As citizen journalism thrives in the Arab world, led by the explosion of Facebook and Twitter users across the region, panellists in the Forum’s 6th session considered the implications for those who participate in the new phenomenon. Are there risks involved when everyone wants to be a reporter? No, was the answer of panellists at the 5th Arab Free Press Forum.

How can the media regain public trust as a credible source of news, participants contemplated at the 5th Arab Free Press Forum in Tunis. After years of propaganda, it is difficult for newly-free publications in the Arab World to establish themselves as trustworthy sources of news, particularly when facing competition from blogs and social media. 

Has the media played a significant role in inciting the public to protest in the Arab World? Participants in the first session of the 2012 Arab Free Press Forum in Tunis discussed whether the media is a mirror that reflects peoples ideas, as Al Jazeera English senior political analyst Marwan Bishara suggested, or whether it works more actively.