Halah Mohammed from Yemen

Until now there has been very little independent reporting in Yemen. However, the media organization Yemen Times is an exception. In addition to publishing a semi-weekly, politically independent English-language newspaper, it established Radio Yemen Times two years ago. This is a community radio station that can be received in Sana'a and that broadcasts programs in Arabic. Starting this autumn, a new offshoot of the station aims to provide information to the unstable south. DW Akademie, together with Yemen Times, is training young journalists who will be working for the new station. Halah Mohammed is one of twelve ambitious Yemeni media workers who recently took part in a preparatory-related workshop in Jordan. The thirty-eighty-year old has a business degree and is now studying journalism. She recently produced a radio series commissioned by the German development organization, GIZ, and which was broadcast on Radio Yemen Times. It focused on the right to freedom of expression and freedom of information.

You travelled from Yemen to Amman just to attend this workshop. What were you aiming to gain?
Halah Mohammed: I wanted to learn basic radio journalism skills such as how to develop a story or create a radio program. The workshop's been very helpful and I've learned a lot.

What was the most important thing?
That information has to be accurate and come from many sources, and that you have to look at a story from all sides and not just one. Reporting in Yemen is often unprofessional. Many journalists only use secondary sources and limit their research to social media instead of pursuing original sources.

You and your colleagues will soon be establishing a new radio station in Aden. How will yours differ from the existing ones?
The existing ones broadcast long, monotonous shows that all sound the same and use the same voices. Our new community station has great potential. We want to be close to our listeners in Aden, offering lively reports and new ideas. And we want our station to contribute to society by broadcasting political debates and conveying information - without facing restrictions.

What is the situation like for journalists in Yemen?
The media have become much freer since the rebellion in 2011 and the Arab Spring. Sana'a now has several independent newspapers, new radio stations and TV stations. However, southern Yemen - Aden and the neighbouring provinces - is lagging behind.

Has reporting improved since the Arab Spring?
It has to a certain degree, but there's still a lack of professionalism. Many of the journalists mix their own opinions with information and really don't know how to research.

What is the situation for women journalists in Yemen?
Journalism used to be a male domain and women had a clearly defined and restricted role to play. But this is changing. You now see many young women presenters on television, and women journalists are now active in all types of media. People used to say that women were not allowed to appear on television becasue they came from a certain area, for example, or a certain tribe. Many fo the female activists were also not allowed to write in the newspapers. But those days are over and the views of women journalists are now being taken seriously.