Arab Media Forum bridges Gap between Gulf Media and Technology
Arab Media Forum 2008 opened its seventh edition with a workshop on how the Gulf media is responding to challenges posed by technological advances. The session also brought under focus the unique predicament faced by private and public media organizations with the advent of new technology, on the back of burgeoning economic growth, which has prompted the enforcement of new industry regulations.
Moderated by Abdulla Al Murr Al Zaabi, Anchor, Abu Dhabi TV Channel, speakers at the workshop agreed new trends are driving the GCC media with socio-economic features and patterns only found in advanced and mature markets. A lot of the growth in the region is attributed to the support and involvement of public sector firms. The workshop also discussed the impact of commercial aspects forcing the GCC media to be more financially driven.
Access to state of the art technology, available resources, roles of the public and private sector firms in the media industry, floating regional media companies and their challenges in dealing with global IT players and collaboration between government organizations and media firms to better the state of the industry were some of the other concerns that drew the attention of the panelists.
The media industry in the region has evolved over the years and is continuously exploring new avenues to enhance content and programming in line with international standards. New and advanced technology is slowly changing the landscape with journalists facing dynamic challenges created by the introduction of innovative tools and interfaces.
Ahmed Al Shaikh, Managing Director of Dubai Media Incorporated, said: "The UAE government is committed to highlighting the importance of media and its role as an effective disseminator of information. In line with its directive, the government has actively promoted freedom of the media and encouraged the establishment of various media firms whilst maintaining responsible and ethical journalistic standards." Al Sheikh stressed the importance of organized industry patterns and urged organizations to move away from being mere commercial entities.
Commenting on the importance of trained resources, Jamal Khadoggi, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Arabia's Al Watan daily, said: ?Lack of trained resources in the region is one of the most important stumbling blocks for the development of the industry. Nearly 80 per cent of media graduates in the kingdom are employed with private publicity and broadcasting firms, due to the lure of a more glamorous lifestyle creating a dearth of journalistic talent.
''We need to attract talents that understand the importance of media and its role in helping dispel myths associated with the Arab world." The panelists urged media organizations and institutions to come together and collaborate on projects that will help fill gaps to encourage fresh talent to join the industry and contribute to its growth and development.
"Bridging Arab Media Through Technology", the theme for the seventh edition of the forum, has drawn the participation of over 500 local, regional and international media professionals. Over 50 intellectuals and industry experts have convened in Dubai for the annual forum to hold in-depth discussions on the impact of technology within the regional media industry. WAM
Moderated by Abdulla Al Murr Al Zaabi, Anchor, Abu Dhabi TV Channel, speakers at the workshop agreed new trends are driving the GCC media with socio-economic features and patterns only found in advanced and mature markets. A lot of the growth in the region is attributed to the support and involvement of public sector firms. The workshop also discussed the impact of commercial aspects forcing the GCC media to be more financially driven.
Access to state of the art technology, available resources, roles of the public and private sector firms in the media industry, floating regional media companies and their challenges in dealing with global IT players and collaboration between government organizations and media firms to better the state of the industry were some of the other concerns that drew the attention of the panelists.
The media industry in the region has evolved over the years and is continuously exploring new avenues to enhance content and programming in line with international standards. New and advanced technology is slowly changing the landscape with journalists facing dynamic challenges created by the introduction of innovative tools and interfaces.
Ahmed Al Shaikh, Managing Director of Dubai Media Incorporated, said: "The UAE government is committed to highlighting the importance of media and its role as an effective disseminator of information. In line with its directive, the government has actively promoted freedom of the media and encouraged the establishment of various media firms whilst maintaining responsible and ethical journalistic standards." Al Sheikh stressed the importance of organized industry patterns and urged organizations to move away from being mere commercial entities.
Commenting on the importance of trained resources, Jamal Khadoggi, Editor-in-Chief of Saudi Arabia's Al Watan daily, said: ?Lack of trained resources in the region is one of the most important stumbling blocks for the development of the industry. Nearly 80 per cent of media graduates in the kingdom are employed with private publicity and broadcasting firms, due to the lure of a more glamorous lifestyle creating a dearth of journalistic talent.
''We need to attract talents that understand the importance of media and its role in helping dispel myths associated with the Arab world." The panelists urged media organizations and institutions to come together and collaborate on projects that will help fill gaps to encourage fresh talent to join the industry and contribute to its growth and development.
"Bridging Arab Media Through Technology", the theme for the seventh edition of the forum, has drawn the participation of over 500 local, regional and international media professionals. Over 50 intellectuals and industry experts have convened in Dubai for the annual forum to hold in-depth discussions on the impact of technology within the regional media industry. WAM
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