Institute for Media Training and Research

Upcoming projects

Training of trainers with Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism

A training-of-trainers session is planned in April 2012 in cooperation with Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ). The two-day workshop will focus on enhancing training skills among veteran journalists and academics who work on perfecting investigative skills among journalists in the region.

Research on the Lebanese media and their potential role in fostering the zai’m culture

The IMTR is currently preparing a proposal for a research on the role of Lebanese media in fostering the za’im culture in Lebanon. A historical result of the country's former feudal system, the zai'm –or local chief– is a local political figure that plays the role of the godfather for specific sects or local communities. Za'ims are responsible for building schools, providing jobs, etc. Many of them also own or support local media outlets. Constituents accept the zai’ms corruption, the role they play in enhancing sectarianism and the fact that they prioritize self-interest over the country's well-being. Most of the scholarship about zai’m figures and the media has focused on the former’s role in supporting the latter. In this research, we would like to reverse the research question and investigate whether local media play a role in enhancing this culture of personalism.