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After the Fighting, Internews Trains Palestinian Journalists in a Changing Media Landscape

Photo: Internews Aswatona A journalist conducts an interview during a training held in Gaza.

(August 4, 2007) The dust from the fierce fighting in the West Bank and Gaza had barely settled when Internews Network launched a series of journalism trainings for Palestinian radio and TV stations this summer. As the first international NGO to go back into Gaza following the armed conflict between Hamas and Fatah, Internews provided much-needed support for Palestinian journalists facing a difficult political and media environment.

“In Gaza, radio stations are weak financially, professionally, and in terms of equipment,” said Internews Network's Media Development Technical Expert in Gaza, Hazem Ali. “Such trainings allow us to strengthen an important sector of the local media.”

Particularly in Gaza in May and June, but also in the West Bank, journalists were harassed, beaten, and shot; they had their cameras and tapes confiscated; some days they could not reach their stations due to violent clashes in the streets; and often there was no electricity. While the violence has abated, many TV and radio stations have since become political targets or players in the factional infighting.

Ordinary Palestinians, long used to a fair amount of freedom of expression from a variety of news sources, have suffered the consequences of this restrictive media environment. While they continue to receive international news on the overall political situation in the West Bank and Gaza, they get little local news on what is happening in their communities.

To address Palestinians’ need for quality, local news, in November 2006, Internews Network launched a project to strengthen independent TV and radio stations in the West Bank and Gaza. Called “Aswatona”, which means “Our Voices” in Arabic, the project trains Palestinian television and radio professionals and works with stations on reporting skills, production, and marketing. A small grants program also helps stations to upgrade their equipment and encourages them to produce more innovative programming.

As a primary component of the Aswatona project, which is funded by a grant from the US Agency for International Development, in June Internews launched a series of in-house television and radio trainings throughout the West Bank and Gaza. 

Internews has had to overcome more than the usual challenges in implementing this project. For several weeks in June, the fighting was so bad that Internews had to shut down its satellite office in Gaza, and manage all operations from its Ramallah office. Also, since Hamas’ takeover of the Gaza Strip on June 15, several of the radio stations that Internews Network planned to help there have been destroyed. Finally, Internews Network expatriate and local staff face very limited mobility in traveling between the West Bank and Gaza.

Despite these obstacles, Internews Network has managed to hold several well-received trainings this summer. Such workshops are imperative for the stations, as the increasingly difficult political and media environment in the West Bank and Gaza has left little room for objective, unbiased, and non-factional news outlets.

In the Gaza Strip from July 22-29, Internews hosted three local radio stations—Gaza FM, Alerada, and Alwan—for a training primarily focusing on the importance of effective field reporting, story development and interviewing techniques. Experienced radio journalist Shoki Al Farah led the trainings for 11 participants, including two days on-site at each of the stations.

“The trainer was able to correct many mistakes in our daily production that I was not even aware of,” said Safaa Mohammed of Alwan Radio station. “We hope he can come back soon.”

In June and July, Internews Network’s Aswatona project held on-site training sessions at 16 radio stations in the West Bank, led by radio journalist Abdelrahman Othman, who has over 25 years experience as a producer, presenter, and department head in radio stations around the world. Othman gave the journalists hands-on instruction in mini-feature production, field interviewing, writing for radio, and presenting on the radio. Several of the radio stations immediately implemented the suggestions and new skills in their daily programming.

Also in the West Bank in July, in-house training sessions at four television stations—Roa’h TV in Bethlehem, Gama Television in Nablus, Al-Fajr Al-Jadid in Tulkarem, and Al-Watan in Ramallah—focused on creating effective storyboards for planning out a news story. Trainer Carolyn Robinson, a seasoned television anchor and producer who has worked with CNN and Al Jazeera, also coached the staff on the importance of brainstorming, research and development, and deciding on the length of a given story.

Dr. Raja Sorghali, the station director of Al-Fajr Al-Jadid, said, “The training provided a tremendous opportunity to teach my staff new skills that they will use in the future.  They have never received this type of training before.”

Internews Network designed the Aswatona project based on the results of a survey of Palestinian media that it conducted and published in February. Palestinians and the Media: Usage, Trust and Effectiveness is available online in HTML and PDF format.

Internews Network plans additional TV and radio trainings in the West Bank and Gaza under its Aswatona project.