Arab reporters explore investigative journalism amid growing crackdown on free speech
The seventh annual forum for Arab investigative journalists in Jordan kicked of in early December with over 30 panels and trainings on safety of journalists, and coverage of topics including pollution, closed political groups, off-shore fraud and human rights abuses.
More than 250 Arab Journalists, editors and media academics attended the three-day conference held under the theme, “Arab Media: The Battle for Independence”, amid a growing crackdown on free speech in the region.
Keynote speech by journalist Tim Sebastian, ARIJ Conference 2014
The annual conference is organised by the IMS-supported Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ), the region’s leading investigative journalism organisation.
Investigative journalism in the Arab world 2014, interview with Egyptian journalist Reem Mageed
Reem Maged is an Egyptian journalist and former host of the popular Baladna bel Masry talk show on Egyptian ONTV. She spoke to IMS about the state of investigative journalism in the Arab world during the seventh annual Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism Conference.
Maged’s popularity dramatically increased due to her critical coverage of political events since the 2011 Egyptian revolution, as well as her hosting of individuals on her show that are critical of the military Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, or SCAF. She has been described as Egypt’s best and arguably most vocal [female voice] in delivering the true happenings to the country on a nightly basis. Reem Maged has been off the air since mid 2013.
At the conference, ARIJ-trained journalists who have produced over 300 hard-hitting print, radio and TV investigations across the region shared working methodologies and discuss political, legal, professional, societal and religious challenges impeding the spread of investigative journalism in the Arab media.
ARIJ has trained over 1,200 journalists and nearly 100 media professors in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Bahrain and Tunisia. It has also supported the creation of several investigative units at established media houses in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Tunisia. Several Arab media faculties are using its manual in Arabic for teaching a three-credit hour investigative journalism course to undergraduate students.
ARIJ is supported by International Media Support, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Open Society Foundations (OSF).
