanging ideas and knowledge to find a common ground between Syria and the UK.' In Amman, Steve, Ali and Amer Shomali from Palestine were joined by Lord Neil Kinnock, Chair of the British Council, for a discussion on the impact of caricature and cartoon. This discussion brought together cartoonists from all participating countries and the idea for an exhibition at the Guardian Newsroom was born.
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