Charif Haddad

Strategic Purpose

My portfolio’s primary strategic purpose is to showcase how I approach communication strategy through the distinct lens of being both Arab American and Christian - an identity that shapes my worldview, ethical grounding, and cultural fluency. It reflects how I engage complex narratives from a different angle, with attentiveness to nuance, context, and lived experience, and how that perspective informs clear, thoughtful, and responsible messaging. The work demonstrates my ability to navigate cultural, social, and faith-based contexts, translating values into communication strategies that resonate across audiences while supporting meaningful and intentional impact.

About Me & Academic Vita

My academic and professional journey is unified by a desire for strategic communication that fosters better cross-cultural understanding, driven by the interaction of faith, communication, and cross-cultural knowledge.

Education

• Doctorate in Strategic Communication (D.S.C.) - Regent University (Current)
• Master of Divinity - Regent University, 2019
• M.A in Intercultural Studies - Columbia International University, 1998
• B.A. in Pastoral Studies - Moody Bible Institute, 1996

Professional Experience Summary

Most of my professional careers have been concentrated in management roles where organizational, group, and cross-cultural competencies have been essential. I have also served as a pastor, a strategist, and a college instructor where public speaking and strategic communication were paramount. I have taught classes in Ethics, Public Speaking, Arabic, interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, and comparative religions.

Areas of Expertise

Core Competencies

• Strategic Communication: Centered on message framing, audience research, and adaptive communication strategies.
• Cultural Analysis and Storytelling: Ability to navigate sensitive, complex topics and translate values into resonant cross-cultural narratives.
• Organizational Management: Experienced in management roles where organizational and group competencies were essential.
• Pedagogy & Public Speaking: Experienced college instructor and public speaker in subjects including Ethics and Intercultural Communication.

Scholarly & Professional Videos

The following videos showcase my expertise in strategic narrative development and critical communication, often focusing on cross-cultural or ethical themes.

Video 1: Media Literacy Words and Meanings (Source: YouTube)

Video 2: Media Literacy (Source: YouTube)

Critical Commentary

The Importance of Diversifying Media Ownership: Implications for Truth and Media Literacy

Media play a crucial role in shaping public understanding and democratic engagement. The structures of media ownership influence which voices are heard and which narratives dominate. When ownership is concentrated in the hands of a few corporations or individuals, the diversity of perspectives diminishes, potentially distorting public understanding of truth and weakening media literacy (Cima, 2025). This paper examines the impact of concentrated media ownership on truth and the development of media literacy, highlighting the need for diversified media ownership.

Concentrated media ownership reduces the plurality of voices available to the public. Fewer independent outlets lead to homogenized content and a narrower range of perspectives, limiting opportunities for audiences to critically engage with information (Fiveable, 2025). Corporate priorities and advertising pressures can influence editorial choices, which may marginalize local and minority perspectives. Consequently, media concentration impedes the development of critical media literacy skills, which rely on exposure to multiple viewpoints.

Research suggests that concentrated ownership can influence how truth is represented in the media. A recent study found that while consolidation can improve production efficiency, it also results in homogenized content and reduced local reporting, which are essential components of democratic information ecosystems (Vreese et al., 2025). Political science research further indicates that concentrated wealth and ownership structures can undermine objective reporting by favoring corporate or political interests over investigative journalism (Doyle, 2005).

Empirical studies show that media markets dominated by a few owners often exhibit political bias and agenda-setting effects. Concentrated ownership is associated with marginalization of minority political voices and partisan reporting aligned with dominant actors’ interests (Rodriguez, 2025). Understanding these dynamics is critical for media literacy, as audiences must evaluate both the content and the sources behind the information they consume.

Public trust in media is closely linked to perceptions of impartiality and pluralism. Environments with concentrated ownership can erode confidence in the media’s ability to represent diverse interests, diminishing civic participation and engagement (Cima, 2025). Media literacy initiatives depend on audiences having access to diverse, trustworthy sources to develop the skills necessary for critical evaluation.

Media literacy encompasses not only the ability to detect bias but also the capacity to navigate a complex information environment populated by competing perspectives. Diversifying media ownership expands the marketplace of ideas, reduces the dominance of any single agenda, and encourages critical evaluation and debate (Fiveable, 2025). A pluralistic media ecosystem provides the context necessary for media literacy education to be effective.

Recent reports indicate that media ownership remains highly concentrated in many countries. For example, in the United Kingdom, three conglomerates control approximately 90% of national newspaper circulation, allowing political and economic elites disproportionate influence over media narratives (The Guardian, 2025). These trends underscore the need for regulatory frameworks that promote ownership diversity, transparency, and media pluralism to support both democratic discourse and media literacy.

Conclusion: Concentrated media ownership threatens the integrity of public discourse, the diversity of perspectives, and the effectiveness of media literacy education. Diversifying media ownership enhances democratic processes and strengthens citizens’ capacity to critically engage with media. Ensuring a pluralistic media environment is essential not only for free expression but also for cultivating an informed and media-literate public.

