Elections and Innovations
Global shifts and the ever-changing media landscape
Countries from every continent are holding significant elections that have the potential to reshape their future directions. From the United States presidential race to parliamentary elections in countries like the United Kingdom, India, and Japan, these elections are pivotal, with issues such as economic recovery, climate change, and international relations at the forefront of political agendas.
Jordan is also preparing for its parliamentary elections, officially set for September 10. Starting in July, Wishbox Media will release a multimedia series on the upcoming elections, covering topics like youth, women, and political parties. Our role is to come up with creative ways to cover different angles and in different mediums.
Meanwhile, we’re excited to announce the launch of our partnership with Makanati USAID for our first documentary production and other multimedia projects. Recently, we hosted a live discussion with renowned cartoonist Omar Abdallat about our latest collaboration, which includes the release of a new animation video on online blackmail and a behind-the-scenes look at its creation. We’d also like to congratulate the 14 participants who received grants to implement their innovative content creation projects. We continue to collaborate with our partners to tell better stories for greater impact.
Stay creative, and enjoy the sunshine and summer nights.
Best wishes,
Rana F. Sweis
Founder, Wishbox Media Company
💡 What we've been up to
📝 We're excited to continue producing high-quality journalism. This month, we collaborated with journalist Sawsan Zaideh to produce a feature story on the significant impact of motherhood on working women in Jordan. The story was published in Legal Agenda, a prominent legal website, in collaboration with our supporter, the Qarib program. Alongside the feature, we helped Sawsan create an infographic that illustrated the key points, which was published both in the report and on social media. 📊
📹 Wishbox Media, in collaboration with cartoonist Omar Abdallat and supported by Qarib Media, published an animated video (below) on cybercrime and online bullying. As part of the launch, Wishbox Media’s Basant Zeiden hosted a live Instagram session with Omar Abdallat, discussing the incorporation of social issues into animation and its impact on society.
📹 Check out the behind-the-scenes footage from our upcoming documentary, set to launch this fall.
💡 Along with the International Center for Journalists, we're excited to announce the selection of candidates for the Content Innovation Fund, covering topics from climate change and labor rights to podcasting on crime and legal issues. Stay tuned for updates on the selected projects.
🎙 Wishbox founder Rana Sweis recently participated in the UK's Chatham House discussion on the war on Gaza and its impact on Jordan. You can watch the discussion here. She was also invited as a guest speaker at the International Community School’s Bayt Al Hikma program, where she discussed three main principles for success and inspiration: using their voices and the power of storytelling, believing in themselves, and always going the extra mile.
🗄️ From the archive
🌟 We’re looking back at the first video we produced at Wishbox Media for Paces Charity. This project marked the beginning of our journey in creating impactful media content. The video highlighted Paces Charity's incredible work in supporting youth development and sports programs, showcasing their positive impact on the community.
📺 Our media consumption
🗞 We have been following the latest Washington Post controversy involving its incoming editor, Robert Winnett. Winnett is facing scrutiny over allegations of using deceptive tactics to obtain information about past stories.
📻 We’re following Sefamor’s Mixed Signals podcast. Once a week, journalists Ben Smith and Nayeema Raza reveal how money, access, culture, and politics shape everything we read, watch, and hear.
📕 Book Recommendation: If you're looking for your next read, we highly recommend Flights by Noble Prize Winner Olga Tokarczuk. The book is a unique and fragmented novel that explores themes of travel, movement, and the human body.