Meet the OPC Members: Q&A With Alessandria Masi

By Trish Anderton

Alessandria Masi

Alessandria Masi is the managing editor of Syria Deeply and chief of News Deeply’s Beirut bureau. Previously, she served as breaking news reporter, terrorism reporter and Middle East correspondent at IBT Media, and as a reporter at Vocativ. Her coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis won a Society for American Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) international reporting award. She is a graduate of New York University with a double major in journalism and Middle East studies.

Hometown: Montreal, Canada.

Education: New York University, double major in Journalism and Middle East Studies.

Languages: English, French, Italian, Arabic.

First job in journalism: Middle East North Africa reporter at Vocativ.

Countries reported from: U.S., France, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey.

Year you joined the OPC: 2015.

How did you become interested in the Middle East?: I grew up in a family and community that did not know much about the region. This did not really change after 9/11, but they did, however, develop a fear and animosity toward what they perceived as “the other.” I think, at first, I wanted to confirm my belief that we’re not all as different as I had been told. Once I had established that, living in Lebanon stopped being “on assignment” and the people, the food and the quirks of daily life turned it into home.

Major challenges as a journalist: Keeping perspective when covering the same issue or conflict consistently.

Best journalism advice received: When first on assignment, pay attention to where all the other reporters are going. Then go the other way. Bring extra socks and snacks.

Worst experience as a journalist: Being asked by superiors why I haven’t Tweeted enough, after they heard I was in a highly-tense and potentially dangerous situation. Then being asked to make sure the photos I did tweet were not too gruesome.

When traveling, you like to … Eat as much of the local cuisine as is acceptable. Through the sharing and eating of food, I’ve met people who have taught me more about a new place than I could have ever discovered on my own.

Hardest story: Syria has been the hardest story for me. I know the toll the war is taking but I haven’t yet seen the conflict on the ground myself. Not being able to see what’s happening first-hand challenges me every day when trying to find truth in the vastly different narratives and make sense of the huge amount of information coming out of Syria.

Journalism heroes: The many women reporters dominating Middle East coverage. Some are seasoned correspondents who have decades of experience and who were my journalistic idols growing up. Some are recently-arrived freelancers fighting for every story they believe is important.

Advice for journalists who want to work overseas: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t sell yourself short.

Place you’re most eager to visit: Syria, Afghanistan, Algeria.

Most common mistake you’ve seen: Self-censoring for the sake of balance, or not trusting yourself when you believe you’ve uncovered information that questions the mainstream narrative. Engaging in what I call “fortune telling journalism” when breaking news happens instead of focusing on only what we know.

Country you most want to return to: Belgrade, Morocco.

Twitter handle: @alessandriamasi