Gatekeeping the Narrative: The role of the Australian Media in Shaping Anti-Arab Sentiment - In Conversation Series by Arab Council Australia

In the second talk in the "In Conversation" series, Arab Council Australia proudly invites you to join us for a powerful and timely conversation about how Australian media and journalism influence public perceptions of Arab communities. 

In an era of rising misinformation and polarised narratives, this discussion confronts the critical role of the media in shaping public attitudes—and the consequences that follow.

Featuring high-profile journalists Jan Fran and Nour Haydar, in conversation with lawyer, filmmaker, and activist Nicholas Hanna, this event will unpack the biases, barriers, and breakthroughs within Australian media when it comes to Arab voices and stories.

About Jan Fran

You would be hard-pressed finding an Australian journalist today who straddles the worlds of ‘old’ and ‘new’ media as uniquely, effectively and successfully as Jan Fran. Jan is the host of ABC's Question Everything and has previously hosted Channel Ten's The Project and SBS's The Feed. She is best known for her social commentary videos on Instagram, which get millions of views. Her latest project is a six-part investigative series for Radio National on the 1998 Waterfront dispute. Her varied body of work shows an agile, innovative and immensely talented journalist with consistent dedication to the principles of fairness, accuracy and truth in storytelling. It is this dedication to journalistic excellence that has made Jan Fran a trusted voice in an increasingly fractured media landscape. 

About Nour Haydar

Nour Haydar has worked in Australian newsrooms for a decade. She is currently co-host and senior producer of Guardian Australia’s daily news podcast Full Story. Prior to this, Nour was a federal political reporter with ABC News at Parliament House in Canberra for five years where she covered major breaking news across TV, radio and online. Nour was also a fill-in presenter on ABC News Breakfast and Afternoon Briefing. She has a particular interest in reporting on gender-based violence and was an inaugural fellow for the Our Watch Fellowship in 2019.

About Nicholas Hanna

Nicholas is a lawyer and the director and writer of The Last Sky, a documentary about the genocide in Gaza from the perspective of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon. He is a long-standing ally of the Palestinians, whose involvement in campaigning and fundraising activities began more than 20 years ago.  More recently, he has provided pro bono legal services to various people participating in pro-Palestine political activity.

This is a contentious and urgent issue—one that demands attention, dialogue, and action. 

Be part of the conversation.

We look forward to seeing you there!