Al Jazeera Journalism Review
London-based journalist and digital media researcher with over a decade's experience in various MENA newsrooms as a reporter, presenter and producer. Sara holds an MSc in Media and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), with a particular interest in AI journalism and media development research.
@SKhorsa
Writer’s Articles
Where Did the Arab Audience Go? Beyond Technology, Towards Trust and Relevance
Arab newsrooms cannot rebuild audience trust simply by chasing platforms and investing in AI while their journalism fails to reflect people’s lives, address their concerns and hold power to account.
Bridging the AI Divide in Arab Newsrooms
AI is reshaping Arab journalism in ways that entrench power rather than distribute it, as under-resourced MENA newsrooms are pushed deeper into dependency and marginalisation, while wealthy, tech-aligned media actors consolidate narrative control through infrastructure they alone can afford and govern.
Digital Dependency: Unpacking Tech Philanthropy’s Grip on Local News in the MENA
AI-driven journalism initiatives in the Middle East, often backed by philanthropic media development projects, are reshaping local newsrooms under the influence of global tech giants. These efforts, while marketed as support, risk deepening power asymmetries, fostering digital dependency, and reactivating colonial patterns of control through algorithmic systems and donor-driven agendas.