The Hidden Cost of Censorship: How Restricting Speech Undermines Media Literacy

In the digital age, characterized by unprecedented access to information, censorship remains a persistent challenge. Efforts to control what people see, read, and hear have far-reaching effects not only on freedom of expression but also on the development of media literacy skills. Media literacy, defined as the ability to critically analyze, evaluate, and produce media, is essential for informed citizenship (UNESCO, 2022). This paper examines the impact of censorship on media literacy, drawing on recent studies and reports that highlight its consequences for information engagement and critical thinking.

Censorship can be broadly defined as restrictions on information based on content, viewpoint, or audience, enacted by governments, institutions, or private platforms (UNESCO, 2022). Media literacy, conversely, encompasses the skills and knowledge necessary to critically engage with diverse information sources (Project Information Literacy, 2025). While censorship is often justified as protecting individuals from harmful content, research indicates that it can undermine media literacy by limiting exposure to diverse perspectives (Nwogugu, 2024).

Censorship restricts access to information and reduces opportunities for critical engagement. Nwogugu (2024) found that restricted press environments limit unbiased information, which is essential for media literacy. Similarly, UNESCO (2022) documented a global decline in freedom of expression, highlighting the rise of self-censorship among journalists. When audiences are exposed only to mainstream or sanctioned narratives, their ability to analyze competing viewpoints diminishes.

Even without overt state censorship, self-censorship—where individuals or institutions voluntarily limit speech—can impair critical discourse. According to the American Library Association (2024), school librarians often self-censor materials related to controversial topics such as LGBTQ+ issues and reproductive health, which reduces students’ exposure to diverse perspectives. Social Science Space (2025) further notes that political pressures in higher education create a “chilling effect,” discouraging open discussion and narrowing the scope of classroom discourse. These trends diminish learners’ opportunities to develop media literacy skills through engagement with multiple viewpoints.

Structured media literacy training can mitigate some negative effects of censorship. Studies have shown that exposing news consumers to bias labeling enhances their ability to detect media bias across topics (ArXiv, 2024). Project Information Literacy (2025) emphasizes that quality information literacy education equips students with skills to navigate polarized information environments effectively. These interventions support resilience in contexts where access to diverse content is restricted.

Censorship today often manifests through algorithmic filtering and platform moderation rather than state-imposed restrictions. Recent reports highlight that platforms like Meta have removed or restricted content related to reproductive health and LGBTQ+ issues, even when legal, limiting public access to vital information (The Guardian, 2025). Similar practices were witnessed with the COVD-19 pandemic and the recent wars. This implies that sooner or later, an issue important to the reader may become a target for censorship. Such algorithmic gatekeeping constrains exposure to diverse perspectives, even those we disagree with, impeding critical engagement and media literacy development.

Censorship in education poses a direct threat to media literacy. PEN America (2024) reported increasing restrictions on teaching certain topics in schools and universities, limiting students’ exposure to critical perspectives. Access to a broad curriculum - including literature, history, and social discour - - is essential for cultivating the ability to evaluate complex ideas, a core component of media literacy.

Conclusion: Censorship, whether overt, self-imposed, or algorithmic, restricts not only information access but also individuals’ capacity to engage critically with media. Limiting exposure to diverse content reduces the development of skills necessary for media literacy, including source evaluation, bias detection, and critical thinking. To preserve informed citizenship and democratic discourse, fostering media literacy in open and pluralistic information environments is imperative.

Media Literacy Studies

Evidence of advanced engagement with recent academic literature in Media Literacy Studies (articles/chapters published within the last five years).

Five Academic Articles

1. Yu, T., Wei, C., Na, M., et al. (2025). Enhancing media literacy to combat information fragmentation in digital short video platforms: A cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports.

   Quantitative research showing how higher media literacy relates to more deliberate and effective critical engagement with diverse digital video content.

2. Gordon, C. S., et al. (2025). The relationship between media literacy and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Educational Research Review.

   Meta-analytic review examining associations between media literacy and well-being outcomes across studies.

3. Aljalabneh, A. A. (2024). Visual media literacy: Educational strategies to combat image and video disinformation on social media. Frontiers in Communication.

   Empirical work on strategies for teaching visual media literacy to counter misinformation on social platforms.

4. Polizzi, G. (2025). Media literacy provision from the perspective of policy and practice: A UK case study. Journal of Media Policy & Education (Taylor & Francis).

   Peer-reviewed policy-oriented research exploring media literacy provisions across educational and community contexts in the UK.

5. Ünal, S. (2024). News literacy: A bibliometric analysis of the literature. Eurasian Journal of Media Communication and Culture Studies.

   Bibliometric analysis mapping the scope and trends of news/media literacy research, useful for literature reviews and understanding disciplinary evolution.

Contact Me

I welcome professional inquiries regarding collaboration, consulting, and academic speaking opportunities.

• Email: arabandchristian@gmail.com