How to See and Hear Egypt

Since the revolution began in 2011, many a foreign journalist has gone to Egypt filled with good intentions and enthusiasm. And while some have done interesting or inspiring work, there are still many in the international media that consistently get half the story or hardly any of it and go home proclaiming that they know what’s what.

With our upcoming journey to Tunisia and Egypt, our challenge is to get past those tendencies and see beyond our own natural limitations. To best do that, we turn to our Egyptian friends in-country and from the diaspora, and ask about their experiences and what they most wish journalists would take note of and stay open to while doing their work.

Today on the podcast I speak with a new friend of the program, herself an Egyptian living abroad and living-breathing the revolution everyday even if she isn’t on the streets or in the square; Hanna Yousef is my special guest as part of a conversation to learn her beautiful story and ask what advice she would give to a outsider-journalist like myself, heading to her beloved country for the first time, in search of stories. In many ways this is the preparatory conversation that every journalist should have yet we rarely get to hear as its considered unworthy for your ears; too candid and imperfect. exactly the type of conversation that makes me love podcasting.

Fresh Eyes, Ancient Place

Photo by Fin

We are a little over two weeks from the beginning of the North Africa/ Middle East journey lovingly titled “Arab Artists in a Revolution.” As with any great journey, the preparation also raises questions about how to approach our conversations and media creations in the best way possible.  The term “best way” is particularly tricky in an era where it’s difficult to capture and retain the attention of any audience, though Im pleased to be starting off with you my listeners and readers, not to mention the Radio Open Source audience who have clearly shown their desire to see this project become a reality.

But here’s another aspect that makes missions like this one a special challenge. My history as an independent, make-it-up-as-I-go-along blogger turned journalist turned media producer or whatever I’m defined as these days. I’ve been working on topics that interest me (and hopefully sometimes you) for more than 10 years now, and throughout my tenure I’ve only occasionally stopped to look around and ask – what do the people want? That was, for me, the major point of being a personal media- citizen journalist type, I don’t just try to entertain or capture your attention, I first follow my heart and learn about topics, people, and places that capture my attention.  With any luck my interests intersect with yours, that’s when it feels extra special.

This particular journey begins with a unique partnership, two guys from different generations with different experience, setting off for a land they have -until now- only read and talked about. A region the entire everyone seems to have an opinion about after it re-captured the world’s attention last year. So the question I have for myself is, how do I make sure this one is not only a pleasure for me, but exciting for you as well? To what extent should I be listening to the opinion and experience of others, as opposed to doing what Ive always done, following my nose and relying on my global network to guide me to the fantastic stories of real life?  How do you keep your mind and your heart open when you’ve done something one way for so long?

One thing I realize beyond any of these questions, is that it is good to try something new and challenge my own traditions. Thankfully I set off next month with someone who’s work and friendship have taught me a lot about what is possible and what I’m capable of.  And of course, I set off with all of you along for the ride, via this daily noise machine known as the internet. So all in all, the fundamentals are in place. Everything else, as always in life, we will figure out and make it great.

Into the Heart of a Revolution

This week two crazy journalists and audio fanatics joined forces to launch a campaign to get to Egypt and Tunisia this fall. The goal is to hear from the artists, the heart and soul of a culture that is much bigger and more complicated then the sound-byte size version we got from the 24 hour news networks last year.

To better explain the hows and whys of our bold new project, Christopher Lydon joins me to discuss our kickstarter campaign “Arab Artists in a Revolution”.  A dream we are in the process of making a reality, one which we hope you will support by donating to our campaign. (And thanks to those who already have!)

Once again, our kickstarter campaign, click, support, spread the word!

A Call To Action: Arab Artists in a Revolution

To all my readers, listeners, viewers, followers, friends, family and random acquaintances from across the planet, I bring you some significant news.  This fall, together with the great journalist, broadcaster, listener and my friend Christopher Lydon, we have decided to embark on a journalistic journey to North Africa.  Egypt and Tunisia specifically, to seek out the storytellers. We want to hear from the heart and soul of the revolution, beyond the politics, beyond the expert analysis, there are those who create, challenge and observe culture, who can give us the long view of what is such an ancient and inspiring part of the world.

In order to do this, we’re calling on our audiences to support the project. There are many kickstarter projects out there these days, but as the marine saying goes “this one is ours.”  

That’s where you come in, as the people to whom we answer to, without need of advertisements or institutions telling us how to do our work, your financial support is vital.  Go check out the kickstarter page, where we hope you would be a part of this experience by backing us and getting us ever closer to the financial goal.  Those funds will take care of travel, shelter, and communication costs on a shoe string budget, as has been my specialty for the past 10 years as a traveling new media reporter. From there we will bring you the voices as podcasts and radio programs, as well as some video and photo reports.  The stories we intend to get will be both insightful and inspiring, in ways no conventional media would bother trying to do in this era of fast and shallow journalism.

So there you have it, if ever there was a time to take action, if the work on this site or the fantastic body of work Christopher Lydon has compiled through the course of his long career has ever spoken to you, then let this be the project you really join us on.  Get involved, help us reach the goal, and this fall – enjoy the results you helped produce!