The Shifting Communication Ecology in Four Arab Countries and its Impacts on Journalistic Practices Amid the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the transformations and constraints that journalists from four post-Arab Spring countries, namely Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Bahrain, faced amid Covid-19 pandemic and their impact on their journalistic practices. Based on in-depth interviews with 20 journalists from these countries representing different professional affiliations, geographic areas, and demographic profiles, we investigate their journalistic practices amid the pandemic. Using the communication ecology model which includes interpersonal, organizational, and mediated communication resources, we examined the internal and external factors influencing journalistic practices in these countries. Externally, we analyzed the political, economic, legal, and infrastructural factors which impacted the nature of the communication ecology in these countries. Internally, we explored the media organizations’ routines and the journalists’ individual demographic variables, such as age, generation, and employment status, and their impact on journalistic practices in these countries.