For as long as she can remember, Reem Nour wanted to be a reporter.
After graduating last spring, the political science and journalism double-major moved to Egypt, where she was born. A month after moving, she landed a job as a reporter for Cairo-based Nile TV International. It was a dream come true.
But, when she was assigned to cover a pro-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak protest last week, she refused.
“It was part of my journalism ethics … because (the station was being) biased,” the SDSU alumna said.
Nour took herself off the air from Nile TV International after the state government-owned station constrained its reporters to cover only pro-Mubarak protests. She has since returned to work, but refuses to report on the protests until the newscast covers both sides of embattled Egypt.
“I kind of have had to test myself,” she said. “Do I really want to keep working (for Nile TV International) and do whatever the state wants me to do, even though it goes against my beliefs, or do I want to stand up to the station that pays my bills because I believe in ethical journalism?
“I mean, here I am not wanting to work (for) a biased station because I was taught ethical journalism,” Nour added. “And so now I feel like it’s my duty as a reporter to use what I was taught in political science and in journalism to kind of do my (job) the right way.”
Getting her start at State
Nour worked as a senior staff writer for the Daily Aztec, and during her final semester on Montezuma Mesa, the honors student interned at San Diego’s ABC affiliate as part of the investigative team. Then, it was off to Egypt.
“I wanted to experience something new,” Nour said. “I wanted to get more acquainted with the culture and the people and find out a lot more about the country.
“I thought it was the perfect opportunity to give it a try and see if I can get a job here.”
Today, the Egyptian native is covering a revolution for the history books.
“It’s crazy!” Nour said in near-disbelief.
“I never thought I would live (through) this right now, eight months after I graduated from college.”
Experiencing the Egyptian revolution
On Jan. 25, the rest of the world watched as Egypt started to unravel. Nour, who studied the history of revolutions in the political science courses she took at SDSU, was in the heart of history in the making.
“I always said that Egypt (needed) a revolution, and I knew this was going to happen one day or another because (the Egyptian) people are fed up,” she said. “I just never thought it was going to happen right now, so soon.
“To see this happening — to see Egyptians with so much courage and so much persistence and determination, and just to see them be so revolutionary — is amazing,” Nour added.
Despite the dangers, she promptly jumped on every opportunity to report on the protests. Nour did not want to miss out on covering the historical events.
“Even though it’s risky and it’s dangerous, it’s the perfect place to be for a reporter,” she said.
“I’m living history.”
Returning to her red and black roots
Last week, Nour was interviewed via Skype by two SDSU journalism classes about her experiences in Egypt, which was an experience in itself.
“I’ve never been interviewed before,” Nour said, laughing. “I was always the one doing the interviewing.”
She also talked about digital technology and how it has played an important role in performing her job.
For Nour, it was nice to know people back in her home-away-from-home were interested in her story.
“I’ve been through so much here and it’s really good to know that there are people who want to know and want to find out what I’ve been through,” she said.
To track her updates and experiences, follow Nour on Twitter. To read more about Nour, visit the SDSU School of Journalism and Media Studies website.
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