The Media Office of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

The Media Office of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces

A nonprofit media organization that carries a political identity stemming from being an independent organization created emerging from the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

The media office works to keep the Coalition members up to date on Syrian news from the inside and from the outside. It plays a role of connecting the perceived reality inside Syria from one side with the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people as they carry out their duties on the other side.

The media office is dedicated to the Coalition’s general guidelines and principles and works to achieve the justified demands of the Syrian people by any means possible.

The media office is temporarily based in Istanbul and communicates with those inside Syria through various revolutionary groups and activists on the ground.

Media Office Departments:

Editorial and Reporting Department

The editorial team does the following tasks:

• Bulletins: the media office produces daily news bulletins. These news bulletins cover all the news related to Syria whether it is inside Syria, the Arabic world, the political scene, or the international community.
• Press rounds: published by the media office on a daily basis, a written press round monitors the most important opinion articles relating to Syrian affairs of more than 60 writers in more than 30 Arabic newspapers. It also monitors foreign opinion articles related to Syrian affairs in foreign publications, and translates and publishes them.
• Press releases and statements: released based upon guidance from the media office administration and the Political Committee of the Syrian Coalition.
• News: editing news about Syrian Coalition and some of its bodies to publish and share on the official websites of the Syrian Coalition and some of its bodies as well as distribution of the news to media sources with high levels of accuracy to prevent any alterations in interpretation of the news.
• Short news messages: the media office sends these messages every 24 hours. Messages in the form of SMS to Syrian Coalition members. These messages provide updates on the latest opinions and positions from inside Syria, from Arab nations, and from the international community related to Syrian issues.
• Reports: the media office provides reports with detailed and summarized information related to the Syrian issue. These are reports aimed at the members of the Coalition only. The Reports team also publishes a report known as “assessing the situation.” This report reviews the latest political developments, analyzes them from a strategic perspective tied to developments on the ground. This report is prepared and sent to Coalition members every two weeks.

Translation Unit

Publications of the translation unit cover all of the publications of the media office from data, press releases, letters, reports, videos and others which are all translated and presented. The translation unit also covers live translation during press conferences as well.

The translation unit also monitors the most important journalists and magazines and chooses the most important articles and news related to the Syrian issue then translates and sends them according to their importance to the editing unit or directly to the Coalition members.

The Multimedia Section

• Video production: the products of this section are informational, promotional, educational, and awareness raising video clips distributed on the internet for public opinion.
• Printed brochures and flyers: informational brochures and posters related to the revolution are produced and distributed inside and outside Syria.
• Photographer’s unit: the photography team provides recorded video clips and still photographs captured from press conferences, seminars, and lectures related to Syrian issues. They distribute these items to the other sections to work on them as well as some other products.
• Field reports: the section works on detailed field reports from Syrian territory, especially related to essentially important and urgent issues so that the Coalition members are aware of them or to provide them to the public for their opinion.

Public Relations Section

It is the channel of communication between the people and the Syrian Coalition and these are the tasks they complete:

• Conferences: The public relations section in the media office organizes conferences and trainings in the fields of politics, economics, and culture for the Coalition. It also organizes meetings for Coalition members alone or with diplomats and media outlets.
• Meetings: The public relations section organizes meetings for the Coalition members and responsible figures among them or with political and diplomatic figures.
• Media Appearances: arranging media interviews for Coalition members with various news outlets.
• Press conferences: preparing press conferences and reaching out to individuals inside Syria and outside Syria as well as with media outlets to participate and attend the conferences.
• Courses and workshops: the public relations section oversees the execution of many workshops and courses in coordination with international organizations and institutions that train activists and Free Syrian Army soldiers on various issues for example the course called “Fighter, Not Killer”.

Training

The media office training section develops, organizes, and conducts informational training workshops inside Syria. It hosts the attendees and activists in the various institutions, organizations, and councils that are part of the revolutionary activities, in the media office, with the goal of training them before returning so that they gain a higher practical knowledge to improve the organizations they came from.

The Web

• Electronic website: provides the official electronic face of the Syrian Coalition. A group of experts maintain the website. It is also the main channel of communication between the Syrian Coalition, media outlets, and Syrian citizens.
• Social media: the media office manages Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accounts for the Coalition and the government as well as Facebook pages or the Higher Hajj Council, Local Councils, The Syrian Health Council, and the Higher Education Council and other institutions related to the Coalition. The media office works to create and manage the best means of communication with Syrian citizens, political organizations, and sources of support according to the limits of our abilities.