Press conference at the Minstry of Telecommunications earlier this year.
Twitter reaction to my last post on Storify:

PR and Journalism: touchy area?

Here are some of the accusations thrown my way after writing a piece that questions the cozy relationship between PR companies and the press in Lebanon.
  1. Too cozy? PR and journalism in Lebanonbeirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
  2. Most of the criticism was vague, not addressing the piece, but accusing me of harboring a hidden agenda:
  3. @habib_b Why are u so focused on @fidachaaban and@NicolaSehnaoui ? Am starting to feel its personal.
  4. @habib_b @RAGMAGMagazine It’s a lifestyle magazine so yeah it is journalism. Ur piece and comments r just a thinly veiled smear campaign.
  5. @habib_b U r making good points but assuming things on behalf of a respected Editor in chief practically killed ur post.
  6. Or stereotyping my work and that of Lebanese journalists in general:
  7. @LeNajib I don’t really care, I just wish habib did his research like a proper journalist should. @habib_b @RAGMAGMagazine@NicolaSehnaoui
  8. @habib_b but then again, professional journalists here never bother digging deeper, so no surprise @LeNajib@RAGMAGMagazine @NicolaSehnaoui
  9. @LeNajib – @habib_b is just doing what he does best: finding the worst details in any situation & trumpeting it baselessly. A “post review”
  10. Or just plain insults:
  11. @habib_b you’re stupid and your article is stupid. I know you want attention from the digital sphere but don’t be a cunt about it.
  12. @habib_b and excuse my language. . But I have an obnoxious reaction to dumb attention cunts trying to jump on the bandwagon.. @LeNajib
  13. Much to the amusement of the accusers: 
  14. @habib_b I can’t retweet @ranithefirst for the sake of public decency but he is funny. Come on admit it 😛
  15. Some suggested I should find a new job:
  16. Does anyone have a small office job vacancy (for $200/month) my friend @habib_b is struggling in making a decent living and needs your help?
  17. And of course, the ultimate insult in Lebanon, calling me a maid:
  18. @ranithefirst @habib_b Office job? I pay my maid even more. He should try his luck in this “sphere”. Haha.
  19. While the minister I wrote about, a martyr. 
  20. @habib_b Sehnaoui like him or not is not promoting hate. He’s promoting hard work in digital contribution. Get ur head outta ur ass @LeNajib
  21. To his credit Najib was one of the few to actually raise a specific argument, namely that you can be friends with a minister and still write about him objectively:
  22. @habib_b It could be that the blogger or journalist do not agree with your views regardless of their friendship.
  23. @habib_b I for example have become sort of friends with Minister@NicolaSehnaoui yet I have different views on certain matters.
  24. Others disagreed:
  25. @habib_b Friendly junkets set up by object of coverage are dodgy, w bass.
  26. @habib_b proverbial u scratch my back I scratch urs… or else…
  27. And some sent words of support, either privately or publicly:
  28. @habib_b Good and timely piece… Well done…
  29. @habib_b i think every1 is takin it 2 personal & personal attacks r over the top. Also disappointed in @GinoRaidy 4 generalizing all journos
  30. @habib_b valid point here – these publicists should stop expecting journalists to regurgitate staged content for stories. Great piece.
  31. READ THIS PEOPLE ! RT @habib_b: Too cozy? PR and journalism in Lebanon beirutreport.com/2013/08/too-co…
  32. What do you think?
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