The Pakistani Spectator

Joseph Mayton is a journalist based in Cairo, Egypt. He has worked in the region for the past 6 years and his work has been published in Middle East Times, The Media Line, Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek Turkiye, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and a number of other international publications. He is currently a staff reporter at Al-Masry Al-Youm and editor of Bikya Masr. I blog here.

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

Bikya Masr is a news blog where I combine original reporting, analysis and opinion with updates on current news from across the Middle East and the Islamic world. Bikya means resellable clutter in Arabic and I thought it was a nice title for the site, which we hope to move to a news website this fall if our readership continues to grow. The contributors on board at this early stage are really excellent and include people in Egypt, Palestine, Bangladesh, Syria and a number of other locations. I hope to bridge the cultural gap that often exists between Western and Eastern reporting and have a few duel nationals on board, including a Pakistani-American scholar.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write?

I think everyone grows the more they write. Stephen King adheres to the idea that writing at least 2,000 words a day, you will get much better. I tend to agree. As a long-time journalist in the region, it is very important that you continue to write, even if the article doesn’t get published. That’s how we get better.

Why is that important to you?

Writing is something that anyone can do with practice. It might not be the best there is, but as long as you work at it, it will be there. I believe journalism is a trade. Iranian photojournalist Manoocher Deghati points out that a lot of journalism is based on being at the right place at the right time. So, even if you are not the best writer, or photographer, if you are there, your voice will be heard.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

This is actually my first endeavor into blogging and I would say thus far, the biggest surprise is the amount of work that can be achieved via one person and a network of writers. I am grateful that many of the friends I have made have started contributing to the blog with their own work. This is important because I feel that what will separate Bikya Masr from other blogs is the original reporting we are doing.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

Obviously, Twitter is important and almost all the key Egyptian bloggers are on there and we communicate daily. It is good, but mainly, I prefer face-time with people and this is often difficult in the fast-pace nature of the Net. I have to say, though, that 3arabawy has been great in helping to point me in the right direction. He has the experience and has advised me on what will work and what won’t. That’s good.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

The transferring of information rapidly on Twitter and other similar social-networks is very exciting. I mean, if someone is on Twitter, it is easier to know the news before the major wire services even pick it up. And then, we can post an article on the site. And original too. That is key for Bikya Masr: original reporting.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

One would think, but I also believe it reinforces the “armchair activist” idea. I wrote a piece about this on the site and I hold to it. Many more activists feel connected to what is going on in the world, but the reality is they do very little “grassroots” work because the Internet has gotten so large. And then they wonder why nothing is changing how they want it to. It is tough.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

As I said before, we are basically a news organization at the early stages. Very few blogs post original content. At Bikya Masr, we have already seen at least three contributors post original articles discussing what is going on in Iran, protests elsewhere in the world and analysis of events and articles. This is something that will set us far apart from the rest of the blogosphere and hopefully catapult us into even more viewers who will then interact with writers.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

As a young journalist a few years back, I was told there are two routes to take: 1, just go for it and see what happens, or 2, work your way up in the States and get posted abroad. I chose the first route and that is definitely the advice I would give to others. You have to be persistent with editors. They will respond, but it takes time to make it successful. Try to get in with a local paper in whatever language you are writing and make contacts. I know a lot of failed journalists who can’t take the struggle. They believe they have a great article, but nobody wants it. That happens. You just have to persevere because eventually, an editor will give you a try.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

Well, the happiest moment in my life was when I met my wife, Manar Ammar. She has been arguably the biggest supporter of my work and this is great because there are times when you just get down, thinking nobody wants this or that article. She is also a journalist and together we are happy with the progress of Bikya. She is really the guiding light in both our lives and without her, this wouldn’t have been possible.

The gloomiest moment of my life was during the Lebanon War in 2006 when I went down south during the peak of Israeli bombing. I visited a local hospital and what I saw was beyond anything in my life. I never thought people could be so cruel, but the charred bodies I witnessed have never left my memory.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

This is a good one, as my wife has been an avid watcher of travel shows on television recently. I think if I could go anywhere in the world my top three would be: Hawaii, Croatia and Bali.

What is your favorite book and why?

My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk. It is exquisitely written and actually inspired me to complete my novel – a science fiction/fantasy book that takes place in the Middle East. His writing style is among the best of all time and this is why he deserves the Nobel Prize.

