Ronahi fights to preserve the legacy of print journalism 

Today, October 16 marks the thirteenth anniversary of the issuance of Ronahi newspaper operating in North and East Syria, which is considered the first media outlet launched in the Syrian city of Aleppo in 2011, and continues to this day by issuing its issues in Arabic and Kurdish, in addition to the Mazkin magazine for children.

While we remember the anniversary of the founding of the newspaper, the journalistic scene in the world and the region is changing every day, as print journalism is gradually being pushed aside with the emergence of digital technology technologies and means.

13 years

Ronahi newspaper was founded after the events that began in Syria in the spring of 2011, and was launched with a weekly edition in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood in the Syrian city of Aleppo under the name "Ronahi", and the first issue of the newspaper was issue zero, and it was of the 12-page category. A year after its establishment, it issued a supplement called Mazkin (a magazine for children), and this was also the first time that a magazine for children was issued.

month after its publication, specifically in its fifth issue, and in response to the diversification of theses, the number of pages of the newspaper was increased to 16 pages, and after less than a year, its pages were increased again to become 20 pages, and in early January 2015, the newspaper changed from a weekly publication to a semi-weekly one, and since May 30, 2018, it has changed to a daily publication, but due to the inability to print on a daily basis and the limited distribution capabilities, publishing was limited to two days a week in print and three days electronically, and the Kurdish and Arabic sections were separated, and the Mazkin magazine, which was issued monthly, is now issued every 15 days.

The newspaper now covers social, cultural, political, economic, women's, sports, health and other diverse topics.

Today, the number of the newspaper’s Arabic section has reached 1,291 in print and 1,946 in electronic form, and the number of the Kurdish section has reached 1,213 in print, with 4,000 printed copies for the Kurdish section and 6,300 for the Arabic section. The Mazgin magazine is distributed twice a month, with 5,000 copies for children, free of charge, according to the editor and journalist at Ronahi, Berivan Khalil.

Ronahi in the war between print and electronic journalism

Berivan Khalil described the reality of journalism in this era as "the war between print (newspapers) and electronic journalism", as a result of the world's technological progress and development and the weakness of the reading culture.

Berivan does not hide the noticeable decline witnessed by print journalism, and said: "Many newspapers, including international and Arab ones, have taken steps to move to electronic publishing."

Insistence on steadfastness and development

Despite the circumstances that print journalism is going through, Berivan Khalil confirms their insistence on protecting the legacy of print journalism in print among society, and added: "Ronahi newspaper now publishes two print issues and three electronic issues, and we aim and plan to convert all our issues to print in the coming days, but the weakness of capabilities is currently hindering this."

Berivan noted that they are always working to enrich the news content in the newspaper, and confirmed: "Ronahi newspaper will remain a historical documentary and journalistic source for society, and we will protect the legacy of print journalism on an ongoing basis."

Ronahi in the eyes of others

In his turn, the poet and journalist Kamal Najm, who has been working in the field of journalism since 1990, and the owner of the Têbînî (Note) column in the cultural page of the Kurdish section of Ronahi newspaper, comments that: “The newspaper has made important strides in the path of professional work and gaining experiences and expertise, as well as gaining the trust of readers.”

In order to be able to maintain this level and exceed it to more advanced levels, it is important for the newspaper to acquire its own uniqueness that distinguishes it from other media outlets in its environment, according to Najm.

Najm believes that: “This is possible by relying on its cadres and correspondents in a way that ensures that it always has exclusive, special and distinctive media material, by developing the professional level of the media cadres, especially in the field of research and investigation and preparing new and useful media material.”

Kamal Najm pointed out the importance of enriching the content of the newspaper’s media material: “It would be useful to work on preparing investigative reports on important issues that concern people from various political, economic, social and other perspectives. This means that the media material should be close to people’s concerns, be different and distinctive, and achieve more direct interaction between it and the readers, through the published material and addressing different social groups according to a well-studied media plan, and achieve balance in publishing topics and allocating more space to youth issues.”

T/ Satt.

ANHA