Control and Penalties: Journalists at Syria’s state news agency, Sana, faced severe consequences for deviating from the official narrative, including administrative punishments and threats of detention.
Fear of Authority: Employees often dealt with paranoia, leading to a culture where discussing sensitive topics resulted in summons to notorious detention centers.
Propaganda Machine: For over a decade, Sana operated as a key component of the regime’s propaganda, disseminating disinformation while suppressing any truthful reporting.
Strict Monitoring: Journalists were closely monitored by regime informants, affecting their ability to report honestly and severely punishing dissenting views.
Post-Regime Hopes: Following the regime's fall, former journalists expressed hopes for future freedom in reporting, eager to embrace a new era of truth-telling in Syria.