What *s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

For me, living in Egypt, the first thing I notice is if a person is sticky. Sticky in the sense are they the pretentious, over-ambitious or aggressive type. This for me is a major turn off in the conversation. If someone is too ambitious, then they only want to make “contacts” and this is horrible because then you don’t really know them.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

Besides me? No, actually, since I was really young and wrote cheesy short stories about a penguin’s journeys, my family and friends have been great. Always helping to show me how to make things better.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

I don’t know how this can happen. And to be honest, unless a blog is putting out original material, then why should they be compensated? But, if they are, there should be a means for advertisers to contribute at least a little to each original posting. That makes sense. The way blogging is heading it appears to be taking over from traditional media, so it could be a huge source for ad revenues. This should be looked into. Also, people who follow a specific blog might also want to donate a little amount of money from time to time to help out. That would be the smart thing to do I think.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

Probably. At least to a certain degree. For me, it is easy, because as a journalist, you are always looking for a new story, an interesting lead. For example, when I am reading sites and reviewing the news for the day from contacts, etc. I find that one story is very interesting to me, but I know it won’t be a story traditional press wants, so I will post something on the site. It is surprising to see that these stories are often the most successful.

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world more friendlier and less hostile?

I think they should try and use language that is more inclusive. Language is key to communicating with others, so if a blogger is always attacking one group or another they fail in this attempt to show why others should care.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

Definitely 3arabawy (Arabist.net/arabawy). He is your basic re-post blog that gets some great information about Egypt moving forward. Also, I have become a following of The Daily Kos, especially with their Iran coverage. The Traveller Within is another decent site and I often check there for good updates on Internet technology. I also follow formal activist orgs worldwide and to name them would be difficult, because I am sure I would leave one out. The Angry Arab often gives interesting posts, but often his language can be a turn off. Good nonetheless.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

Definitely. I posted an open letter by Grand Ayatollah Mantazeri in mid-June and boom. Literally thousands upon thousands of hits have been piling up. It was a letter I got permission to re-post under the Bikya name, just like a news site would and it has really shot off more than I ever expected. I hope those people will read other posts because we have great content.

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

I have a great love for Pakistan since my days at Macalester College. I had a number of Pakistani friends and we used to hang out and smoke shisha together. I have always been interested in the country and hope to do some reporting from there in the near future. Those friends from university have also been some of the most supportive of my work, which shows how connected the people are. I really admire them and their honesty toward what is happening in the country today. Check back on the site, because I am getting some really good Pakistani analysis that will run soon!

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

Unfortunately not too much, which was the major catalyst for going with Bikya Masr. I often feel that too many bloggers fall into the trap of “I” in their work. And this can be a turn off for many if they don’t agree. That being said, blogging is an important mode for people to talk and I appreciate all the posts that come my way that I read. It is great to get people’s perspectives, but I felt something was missing, so I started the news-blog.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

This is a tough one. I would say the most striking difference, and the saddest, is the way the rich in the developing world forget about their fellow citizens. In the developed world, the wealthy to a great extent are pushing forward on new initiatives to improve their society, but in the developing world, especially in the Middle East, this just doesn’t happen. The rich live secluded from others and do not want things to change because they like their status.

What is the future of blogging?

In many ways, blogging is the future, but only if it adheres to some forms of journalistic integrity. I have had discussions about the reported number of people at protests and demonstrations here in Egypt. Bloggers often exaggerate the true numbers in order to make the protest look good. This is wrong. But if the blogosphere looks into sourcing and dealing with their work in a journalistic way, it could be really successful. But, it will also mean that smaller blogs will lose out as companies and advertisers look for new media to put money into. We have seen that journalistic integrity can exist in the current happenings in Iran. A number of tweets have called this into question and people are moving forward in similar ways an investigative journalist would. I hope that continues.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

I blog from wherever I am. I write quite fast so it hasn’t really interrupted anything. My wife and I have been rewatching LOST for the second time (greatest show ever, might I add) and only one or two times have I had to put up the computer at her request.

What are your future plans?

For now, I am simply trying to deliver up-to-date high quality original work that I believe will get people involved. My dream has been to establish a news organization focused on delivering the “real” news as it happens, not the often orientalist works of Western reporters simply because that is what “America wants.”  I think there are voices in the region, in Pakistan for example, that need to be heard and I hope that I can be the person to deliver it. Americans and Europeans really are not tied to articles that mean something to them, so I think Western journalism as it is will fail if they are not careful. People on the ground, and especially natives of a certain country or area, are always the best at understanding their world. Me, as an editor, can then translate that back into a context that is discernable to the “other.” That is why I started Bikya Masr.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

Definitely. I think Pakistan is one of the most important countries in the world today because of its proximity to so much strife. And as a new news blog and organization, I hope that Pakistanis will check out our material and help make it what the world needs: a source for real information that does not cadre to the West. I think we are all fed up with Western journalists coming into a place and telling people how to do things. And especially with the ongoing fight against Islam, it is important to talk about the realities on the ground and the honest debates that are within Islamic societies.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to answer your questions. I hope we can continue our relationship as both our organizations progress and improve. It was an honor.