Tuesday, October 7 · 4 - 5pm EDT - Online
Killing the Story: Journalists speak on Palestine in U.S. newsrooms
By Prism
Hear from journalists and media professionals on their experiences while attempting to cover the genocide in Palestine.
As we approach 2 years of the Israeli-imposed and U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza, Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim journalists face dehumanizing treatment in media in the U.S. The most recent death toll counts from August of this year state that Israel has targeted and assassinated over 270 journalists in Gaza, making it the deadliest conflict for journalists in global history.
Join us for a conversation on October 7th, Killing the Story, moderated by Palestinian journalist Laura Albast as we discuss the experiences of journalists and media professionals covering the genocide in Gaza while working in U.S. newsrooms. In this hour, we'll explore patterns of media bias, the double standard that exists for Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim journalists, pressures from the Israel lobby, and alternative paths for coverage.
In September, Prism published a monthslong investigation by Albast in partnership with Visualizing Palestine, which reveals and illustrates what happens to stories about Palestine in U.S. newsrooms, from inception to reporting, editing, and publication. You can read the full reporting here.
This event, Killing the Story, will give firsthand accounts from journalists and media professionals about how media manufactures consent and silences dissent, which conflicts with attempts to publish accurately and factually about the genocide in Palestine.
This event is free, but if you are in a position to donate via a ticket, all proceeds will go to the organizations and people featured on this list compiled by Prism. If you are able, we encourage you to donate directly to any of the fundraisers and organizations as well.
Meet the panel
Laura Albast (moderator) is a Palestinian journalist, editor, translator, photographer, and media analyst. Her publications and appearances include The Washington Post, The Nation, Al Jazeera, The Markup, and TRT World, among other outlets. Laura served as the Senior Editor of Digital Strategy and Communications at the Institute for Palestine Studies-USA in Washington, DC, for six years. As the editor of Palestine Square, the Institute's blog, she published 500+ stories covering Palestinian affairs, culture, and politics.
Eman Mohammed is a Palestinian photojournalist from Gaza and a Senior TED Fellow. She began her work at 19, documenting the people of Palestine under Israeli occupation and siege, centering stories of resistance, survival, and truth. Her photographs and investigations have been published worldwide, recognized for dismantling colonial narratives by The Guardian, NPR, and the Inge Feltrinelli Foundation.
Aline Batarseh joined the Visualizing Palestine team as Executive Director in 2021. She has more than 20 years of experience working with several Palestinian and international nonprofits at the intersections of gender equality, reproductive justice, children’s rights, mental health, and social justice.
Sana Saeed is a D.C-based award-winning media writer and critic, previously with AJ+ where she hosted the media critique series ‘Backspace’ and 'The Israeli Occupation Style Guide'. Sana has over 15 years of experience in covering the US news media as it intersects with Islam, the Global South and U.S. foreign policy with a focus on Palestine. Since October 2023, her work has notably focused on U.S. foreign policy and news media coverage of the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide of Palestinians.
Abdallah Fayyad is a journalist who has worked at Vox, The Boston Globe, and The Atlantic. He covers a broad range of topics, from issues around race, class, and democracy in the US to Israel's occupation of Palestine. In 2022, he was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist.