Watara Podcasts

Nada is a highly experienced journalist, consultant and senior trainer with nearly 35 years of expertise in broadcast, digital and print media. Her doctoral degree from City University London was awarded for her research into the role of sectarian media in increasing sectarianism and destabilising divided societies. From 2012, till 2023, Nada has focused her efforts with the BBC on long-form programmes, including a show that challenged the conventional portrayal of women on television. Over 500 women from the Arab world participated in the programme.

Her field experience commenced in 1985, during the civil war in her country. At the BBC, her work as a journalist included coverage of the wars in Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen. She has also worked on the political conflict, including the impact of the lack of good governance and regulations that increase transparency. With BBC Media Action and other organizations including Internews, IMCT, CFPJ she conducted trainings in Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, Turkey, Beirut, Tunis, Syria and Lebanon.

Nada is also a writer. Her book on the Jews of Lebanon was a bestseller, and she was also awarded for her documentary on the same topic: Prix Méditerranéen du Journalisme and the Anna Linth Journalist Award. In addition to getting the Cutting-Edge Award, she was also awarded the International Media Awards in London in 2011.

Bushra is an independent journalist with extensive experience in radio and television. She began her journalism career in 1991 at Sawt al-Shaab Radio, followed by a tenure at New TV, now known as Al Jadeed. Later, she joined Al Jazeera as a correspondent for economic programs before becoming the channel’s Lebanon correspondent for over 20 years.

Throughout her career, Bushra covered news and humanitarian issues, reporting on disasters, humanitarian crises, natural calamities, and wars. She had a particular focus on mental health, especially the often-overlooked impact of post-traumatic stress on journalists—a struggle she experienced personally. This led her to organize several sessions with field journalists, during which they shared how these challenges affected their daily lives.

Bushra was one of the founding members of Watara, a platform where she realized her goal of shedding light on these challenges. Through her series “Our Shades”, she hosted journalists from across the Arab world, both from the field and newsroom, to discuss the psychological toll of their work. The series was perhaps the only program of its kind to address the mental health struggles of journalists, a group that bears witness to the suffering of others yet often neglects its own well-being.

Bushra passed away in August 2024 after battling illness. Remarkably, her dedication to “Our Shades” never wavered; many episodes of the podcast were created while she was in the hospital or undergoing treatment.

In her honor, the Watara platform has established an annual award to continue the conversation about mental health, break its associated taboos, and recognize Bushra’s efforts in exposing these silent struggles that weigh heavily on so many. This award aims to uphold her legacy and bring much-needed attention to this vital issue.