An editorial offensive

Dear Colleagues,

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a group do so much with so little. You’ve been writing the handbook on how to navigate ambiguity and prosper in uncertainty. We’re fighting for survival in Washington.  We’re reporting on one war after another in the Middle East.

My respect and gratitude. I realize how badly understaffed and stretched thin we are. We’re getting help. I’ll report soon.

It’s no surprise at all that you continue to win admirers. MBN has valuable allies and there’s progress on the political front. There’s a draft bill in the House to preserve the three grantee networks. That’s a positive step. We continue to confer closely with Congress — and with colleagues at RFA and RFE/RL.

There’s another positive sign, last week from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security: $681 million for “international communications activities.” We’ll learn more this week.

It’s unclear what the full Appropriations Committee will do, or the full House later. But we celebrate each and every win. We build on them.

We’re grateful for allies in the Senate, too. Our ongoing conversations with key have been encouraging.

We’re Building — with an Editorial Offensive

You’ve been producing important work, including stories on Syria’s Druze, water wars in Iraq, drying up extremism, the struggle of ordinary Iranians, and new momentum behind the Abraham Accords. Here’s our board chair Ryan Crocker with a big picture view of things.

Israel and Syria agreed to a ceasefire on Friday that reportedly returns control of Suwayda Province to the Syrian transitional government. Several Druze and Bedouin groups have welcomed the ceasefire agreement.

We’re pursuing an interview with Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria (thanks, Leila). We’ve asked for an interview with Ambassador Mike Huckabee in Jerusalem (thanks, Andres, who arrived last night in Israel). Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has agreed to speak with us (thanks, Randa).

Iran is bruised — and continues to exert influence in the region through operatives and proxies. We’ve just invited Eli Lake and Mark Dubowitz for interviews. Eli has just published an interesting podcast on Iranian revolutions in the 20th century. Here’s Mark’s Iran podcast on current events. We’re building.

MBN strives to be better every day. “We don’t stop” has become the MBN mantra (I keep hearing this from you). Now, says Matt, “it’s time to go on the editorial offensive.” I couldn’t agree more.

Our focus is clear:

• We shed light on Washington politics and tell the American story
• We cover tech and innovation
• We lean into the importance of culture — including family, faith, and education
• We report on the malign influence of China
• We track the destructive activity of the Iranian regime activity across our region

MBN is America’s only Arabic-language digital news media platform on and for the Middle East. We understand the importance of English language in our region; Persian too, of course, for 92 million people who’ll have something to say about the region’s future. Stay tuned. We’re moving ahead — driven by mission, vision, and values.

Relevance, Adaptation, Excellence

We offer news and unique perspectives that take our audiences behind the scenes of the most important debates in Washington and key Middle Eastern capitals.

Our goal is not to be exhaustive. We’re focused on being influential, impactful, original, and credible. And fresh. No other media outlet in the region — or that works on the region — can do what MBN can.

Thanks to your resilience and ability to adapt, we’ve become a nimbler media organization that connects with its audience. We build trust and develop relationships with ardent Alhurra fans (and tough critics!).

The new approach Leila and team have been rolling out is vibrant, dynamic, with edge. I like Rami’s satire. Joe’s and Andres’s podcasts are excellent. Quick explainers and longer stories, like our recent out of Syria, have been strong because they represent “only on MBN” kind of journalism (thanks for the push, Matt). In an impossibly competitive environment, we’re building brand every day.

This fall, we’ll launch a suite of newsletters. We’ll start with Monday and Friday. Monday’s letter will look ahead, focused on what’s driving the week. Friday’s will be the week in review, the best of MBN. Let’s show off our sharp analysis, original reporting, and growing sense of community. Links to videos and podcasts will engage, excite, and tell the MBN story. 

Niche — and Craft

MBN must be the place where the most interesting conversations and debates about the region happen. We’ll make this happen in different ways.

We’re currently identifying a roster of contributors to weigh in regularly. We’ll also be soliciting contributions and host live video chats starting this fall with influential thinkers, gifted younger writers, and members of Congress. Aya and Alina will help us build our young professionals program. We’re growing a community. We’re talent scouting.

We’re working up a series of internal workshops on journalistic craft. We’re passionate about craft.

I don’t have to tell you how hard it is, this art and science of gathering, compiling, arranging, editing, and presenting first-rate material. AI is both challenge and opportunity. Accuracy and honesty are still cornerstones; listening and knowing how to talk to people, forever building blocks for truly great journalism. Storytelling makes the heart sing.

Stay tuned for information on MBN workshops. The entire MBN editorial group is doing superb work. Our talent will have a role to play. 

Craft: A Musical Coda

I never grow tired of watching musicians in rehearsal. It’s interesting to see how things get made. It’s craft in a different discipline.

Here’s explosive energy and meticulous detail from Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This is a nice read. It’s an interview with Syrian conductor and composer Zaid Jabari on the process of composing.

I always return to this, a rehearsal clip with Bavarian soprano Diana Damrau singing Mozart’s “Queen of the Night.” The iconic aria from Mozart’s opera the Magic Flute premiered just before the composer’s death at in December 1791. Mozart died at age 35. On his deathbed, the composer whispered to his wife Constanze that he kept hearing soaring passages from the piece in his head.

Listen here to Damrau in rehearsal. This is obsession with craft. It’s countless hours of training and practice and — at the very end in this clip — what a musician looks like when they feel they’ve nailed something that’s very hard to do.

My best, Jeff