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Science journalists from eight countries convened in Cairo from 26 – 28 April, 2004
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In
a
Middle East
where the words war and death have become commonplace, and where the news of
the Palestinian struggle and the Iraqi occupation fill the daily headlines, a
majority of news editors and television producers tend to put science news on
the backburner. In a rapidly developing world, however, where many
countries in the
Middle East
continue to suffer from such problems as drought, hunger, and diseases such as
malaria and poliomyelitis, science can be the solution to a multitude of
problems.
In
this context, science journalists from the
Middle East
and North Africa (MENA) met in
Cairo
between April 26 – 28 to discuss the problems they face in their field of
work, and how the networking of science journalists in the region could play a
role in solving them.
The
workshop, funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC) and the
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and co-organized by
IslamOnline.net's science department together with
Egypt
's Al-Ahram newspaper and the
United Kingdom
's SciDev.net, gathered 15 science journalists from
Egypt
,
Tunisia
,
Mauritania
, the
Sudan
,
Lebanon
and
Yemen
.
Presentations
and discussions focused on three main themes:
-
the
role of scientific communication in national development;
-
the
importance of networking between science journalists at the national,
regional and international levels;
-
and
capacity building including the importance of providing the general public
with attractive, simple to understand scientific information; in addition to
the importance of gaining the skills necessary to analyze scientific
research on the basis of evidence based science.
Obstacles
to Arab Science Journalism
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Science
could be a means to achieve the Arab dream.
Zyed El-Heni
|
Participants
in the workshop discussed a wide range of problems that they face as science
journalists in the Arab world.
Bureaucracy
formed an important obstacle to Tunisian science journalists in getting the
information they needed to perform their work. Says Zyed El-Heni from
As-Sahafa newspaper and editor of the only weekly science column in the Tunisian
press, "The job of communications officers in government ministries is to
give a positive image of their ministries. They are stingy with the
information they give. Information is only provided to those who agree to
play their game."
El-Heni
said he believes that science could be an important weapon in fighting the
underdevelopment facing countries in the region. "If scientific
material is properly introduced in our media, it could be a means towards
achieving [the Arab] dream."
The
Yemeni participant, Ebtihag Al-Kamal, who has an Internet website and a magazine
both dealing in health issues, in addition to editing a Yemeni medical journal,
explained that another impediment to the work of science journalists working in
private publications is funding. In addition to its lack, its availability
poses the problem of the influence the funders might have on the publication's
material.
Nadim
Abdo, Editor of Al-Computer Magazine in
Lebanon
, said that the Arab region doesn't have specialized scientific journalism per
se, and what is available is very scanty. Most of the workshop
participants at the same time agreed that translating and unifying the
translations of scientific terms imported from the West poses an important
challenge to all Arab science journalists.
Another
obstacle facing science journalists in the region was highlighted by
Islamonline's participants, who explained that obtaining information on
scientific research in the region was extremely difficult.
"Scientific institutions and universities in the Arab world fail to
propagate the research that goes on within them due to the absence of
newsletters and press releases, and the very static websites that only some of
them have," explained Nadia El-Awady, science editor in IslamOnline's
English website.
Provisional
Network Established
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The
workshop's Lebanese participants
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As
a result of their deliberations, the participants agreed on the importance of
establishing a network for Arab science journalists. The network will, in
its preliminary stages, have two bases, a virtual electronic group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group
/arabsciencejournalists/
and an office on the premises of the Tunisian Press Syndicate. It will aim
at gathering science journalists from the MENA region working in print,
electronic and broadcast journalism in addition to academics and students from
faculties of journalism and mass communications and scientists with an interest
in the public communication of science.
The
main objectives of the network will include:
-
Providing
Arab science journalists with the training and skills necessary to
communicate science to the general public.
-
Evolving
Arab science journalism into one with a developmental approach.
-
Providing
Arab science journalists with the information and contacts they require to
perform their duties.
Egypt
Takes the Lead
Only
one week prior to the
Cairo
workshop, 14 Egyptian science journalists convened at IslamOnline.net's offices
to discuss the possibility of forming an Egyptian science journalists'
association. Attendees included Hatem Sidqui, Head of Al-Ahram Newspaper's
Science and Environment Department, Muhammed Abul-Fotouh, Television Director
and Founder of Nilesat's Horus Medical Channel and Ahmed Hassan, Head of
Moheet.com's Science Department.
Egypt
is noted for having a relatively strong force of science journalists working in
its media compared to the rest of the Arab world. Nevertheless, science
journalists have yet failed to join forces to bring Egyptian science journalism
up to international standards.
Magdy
Said, Head of Islamonline.net's Science and Cultural Department, commented that
in the midst of recent calls for reforms in the Middle East, the focus should
not only be on political reforms. "Any efforts towards reform must
take into consideration the importance of the media in obtaining the ultimate
objective. And if we agree that we must focus on reforming all aspects of
our life, which include those related to science, health, technology and the
environment, then we will agree that we must reform science communication,"
says Said.
Suggestions
that arose from the meeting to improve the standards of Egyptian science
journalism included, among other things, issuing a yearly report that analyzes
the scientific content of
Egypt
's media releases.
Noteworthy
is the fact that this year will witness the 4th World Conference of Science
Journalists in
Montreal
,
Canada
in October.
*
Nadia El-Awady is IslamOnline.net's Health & Science Page editor.
She has a bachelor's degree in medicine from
Cairo
University
and is currently studying for a masters degree in journalism and mass
communications at the
American
University
in
Cairo
. You can reach her at: ScienceTech@islam-online.net.
