Situated in the heart of the Near and Middle East, the initiative complements existing France Médias Monde newsrooms in Africa, Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe. Through a localised approach, it aims to foster public trust by delivering news in our audiences' native languages.

A team of approximately 15 Arabic-speaking journalists from across the region (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, and beyond) has been recruited for the new digital newsroom. The Beirut-based team enhances the digital production capabilities of FRANCE 24’s Arabic editorial team and Monte Carlo Doualiya (MCD) by creating content for both media outlets' websites and social media platforms.

Joumana Fehmi, a seasoned journalist with experience at MTV Lebanon, Alrai TV, Future TV and Info3 News, has been appointed editor-in-chief and operational director. All journalists recruited in Beirut in late 2024 underwent a two-month training programme with the France Médias Monde Academy, receiving guidance from experts in editorial, digital, technical and security fields.

Closer to our audience

The Beirut regional hub is a key element of France Médias Monde’s strategy to cultivate public trust by remaining geographically and linguistically close to its audiences. Lebanon was chosen for this digital newsroom because of France Médias Monde’s longstanding presence in the country — a Francophone nation where RFI, FRANCE 24 and MCD extensively cover news through our on-site correspondents.

This initiative also strengthens France Médias Monde’s partnerships in Lebanon. Radio Liban airs 12 hours of RFI’s French-language programming daily, while Télé Liban broadcasts FRANCE 24’s Arabic-language programmes.

By establishing an Arabic-speaking editorial team in Beirut, France Médias Monde has reinforced its commitment to promoting Francophonie in a multilingual world. Expanding Arabic-language content allows the group to share the values of Francophonie with audiences in regions where French is less commonly spoken.

Fighting disinformation

Like the Arabic-language editorial teams based in Paris, the Beirut newsroom produces free, independent, verified and balanced news coverage of current events in the Near and Middle East and across the Arab world. This regional perspective enriches and complements FRANCE 24’s Arabic and MCD’s digital offerings while playing a crucial role in combating disinformation.

The newsroom also leverages the expertise of FRANCE 24 Observers, a recognised leader in fact-checking and countering fake news. Content produced on-site is specifically tailored for digital platforms, including mobile videos, infographics, vertical formats, articles and podcasts.

This strategy enhances the visibility of FRANCE 24 in Arabic and MCD in the digital landscape, driving growth across their websites, apps and social media channels. The new structure also enables FRANCE 24 in Arabic and MCD to expand onto platforms such as TikTok.