Workshops on “Building Trust in Media”

In June and in September 2023, the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa hosted two informal media workshops. The workshops were a follow-up to a project on "Building Trust in Media", a project, carried out by Reporters without Borders (Reportrar utan gränser) in Sweden and the Community Media Network in Jordan, funded by the Swedish Institute's "Creative Force". The project aimed at promoting media transparency and trust, by knowledge sharing and networking amongst media practitioners.

The project’s main component was a study visit to Sweden, by three Jordanian journalists, in June. The trip provided an opportunity for the journalists to engage with Swedish media experts and gain insights into Swedish media's approach to building trust with the audiences and in combatting disinformation. The topics covered press freedom rules in Sweden and the historical background, the current state of Swedish media, journalism practices, social media strategies, and trends in public opinion.

In the two workshops hosted by the Dialogue Institute the Jordanian journalists shared their insights and experiences from the visit with colleagues. This was followed by conversations on trust building in media in Jordan and in the wider MENA region.

Some of the key take-aways from the workshops were:

• Inclusivity and exchange: Emphasizing the importance of prioritizing public interests, leveraging digitalization for wider audience access, including marginalized communities, and promoting knowledge sharing.
• Combating disinformation: Highlighting the importance of safeguarding press freedom and independent media institutions, emphasizing credible sources, and promoting factual reporting.
• Trust-building in public service media: Underlining the importance of introducing an Ombudsman role, enhancing storytelling skills, and including trust-related questions in public polls.

For more details, read the Report on workshops in trust building in media