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| Press conference at the Minstry of Telecommunications earlier this year. |
PR and Journalism: touchy area?
Here are some of the accusations thrown my way after writing a piece that questions the cozy relationship between PR companies and the press in Lebanon.
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Too cozy? PR and journalism in Lebanonbeirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
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Most of the criticism was vague, not addressing the piece, but accusing me of harboring a hidden agenda:
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@habib_b Why are u so focused on @fidachaaban and@NicolaSehnaoui ? Am starting to feel its personal.
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@habib_b @RAGMAGMagazine It’s a lifestyle magazine so yeah it is journalism. Ur piece and comments r just a thinly veiled smear campaign.
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@habib_b U r making good points but assuming things on behalf of a respected Editor in chief practically killed ur post.
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Or stereotyping my work and that of Lebanese journalists in general:
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@LeNajib I don’t really care, I just wish habib did his research like a proper journalist should. @habib_b @RAGMAGMagazine@NicolaSehnaoui
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@habib_b but then again, professional journalists here never bother digging deeper, so no surprise @LeNajib@RAGMAGMagazine @NicolaSehnaoui
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Or just plain insults:
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@habib_b you’re stupid and your article is stupid. I know you want attention from the digital sphere but don’t be a cunt about it.
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Much to the amusement of the accusers:
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@habib_b I can’t retweet @ranithefirst for the sake of public decency but he is funny. Come on admit it 😛
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Some suggested I should find a new job:
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Does anyone have a small office job vacancy (for $200/month) my friend @habib_b is struggling in making a decent living and needs your help?
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And of course, the ultimate insult in Lebanon, calling me a maid:
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@ranithefirst @habib_b Office job? I pay my maid even more. He should try his luck in this “sphere”. Haha.
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While the minister I wrote about, a martyr.
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To his credit Najib was one of the few to actually raise a specific argument, namely that you can be friends with a minister and still write about him objectively:
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@habib_b It could be that the blogger or journalist do not agree with your views regardless of their friendship.
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@habib_b I for example have become sort of friends with Minister@NicolaSehnaoui yet I have different views on certain matters.
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Others disagreed:
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@habib_b Friendly junkets set up by object of coverage are dodgy, w bass.
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@habib_b proverbial u scratch my back I scratch urs… or else…
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PR kills journalism. Read @BryanAppleyard London 2003:tinyurl.com/ma4kryk and @habib_b Beirut 2013:beirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
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And some sent words of support, either privately or publicly:
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@habib_b i think every1 is takin it 2 personal & personal attacks r over the top. Also disappointed in @GinoRaidy 4 generalizing all journos
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@habib_b valid point here – these publicists should stop expecting journalists to regurgitate staged content for stories. Great piece.
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READ THIS PEOPLE ! RT @habib_b: Too cozy? PR and journalism in Lebanon beirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
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What do you think?
PR and Journalism: touchy area?
-
Too cozy? PR and journalism in Lebanonbeirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
-
Most of the criticism was vague, not addressing the piece, but accusing me of harboring a hidden agenda:
-
@habib_b Why are u so focused on @fidachaaban and@NicolaSehnaoui ? Am starting to feel its personal.
-
@habib_b @RAGMAGMagazine It’s a lifestyle magazine so yeah it is journalism. Ur piece and comments r just a thinly veiled smear campaign.
-
@habib_b U r making good points but assuming things on behalf of a respected Editor in chief practically killed ur post.
-
Or stereotyping my work and that of Lebanese journalists in general:
-
@LeNajib I don’t really care, I just wish habib did his research like a proper journalist should. @habib_b @RAGMAGMagazine@NicolaSehnaoui
-
@habib_b but then again, professional journalists here never bother digging deeper, so no surprise @LeNajib@RAGMAGMagazine @NicolaSehnaoui
-
-
Or just plain insults:
-
@habib_b you’re stupid and your article is stupid. I know you want attention from the digital sphere but don’t be a cunt about it.
-
-
-
Much to the amusement of the accusers:
-
@habib_b I can’t retweet @ranithefirst for the sake of public decency but he is funny. Come on admit it 😛
-
Some suggested I should find a new job:
-
Does anyone have a small office job vacancy (for $200/month) my friend @habib_b is struggling in making a decent living and needs your help?
-
And of course, the ultimate insult in Lebanon, calling me a maid:
-
@ranithefirst @habib_b Office job? I pay my maid even more. He should try his luck in this “sphere”. Haha.
-
While the minister I wrote about, a martyr.
-
-
To his credit Najib was one of the few to actually raise a specific argument, namely that you can be friends with a minister and still write about him objectively:
-
@habib_b It could be that the blogger or journalist do not agree with your views regardless of their friendship.
-
@habib_b I for example have become sort of friends with Minister@NicolaSehnaoui yet I have different views on certain matters.
-
Others disagreed:
-
@habib_b Friendly junkets set up by object of coverage are dodgy, w bass.
-
@habib_b proverbial u scratch my back I scratch urs… or else…
-
PR kills journalism. Read @BryanAppleyard London 2003:tinyurl.com/ma4kryk and @habib_b Beirut 2013:beirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
-
And some sent words of support, either privately or publicly:
-
-
@habib_b i think every1 is takin it 2 personal & personal attacks r over the top. Also disappointed in @GinoRaidy 4 generalizing all journos
-
@habib_b valid point here – these publicists should stop expecting journalists to regurgitate staged content for stories. Great piece.
-
READ THIS PEOPLE ! RT @habib_b: Too cozy? PR and journalism in Lebanon beirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
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What do you think?
Habib Battah
Habib Battah is an investigative journalist and founder of the news site beirutreport.com. Battah has covered Lebanon and the Middle East for over 15 years and teaches journalism and media studies at the American University of Beirut. He is a contributor to Monocle, The Guardian, BBC World, Al Jazeera and others, a former fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University and two-time recipient of the Samir Kassir Press Freedom Award. Battah's investigative work was recently recognized for outstanding local reporting by the Columbia University Oakes Award for Environmental Reporting. Battah earned a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.A. in Near East Studies and Journalism from New York University.
