Al Jadeed TV’s Mariam Bassam on Checking Your Sources
02/10/2018
Al Jadeed TV news editor Mariam Bassam met with Azm media students and their guests on October 2 in an open lecture dedicated to the errors news editors fall victim to if they fail to check their sources.
She advised students to “use their phones, research, go to the actual place where the alleged story took place, and check it,” pointing out that her own newscast had failed to exercise due diligence one or two times and ended up as victims of fake news.
There is often a race between scooping the news and checking for accuracy, she pointed out, telling students that they should always prioritize accuracy. “If you get a story wrong just one time, that could tarnish your reputation and make you less credible with your audiences.”
Ms. Bassam was the guest of Azm instructor Ibrahim Awad as part of his course on Arab Media and Society. Mr. Awad introduced Ms. Bassam to a large audience of students and faculty members, explaining that her visit was the first in a series of celebrated media professionals that will be invited to meet with Azm students this semester.