This Institute

The Institute of Modern Media (IMM) of the Al-Quds University, established in 1996, comprises of the media faculty, teaching approx. 440 undergraduate students, and the Hona AlQuds Community Media Network (Hona AlQuds transl.: Here in Jerusalem). Hona AlQuds Community Media Network has been launched in 2012 and is a multimedia network consisting of: firstly, the Al- Quds Educational Television (AQTV, since 1996), secondly, the Hona AlQuds online news agency and, thirdly, the Hona AlQuds online radio. It is dedicated to strengthening the educational, cultural, social and environmental wellbeing of all Palestinians. The station focuses on the production and broadcasting of programs with educational content on different topics.

Media Studies Program

The Media Studies Program offered at IMM through AQU currently is home to 440 students. The aim of this program is to produce thoughtful, well-rounded media professionals who are versed in the technical, creative and practical aspects of media. Our students spend their first 3 semesters at AQU’s Abu Dis campus taking a range of classes in the Arts and Sciences. Their final 5 semesters are spent at IMM’s Ramallah/Al-Bireh base, located near all of Ramallah’s international press and media offices, where they focus exclusively on media studies. By the time they graduate our students have amassed 132 hours of credit in media (most Universities require and provide only 120 hours). At least 50% of their coursework is practical experience in media. Our students choose their focus of professional concentration from four tracks: Television (where they gain experience with AQTV and make use of our television and specialized sound studios) Radio (where they participate in all aspects of programming for the newly established community radio station HonnaAlQuds) Film (as part of a newly created program in conjunction with Antwerp University) Print Journalism (where IMM’s location is of great assistance) IMM’s students benefit from IMM’s collaborative relationships with media institutes, newspapers, television stations, NGOs and other universities throughout Palestine.

AQTV

AQTV is an educational non-profit television station founded in 1996. It is the only politically independent TV station in Palestine. It is a local station committed to supporting education, civil society and Palestinian identity. It seeks to support and advance the wellbeing of all Palestinians including those most often neglected: children, youth, women and the disabled by developing innovative programming to support, educate and raise awareness about these groups. AQTV also broadcasts cultural and educational events from Al-Quds University. AQTV both develops and produces its own television programs and works closely with other stations (local, national and international) to obtain and broadcast quality television programs. AQTV also works for NGOs as a producer of socially constructive videos. AQTV is a part of the HonaAlquds Multi-Media News Agency to which it contributes video. Since its foundation AQTV has played an active role in strengthening the educational, cultural, social and environmental wellbeing of all Palestinians by addressing a variety of issues such as literacy, health care, social attitudes, environmental concerns and legal protection in an open and integrative manner. As a politically independent and non-profit institution that provides high quality educational programs to a growing audience in Palestine and Jordan, AQTV plays a unique and important role in the local context. AQTV’s innovative educational children programs, the most successful of which has been a local version of “Sesame Street”, have also gained international recognition and won several awards, including the 1998 Japanese Emperor Price and the 2004 Bronze Award from the Arab Television and Radio Festival. AQTV is a proud member of the Jossor network, a network of independent local TV and radio stations in Palestine.

Hona Al-Quds

At the beginning of 2012 the IMM set up the Hona AlQuds online news agency and radio, which is the only news organization to date setting its focus on reporting live on the daily life of the Palestinian population in Jerusalem from a community perspective. Hona AlQuds Community Media Network has been founded due to the belief that media plays a key role in giving the Palestinian community in Jerusalem a voice and a platform, which is important for several reasons: - Marginalization of Palestinians in Jerusalem: 78% of the Palestinian Jerusalemites live under the poverty line; unemployment and school drop-out rates are significantly higher in East Jerusalem than in the West Bank ; lack of physical space and adequate housing, about 30% of the inhabitants of Jerusalem are Palestinians, but they live in only 7% of the city´s area; lack of political representation; - Lack of accurate information on Jerusalem and lack of Palestinian media outlets focusing on East Jerusalem - Increased isolation of East Jerusalem and separation from the West Bank through separation barrier Hona AlQuds Community Media Network has an office in Ramallah and also in the Old City of Jerusalem, which is in desperate need of renovation. The media outlet also needs to cover salaries of journalists as well as equipment in order to be able to execute its role as a community media voice.