Reports | 8 11 2025
Amid a changing Syrian media landscape, a roundtable was held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, organized by the Independent Syrian Media Alliance (Rozana – ARTA – Al Jumhuriya – Enab Baladi) under the title: “Independent Syrian Media: Experience, Future, and Challenges.” The roundtable aimed to discuss the current state of independent media in Syria, its challenges, and shared parts of the Alliance’s Needs Assessment Study for Independent Syrian Media.
The sessions were moderated by journalist Jaber Bakr, with Loujin Haj Youssef and Shiar Youssef representing the Alliance.
The discussions focused on defining editorial and institutional independence, the relationship between funding and independence, and the role of training institutions, professional associations, and unions in supporting independent media within Syria’s complex political landscape. Participants included representatives of the Alliance members, independent journalists, and independent Syrian media platforms. In the second session, representatives from the Syrian Journalists Association and the Journalists’ Union attended.
Debates also tackled funding challenges and its impact on editorial independence, emphasizing the need for a Code of Conduct for Independent Media that clearly defines the standards for independent outlets. The sessions explored the definition of an independent journalist, their role in representing community voices, and maintaining editorial objectivity and independence.
At the conclusion of the roundtable, Syrian economist and founder of Syria Report, Jihad Yazji, presented their experience with annual subscription-based models to support independent media, including plans to expand access through “Syria Report Lite” with affordable annual subscriptions, as a means to strengthen financial independence for media outlets.
The roundtable highlighted the importance of a strong independent media as a fundamental line of defense for press freedom, emphasizing the need for collaboration among journalists and independent institutions to safeguard credibility, counter funding pressures, and address the influence of social media influencers and hate speech.