After all that was said and done in the wake of the media frenzy that is now the Ella Tannous case, spectators failed once again to recognize the seemingly small yet imperative role one reporter played in terms of providing the other side of the story.

LBCI’s Foutoun Raad, a young Lebanese woman who stood up to what can fairly be described as a mob dressed in suits –courageously and undeterred – has yet to be recognized for her efforts that provided the viewer with the missing piece to the puzzle. 

And while lately, as a writer, I had taken to silence for refuge in the midst of all the chaos and noise, restraining myself from making any comments on several topics (because a Kim Kardashian post will drown me out) I couldn’t help but verbalize the thoughts that were going through my head last night.

Here’s what came to mind. 

Could it be that Foutoun's gender, i.e. her being a woman (and a ballsy one at that) constituted enough reason to garner this sort of inattention? 

I would surely hope not. 

Could the fact that she belongs to a league of men and women who put their lives on the line, for meek salaries I should add, in order to provide people with the full story, to raise awareness and fight a system so corrupt that it fails to see its own inevitable demise, be the reason? I would say so.            

When was the last time you heard of any praise for the work of field journalists? How many have died in battle? Lost limbs while covering a story or were abducted and subsequently subjected to the worst terrors? Most importantly, how many can you name? 

Maybe she needed a little “va-va-voom” to get the people’s attention. A bikini would have done the job perhaps, maybe with a dash of assault? But since that’s not the way it went down, here’s the report she filed on the matter at hand.

WARNING: THIS REPORT DOES NOT FEATURE SCENES OF NUDITY    

The response of the head of the Lebanese Order of Physicians, Dr. Antoine Boustani, is appalling and derogatory to say the least. It is as though his suit acted as armor to a man who could easily pass off as a Mafia chief in a parallel universe. 

The decision to rally other doctors to abide by a decision stipulating the cessation of work at hospitals and medical clinics across the country in light of the arrest of Dr. Maalouf is not only self-defeating but also creates a greater rift between citizens, healthcare providers, the government and the medical body itself.            

Who’s to say that the doctor in question, Issam Maalouf, would approve of such a move given the high esteem in which he is regarded both by physicians and a great portion of the Lebanese public? His (yet to be confirmed) declaration of acknowledgment of medical error in the case of Ella Tannous is indicative of a man ready to accept his part of the blame (if any is found), and that takes tremendous courage.*Update below

Is he guilty of malpractice? It is not up to the media to decide.     

Did he neglect the child in question, consequently sentencing her to a life without limbs? I do think any doctor would have that on their resume after years of service in the field.   

Would she have been able to escape the harsh reality that she now has to live with? No one will ever really know. The nature of the bacterial infection is one that is not easily detectable and one so unpredictable that even early treatment would not have guaranteed a full recovery, or so I have read.  

These questions can only be answered after a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation is conducted. Only then will we have the right to condemn or support, praise or witch-hunt.

But, what about the core of the story? Is it not apparent that some sort of power play is taking place right before our eyes? One between the Ministry of Health and the Lebanese Order of Physicians?   

The standoff that features the two powerhouses should be questioned. All clues have been made available by the media that is now taking the throws for what seems to be a deeper matter at hand; one of corruption, greed and years of unruliness.

The case of Ella Tannous was presented to LBCI’s Kalam Ennas by the Health Minister himself. 

The program featured the story, and rightfully so. Although the reports could have done with a little less emotional background music (as all others should) they painted no specific accusation, nor was the name of the doctor revealed.   

It was the order of physicians who brought the name to light, accusing the media of conspiracy and betrayal. It is then that the key player of the story, Walid Jumblatt made an entrance, voicing his rejection to political immunity. Doesn’t that sound ironic to you? 

While stones are still being hurled at the media for its faults, a deeper layer has yet to be revealed. But until it is, it wouldn’t hurt to recognize that all clues have been provided thanks to the platform, beginning with the Health Minister personally handing over the file to Kalam Ennas, to the appalling attitude expressed by the head of the doctors syndicate and full-circle back to Jumblatt, the country's (r)evolver, shapeshifter and deal-maker and breaker.

And as the vortex -who in its center lay Ella and Issam- continues to twist, we fall prey to the chaos and clamor of the outer battle between men in power and power hungry men. And then the case is closed once a deal is struck and we all go about our daily lives. 

But what about Ella? Who’s to say she will not be forgotten like many others before her? Who’s to say that doctors who are guilty of malpractice will never be held accountable? The results will be determined as per the outcome of this battle.            

This isn’t only about baby Ella, this is about a much deeper conflict with a history of mistrust between three entities: the people, the doctors and the government; a kind of mistrust that will take years of reform to overcome. But until that day comes, will the media remain the center of backlash and ridicule?

I am among the first to say that yes, by all means, we need an overhaul. The current state of affairs of Lebanese media outlets is demoralizing, demotivational and grim to say the least, leaving me at odds as to whether I had lost ten years of my life so far on what seems to be a “dead-end” career where mostly good material, professional journalism and hard obtained information is drowned by a single Kardashian post.

This is the dilemma faced by all hard-working, ethical journalists such as Foutoun and many others who seem to be swimming upstream a poisonous river.

But how is it that you can differentiate between the latter and “the others”? 

Foutoun managed to make more "enemies" in one day that many of you combined, enemies that may one day refuse to receive her should she need any medical assistance. That risk in itself and her total disregard to her own safety is what puts her among the journalists who are doing it for the right reasons. 

So instead of solely focusing on the media’s mishaps, try encouraging good journalists by reading their material and following their reports because by doing so, not only are you encouraging them to do more, but you are also saving the fourth estate from further decline.