Journalism’s best practices – across cultures, eras, and media

AUB Photojournalist-in-Residence George Azar in the Media Studies Program has covered the Middle Eats for the past 40 years for top Western and Middle Eastern media, including the New York Times, AP, Al Jazeera, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He explains how his ‘observational documentaries’ strive to tell human stories that also shed light on larger political or social issues. Speaking from experience across continents and eras – from the 1980s Lebanon civil war to the ongoing uprisings in Arab lands – he shares what he has learned about political inclinations of different media firms. He also affirms the best practices he believes in, such as being fair-minded, listening to rather than judging people, and reporting on the ground from the perspective of ordinary men and women.