Despite the arrival of nearly 150 private titles on the newspaper market in recent years, the Syrian press still faces many challenges including a self-censorship which often can be more severe than state censorship.

Mazen Darwich is the Director of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression which opened its doors in 2004. This former journalist and ardent defender of dissident voices shares his thoughts on the privately-owned newspapers which have been available at Syrian newsstands since 2004.

APN : What has changed in press freedom in Syria since Bashar Al Asad came to power in 2000?
Mazen Darwich: The main change was the appearance of privately-owned newspapers, authorised by a 2001 law. After forty years of state-owned press, the public's appetite for unofficial views was so great that Syrian newsstands now sell over 150 private publications. Initially, only cultural or economic newspapers were granted licenses. Political newspapers, such as the Al Watan daily and the Abyad wa Aswad weekly, emerged later.
However, all newspapers, once printed, are vetted by the Arab Establishment for Distribution of Printed Products, which depends on the Ministry of Information. As a result, the newspapers practise self-censorship that can be even more severe than the legal censorship! Sometimes, journalists, driven by fear, set limits for themselves that are much stricter than those imposed by the state, which is why I don't think these private titles can really be described as independent. Many of these publications are also owned by businessmen who have close ties to the ruling elite. Nevertheless, some journalists still strive to cover controversial social, economic or even political issues in a professional manner.

APN: How are the private titles funded?
MD: Sales revenues are low, so advertising remains the main source of funding even though it is subject to state control. Both public and private advertisers and newspapers pass their ads through a state-owned agency, which keeps 35 percent of the ad price and pays the rest to the newspaper.
Distribution is also under state control.

APN : How much of the advertising share in Syria do private titles manage to grab?
MD: Private companies prefer to place their ads in privately-owned dailies which are seen as being more reliable and more widely-read despite having a smaller circulation (25.000-30.000) than state-owned titles, whose wider distribution doesn't necessarily mean more readers. The more modern design and layout of private newspapers also make them more attractive to advertisers. However, in the economic model that has been in force in Syria for the past forty years, the advertising market counts for much less than in neighbouring countries although this should change with current liberalisation policies.

APN : What is the impact of the internet on press freedom in Syria?
MD: Many independent electronic publications have been censored and have closed down, and several bloggers have been sent to prison. These sites, although seriously threatened, offer areas of freedom and are the main drivers pushing the press to take a bolder tone and offer content which is more relevant to ordinary people. Nonetheless, press freedom rather than hinging on the decision of one individual, implies a democratic regime, elected institutions and an independent justice system which allow the media to fulfil its function as the fourth estate. Society must be encouraged to tolerate diverse and alternative voices. Many press freedom violations are made by Syrian society rather than by the authorities.
Both private and public titles, which usually have websites which allow for interaction with the readers, are wary of the internet. With low distribution figures, newspaper editors fear seeing their sales plummet as readers will have seen the online content. Most titles, including dailies, delay the
updates of their website, which means that interactivity suffers badly. And this is why greater user interactiviy can be found on news sites such as syriannews  or shampress.

APN: Finally, does the journalism education available in Syria prepare journalists to play their allotted role?
MD: The only available training courses date from the sixties and are purely theory-based. Students study language and history and although they emerge with a good historic-cultural grounding they are a long way from mastering the basics of journalism. They are not offer any editorial work experience or specialisation in the printed press or the audiovisual media. The School of Journalism at the University of Damascus, for instance, provides only three computers for all students. The proposed syllabus ignores the media revolution which has taken place over the last ten years.