Interview Transcript

Interviewer: Sadig Eltigani

Interviewee: Prof. Radwa Ashoush

Date: 16/10/2017

Place: In Prof. Radwas Apartment parking lot

Madinaty, Group B #24, Northeast of New Cairo

Sadig Eltigani Prof. Rasha Ashoush Interview

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16 October 2017

Persons present: Sadig Eltigani-Interviewer

Prof. Rasha Ashoush-Interviewee

Eltigani: Hello! My name is Sadig Eltigani, and Im a junior studying Multimedia

Journalism at AUC. Ill be conducting an interview with Professor Radwa for my

Multimedia Writing class.

Eltigani: (Breathes in) So could you introduce yourself for us?

Ashoush: My name is Radwa Ashoush. Im a graduate of Class 1999. Uh I

graduated from the faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication. I had a

double sequence in Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising. (Breathes)

And I was lucky enough to be the first class to attend the IMC, uh, diploma.

Eltigani: Could you tell me what is your current profession and where do you

live?

Ashoush: Im currently working as a part time uh lecturer uh in the faculty of

Mass Comm. at the British University in Egypt, and I live in Madinaty.

Eltigani: (Breathes in) Okay so can you tell us a little bit about what did you guys

learn, uh, back in your class?

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Ashoush: Uh, youre referring to journalism classes right?

Eltigani: Yes.

Ashoush: Okay, uh, basically we studied, uh, editing, uh, writing in English and

in Arabic, uh, and, uh, we, uh, studied things like, uh, the code of ethics and how

to be a journalist, uh, a credible journalist.

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Of course.

Ashoush: How to, uh, protect your sources, how to reference your sources, uh,

and so very basic stuff about the practice of Journalism.

Eltigani: Okay, so you referenced, uh, about how (stutters) you know the

sources and (breathes in) you know, obviously nowadays you can easily email

sources and (breathes in) you know we can gather (stutters) them online.

Ashoush: (Interrupts) Yes.

Eltigani: How was it back then? (Stutters) Was it easy to gather sources or was

it difficult?

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Ashoush: No, it was much more different than now. I would say it was more

difficult but maybe, uh, a little more personal If you may say. Because back then,

uh, there was very little online (breathes in) so we only had to go visit the source,

and actually conduct a face-to-face interview. (Breathes in) Uh, emails were not

that much of use, uh, for the purpose of practicing journalism. (Breathes in) So it

was basically face-to-face and personal, uh, contacts.

Eltigani: Okay and you know now we have (stutters) different platforms to post

our (breathes in) you know our work on you know we have, uhm, social media

(breathes in).

Ashoush: (Interrupts) Yeah.

Eltigani: You know its social media is slowly catching up with general media

(breathes in).

Ashoush: (interrupts): Okay.

Eltigani: So, back then, you were more focused on print, obviously.

Ashoush: (Interrupts): Yes.

Eltigani: So you dedicated most of your work on print?

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Ashoush: Yes

Eltigani: So was there any difficulties that you faced back then?

Ashoush: Well it was just that you needed to meet with your, uh, interviewees.

Incase you wanted to conduct, uh, a story, or, uh, find sources or anything you

needed to go to the person you wanted to interview and make sure you

interviewed this person (breathes in)And you took notes yourself (breathes in),

uh, you could have just recorded (breathes in) the interview (breathes in)but

very few used the email back thenor relied on it to gather information.

Eltigani: Okay, (breathes in) and, uh, for example gathering information, you

know, we have books that are available online (breathes in), you know, we can

easily access them whenever we want. (Breathes in) How was it back then? For

example, you had a certain story that you would have to write about.

Ashoush: (Interrupts) Okay.

Eltigani: So how would you gather your information?

Ashoush: Well the library back then was more manual than now.

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Eltigani: Mhm.

Ashoush: Okay, so you had to go and search for, uh, sources using something

called the catalog.

Eltigani: (interrupts) Okay.

Ashoush: (breathes in) Okay, where you used manual cards to find out, uh,

(stutters) either books or to find, uh, articles that were written on the topic

(breathes in) and of course it depended on how (breathes in) updated the, uh,

university library was.

Eltigani: (interrupts) Yes.

Ashoush: So unlike now you can find any source of information online.

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Yes

Ashoush: Uh, even if it was just printed last week or last month, (breathes in)

but, back then, uh, there were periodicals. So as long as they are updated this,

this is the most recent source you can get

Eltigani: (interrupts) Mhm.

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Ashoush: Hands on

Eltigani: And now we have everything online and yet we waste it. (Laughs)

Ashoush: (Laughs) Well thats true, but I think that (stutters), I dont know about

the practice now I wouldnt be able to judge

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Mhm.

Ashoush: But I think that even the (stutters) online as easy as it may seem, I

think it needs, uh, more checking from the journalist to ensure the credibility of

the source.

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Mhm.

Ahsoush: Because youll find all sorts of information online (breathes in) that

you cannot necessarily have the ability to verify unless you know the person

(breathes in).

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Yes.

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Ashoush: Who could call them up to verify the data.

Eltigani: Of course.

Ashoush: Other than that, well (stutters) during my time, we used to interview

people face-to-face. So, you knew you were getting the information from a

person right in front of you.

Eltigani: So it was more credible than now. I mean, obviously now, you have

clickclick bait, uh, sites and

Ashoush: (Interrupts) Well I would say it was more credible I think yeah

(Laughs).

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Yes. (Breathes in) So, uhm, whats your take on print

journalism in the near future? You know now cause, you know, for example

like the New York Times

Ashoush: (Interrupts): Mhm.

Eltigani: You know theythey have an app you can open it

Ashoush: (Interrupts) Okay.

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Eltigani: To see everythingthats happening. (Breathes in) So what do you

(stutters) whats your take on, as a as a, you know, (stutters) spe-specialized

print journalism, you know, in major? (Breathes in) Whats your take on the future

of print journalism?

Ashoush: (Breathes in) I think the essence will remain the same: uh, to be a

credible, uh, journalist, to have (breathes in) a code of ethics, to have a ge-

general (stutters) code of ethics for all journalists that would remain the same.

(Breathes in) Uh, the thing that will change (stutters)...will definitely be how you

gather the information and how you verify them, (breathes in) and how you, uh,

transmit them to your audience. (Breathes in) Uh, so the means have changed

but I think (stutters) its its just the consciousness of the journalist

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Mhm.

Ashoush: Thats (stutters) has to remain the same.

Eltigani: (Interrupts) Yes. So he has to remain ethical.

Ashoush: (Interrupts) Yes.

Eltigani: And all these things.

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Ashoush: Yes, yes indeed.

Eltigani: All right, thank very much for your time!

Ashoush: Youre most welcome! Thank you very much.

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