We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Adnan Nasser. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Adnan below.
Adnan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
I decided to return to Lebanon for work purposes. It was a risk, but a calculated one for sure. My intention was to come back and practice journalism with the expectation I would find likeminded people with the same goals.
To be honest, it has been a tough journey on an emotional level. I discovered a darkside to journalism and how people operate here that had affected my health – to the point I wanted to leave. Yet, I stayed to pursue my purpose and life dedicated of reporting the facts of the region as I see them.
One story I will share is an experience with one other local journalist in Lebanon. I had visited an old media company called L’Orient Le-Jour. I was in touch with one of the managers at the office who I shared my intention to pass by. He did not object. I wanted to see the place with my own eyes. It was my favorite news outlet and my daily read. I stopped by and he introduced me to the staff, and we began to talk politics – with the possibility of work opportunities.
Once I left the office, it seemed like a friendly goodbye. The next day, I realized this person blocked me on every social media platform and contact – from Instagram, Whatsapp, and Twitter. Eventually, I ran into him in public and he looked shocked. He began a rant about he did not like my style of just “showing up without asking.”
Last, I checked, I was welcomed to the office without any resistance or told I was not permitted to visit. I argued with him and left. This person in my eyes, embarrassed himself and acted with out any professionalism. Unfortunately, things like this happen frequently in Lebanon’s media scene. There is also discrimination against people of different religious backgrounds, depending on the context.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was able to turn my passion of writing and journalism into a self-employed success. It was not easy. On occassion, I still have to pitch stories to publishers that do get rejected from time to time. Nevertheless, I still carry on with the same enthusiasm as when I started.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I would say my main goal and mission in my journalism career is to constantly do my best to tell the truth without ever being coerced by big media to sell out.
In my experience, many journalists are forced to make a choice to either completely drop the life of an independent writer because it is difficult or embrace joining a big company and write with a specific editorial line that may compromise their objectivity.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Yes, I wish I had access to fellowship opportunities earlier in my journey. Thankfully, I found one that has opened new doors in the world of journalism.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nationalinterest.org/profile/adnan-nasser
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FAdnansoutlook29
- Other: https://www.al-monitor.com/authors/adnan-nasser
Image Credits
Myself