MUMBAI: Al Jazeera is hosting its 3rd Annual forum “Media and the Middle East: Going Beyond the Headlines” at the Sheraton Doha and Convention Resort in Qatar.

Al Jazeera by virtue of its proximity to the main hotspots in the Middle East has brought together international media leaders, journalists, authors and scholars to discuss and debate critical issues facing the profession in covering the Middle East and the developing world.

World renowned investigative journalist Seymour Hersh addressed the forum yesterday. Academic Lawrence Lessig, along with other influential names such as Fahmy Howeidy, Martin Bell, Azmi Bishara, Abdulbari Atwan, Michael Oreskes are also among the invited speakers.

Sessions in this year’s forum explore the growing influence of politics on media and vice versa, media credibility in times of conflict, the role of media in building bridges or walls, and case studies from the Middle East and Africa on the practical aspects of ‘in-depth journalism’.