On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, this episode opens a critical conversation on what it means to practice journalism in times of constant change.
Featuring Dr. Joseph Moukarzel, Owner & Editor-in-Chief of Ad-Dabbour, the discussion moves between past and present, tracing how journalism in Lebanon has evolved from a slower, more deliberate practice into today’s fast-paced digital landscape.
Through personal reflection, Dr. Moukarzel revisits a time when news traveled differently, when the relationship between journalists and the public felt more direct, and the boundaries of press freedom were tested in quieter but no less significant ways. From there, the conversation shifts to the present, where social media, algorithms, and speed have reshaped not only how news is produced, but how it is consumed and understood.
But beyond the tools and platforms, the episode asks a deeper question: has digital media expanded freedom, or fragmented reality?
Drawing on his academic and professional experience, Dr. Moukarzel reflects on how audiences engage with information today, and whether we are still sharing the same truth, or navigating entirely different versions of it.
At the heart of the conversation lies a powerful idea he expresses clearly:
the essence of press freedom is not the absence of risk, but the willingness to write despite it.
