Media Office Research and Studies Department

Media Theories and the Need for the Development of Syrian Media

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Since the beginning of writing, human life has changed towards development, growth, and the benefit from experiences. Before writing, it was difficult to transfer knowledge from one generation to another, allowing knowledge to later accumulate with the first letter. The evolution continued due to writing until the profession of media emerged to become a science with its principles, rules, and disciplines.
Undoubtedly, media has played a particularly significant role after the advent of the internet in changing government systems and the successive revolutions of the people, with Syria not being exempt from the influence of media on it.
Today, with the complications of the Syrian scene and its internal divisions and the involvement of active foreign countries, it becomes imperative for Syrian media to evolve and benefit from modern media theories.
Syrian media faces significant challenges under the current circumstances, and some global media theories can be used to develop it in Syria, which we highlight some of for attention and focus:

Transition from authority media to free media:

It is necessary to transform media from a tool serving authority to a tool for providing information and neutral analysis.
Theories about the role of media in promoting democracy and human rights can be beneficial.

Focus on quality and professionalism:

This can be achieved by developing the skills of journalists and editors and enhancing quality and professional standards.
Theories about investigative journalism and media ethics can also be beneficial.

Utilizing social media and alternative media:

It is important to utilize digital media and social media to communicate with the public, disseminate information, and draw effective methodological plans that positively impact and gather the audience.
Theories about alternative media and the social impact of technology should also be utilized.

Enhancing the role of women in media:

It is essential to encourage women’s participation in media, enhance their role, and increase the effective and influential female element, breaking away from the male-dominated media and the degenerate perception of women in society.
Theories about gender and equality in media are important here.

Focusing on covering social, economic, and cultural issues:

This involves developing coverage of local issues and focusing on the problems and hopes of people.
Theories about the role of media in achieving social change can be beneficial.
It is crucial that media development is balanced and sustainable, with adherence to ethics, human rights, and conducting academic courses that build Syrian media through modern methods.

Towards Building Effective Media:
The pursuit of establishing unbiased journalism that reflects multiple viewpoints without bias is a realistic and national necessity, focusing on objectively presenting news and independently analyzing events.
Supporting and developing alternative media outlets that strive to provide balanced and professional information is an important need for Syrian media today, with a focus on local channels, radio stations, and independent websites.
As we have said that it is necessary to highlight people’s issues, problems, and hopes, there must also be a deep analysis of local social and economic issues to distance and counteract shallow and populist destructive rhetoric without precise guidance.
All of this requires keeping up with technological developments and utilizing social media and technology, and for all these reasons, focusing on protecting journalists, sources, and data is a priority that has been missing in Syrian media so far, unfortunately.

Finally, Syrian media needs further support, assistance, and development. Therefore, we recommend conducting consecutive courses where global media leaders, specialists, and academics are trained. We, at the Syrian Future Movement, have set our sights on two things:
First, conducting live courses at our headquarters inside and outside Syria.
Second, opening all our headquarters, especially inside Syria, to help with any effective proposal that supports the development of media in Syria.