Western media needs better communication with Arab journalists

Posted by Helena Deards on January 13, 2009 at 4:46 PM

An interview between the Arab Press Network and Lawrence Pintak has addressed the divide between Arab and Western reporting, focusing on a survey of 601 Arab journalists that produced occasionally surprising results. Pintak is the director of the Kamam Adham Centre for Journalism Training and Research at the American University in Cairo, as well as publisher and co-editor of Arab Media & Society, an online journal.

The study revealed that 70% of Arab journalists see their own governments as the biggest threat to journalism in their countries - and the US was placed way down in the list. This, Pintak explains, is because although journalists may see the US as a threat to their regions they do not see it as a threat to their profession. Also, 75% of those surveyed also feel it their duty to encourage political reform, although Pintak believes that their effectiveness in this entirely depends on the restrictions of their publications, whether privately or state owned for example.

Pintak is keen to promote a greater understanding of the Arab world amongst Western journalists. He has already supported projects to this end, 12 American and 12 Arab journalism students brought together for a three week boot camp for example, which he says resulted in 'dramatically altered perceptions'. This increase in communication is made all the more important, as whilst Western media struggles, the Arab industry is thriving. The journalists of the West should make more of an effort to understand their Arab counterparts, Pintak concludes, although 'they should leave their sense of superiority in the departure lounge'.

Source: Arab Press Network