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29 March 2024

Collective conscience of Arab world with media

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By Staff

The opening panel discussion of the 14th Arab Media Forum at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on Tuesday laid out the socio-political landscape that the Arab and international media have to traverse with a technological revolution that is as dramatic as the dramatic events unfolding across the Arab World.

Moderator Naofer Ramoul, TV presenter, Dubai Channels Network, offered a broad scope of the reality on the topic – ‘Perspectives that are Changing the World’ – Egypt, Syria, Iraq and the Middle East in general.

Dr Ebtisam Al Ketbi, Chairperson, Emirates Policy Centre, said she saw a liquid and flexible  state of events with no stability - “a creative chaos”.

Nabeel Khateeb, Chief Editor, Al Arabiya News Channel, cited sudden change across inter-Arab states and a driving force of change from the international Arab community as well, not least being driven by social media networks.

Dr Fawaz Gerges, Director, Middle East Centre, London School of Economics, offered the big picture - “An organic crisis that is now at a historic stage,” he offered, stating that the term ‘Arab Spring’ was wrong in usage to describe what was happening.

Nart Bouran, Head, Sky News Arabia, said in his 25 years of journalism he has never seen “so many fires” in the Arab World. “What will the future of our children be?”, he asked.

Moderator Ramoul then invited the guests to offer their views on what stand should the media be taking as regards covering reality of the Arab World.

Dr Ebtisam Al Ketbi, said the focus for traditional media was clearly the challenge that “mobile media centres” posed. “Consumers now go to Youtube to watch. How will the traditional media keep pace?” she asked.

Nabeel Khateeb, said in his role as Chief Editor of Al Arabiya News Channel, he found that a large number of viewers found that Arabic news channels were biased. “In Iraq, when the trouble started, 35 channels burst forth. There was a sharp polarisation,” he said.

Dr Fawaz Gerges countered that he believed that the Arab media faced a moral dilemma. “There is a difference between multiplicity of channels and stances taken,” he said.

“The responsibility is with the media,” he added.

Quick Sand

Nart Bouran offered the view that media houses were often operating like political parties and the general coverage thereof was like operating in quick sand.

Explaining how unconfirmed reports were being driven by vested interests, Bouran said, “A rumour is taken and put onto a website. Then this draws views and soon it starts being spoken of as a reality. Before long a major news source covers it and it gains traction. All this is deliberately done.”

“Audiences identify our success,” Nabeel Khateeb added. “Our viewers are not just sitting and watching screens, but they are now interacting via social media.”

What about the content that news houses were offering the Arab world, moderator Naofer Ramoul asked, in terms of coverage of Daesh and the Charlie Hebdo cartoon issues.

Dr Fawaz Gerges underlined again that coverage must be the moral responsibility of the media. “The collective conscious of the public is at stake,” he said.

Actors, not re-actors

Dr Ebtisam Al Ketbi said that what was needed was for the Arab World to be actors and not re-actors. “A ‘storm of dignity’ is what is needed, not a provocative media,” she said.

Both the news chiefs outlined that their desks had clear codes of conduct when dealing with coverage that involved bloodshed or videos emerging from Daesh territories.

The burning of the Jordanian pilot by Daesh was an event that tested the limits of self-censorship both at Al Arabiya and at Sky, and tested the sensitivities of both their audiences.

Nart Bouran reminded the audience that coverage of such events must relate to the event and avoid a personal view being offered.

“No bloodshed,” said Nart Bouran, to which Nabeel Khateeb added,” All faces of prisoners are covered. We do not want to hurt feelings.”

“Finally, is the issue of a religious discourse at hand?” Ramoul questioned.

Dr Ebtisam Al Ketbi said she believed that a scientific and education revolution is what is needed.

Nart Bouran said he believed that media companies would take responsibility and at Sky News, no interviewees with extremist views were accepted.

Nabeel Khateeb cited the Japanese example of a nation that went from “great defeat to being a great nation” based on economic gains and education.

To which Dr Fawaz Gerges, offered Europe as an example. “We must keep in mind the idea of state formation. In Europe it took from the 1600s to the 1900s. I have great hope for the Arab World,” he said.

The Arab Media Forum 2015 is being attended by more than 1,500 delegates from the region and the wider world. A third of the speakers this year are foreign experts. In keeping with the ‘2015 Year of Innovation’ in the UAE, AMF 2015 features two key new concepts – The Media Walk which features a brief history of media; and Davos-style 20-minute sessions sponsored by Nakheel. Additionally, AMF 2015 also features workshops sponsored by DP World.