Emirates Business 24|7 to be transformed into e-newspaper

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Board Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), has given the instruction to turn the newspaper copy of Emirates Business 24|7 into a comprehensive and interactive electronic newspaper that follows up local and international events.

The new e-paper, which will be launched in the second half of next month, will reflect a variety of the knowledge and information products of DMI, which operates television and radio channels and newspapers.

This step will achieve its strategy of an active presence in the growing field of digital media, through an electronic newspaper managed by a professional editorial team to provide speedy information and analysis, by making use of the vast technological developments in audio-visual technology.

The e-copy of Emirates 24|7 benefits from the well-established infrastructure of DMI with its visual, audio and print products to present advanced content that meets the needs of readers in the country, the Gulf and Arab World to establish a distinct e-press that is more comprehensive and professional.

Sheikh Maktoum decided to form a committee chaired by the Executive Director of Press Affairs Dhaen Shaheen. Members will include Emarat Al Youm Editor-in-Chief Sami Al Reyami, Emirates Business 24|7 Editor-in-Chief Riyad Mickdady, Assistant Executive Director for Corporate Affairs Support Ahmad Al Hammady, and Director of the News Centre of DMI Samer Hamza. The committee will set the executive steps for the new e-paper project to make it in the perfect form that serves the reader and reflects the development in all DMI channels and media branches.

DMI Managing Director and Director-General Ahmad Abdullah Al Shaikh said: "The launch of the new electronic newspaper will be a qualitative addition to the arena of digital media and it will present the local event to the world in a different perspective while at the same time present an interactive forum with readers and those concerned on the internet.

"The electronic copy of Emirates 24|7 will be a source of news wherever the reader is, and it will offer multiple interactive services, depending on various electronic programmes and updates, including SMS in English as well as techniques compatible with smartphone generations and famous social communication websites such as Facebook, Twitter and others."

Al Shaikh said the launch of the e-paper is in line with the world policy in this respect as well-established media establishments in the Western world had adopted this type. "This policy comes after the emergence of the internet to the lead of channels used by people to reach the news. And all future findings indicate the possibility that this will largely increase in our region over the coming years as e-papers have the ability to reach wide sections of readers all over the world, round the clock and throughout the week, which is an advantage missed by print papers."

Al Shaikh said that the new e–paper will reflect, after issue, integration between the arms of DMI. Dubai One will air a weekly programme titled Emirates 24|7, which tackles general issues and forms a bridge between the e-paper, television picture and viewers.

Famous world newspapers over the past year have turned to e-papers in line with the rise in the readers on the internet such Christian Science Monitor, Miami Herald, Boston Globe and Chicago Sun Times.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.