Date: 30 September 2013
Country: Algiers, Algeria
The Media Diversity Institute (MDI) with the support of UK Embassy in Algiers and local daily newspaper El Watan, held a conference in order to discuss how inclusive is the Algerian media.
After an introduction by UK Ambassador in Algiers, Mr. Martyn Roper, about the necessity to encourage the expression of diversity and inclusion in the Algerian media, the panelists expressed their views about the place of marginalized voices in the Algerian newspapers, television and radio.
MDI Communication Manager Dasha Ilic stressed how important is to include everyone in the media coverage and to embrace diversity as an integral part of every society. She added that journalists, civil society representatives and decision-makers should work together focusing on the similarities rather than differences.
MDI regional consultant Safi Naciri highlighted that diversity is not a threat for the national unity. “Diversity reinforces social cohesion”, said Naciri while Belkacem Mostefaoui, professor at the higher school of journalism stressed that “every society has the right to be represented in the media.
The panelists and the audience discussed how diverse Algerian media are from several angles. They debated what kind of presence young people have in the media today, not only in Algeria, but in the UK and elsewhere. They discussed the role of the female journalists and editors, as well as the presence of different languages.
The roundtable debate about diversity and inclusion in the Algerian press was fruitful and represented an opportunity for several members of the civil society to express their views in an environment where, as the editor of the Algerian newspapers Liberté Abrous Outoudert said, “civil society has been put aside”.
The round table received very good press coverage in some of the main Algerian newspapers and private TV channels.