Mohammed bin Rashid praises Dubai Press Club’s contributions to regional media development

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum today visited the new headquarters of the Government of Dubai Media Office, GDMO, located in Offices 2, One Central at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Crown Prince of Dubai H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dubai Media Incorporated H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied His Highness during the tour of the new office, which also serves as the headquarters of the Dubai Press Club (DPC) and Brand Dubai, the creative arm of GDMO.

Their Highnesses were received by Mona Al Marri, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO). During the visit, His Highness toured various sections of the GDMO office. Sheikh Mohammed’s visit coincided with celebrations to mark the completion of 20 years since Dubai Press Club’s establishment under His Highness’s directives.

Sheikh Mohammed started his tour by visiting GDMO’s main meeting room together with Chairman of Dubai Media Council H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and Chairman of the Emirates Group H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum; and Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future.

Earlier in the day, the room hosted a meeting of editors-in-chief of local newspapers to discuss plans to celebrate Dubai’s selection as the Capital of Arab Media for 2020 and showcase Dubai’s pioneering initiatives in the media industry. His Highness then made a stop at a workshop organised by the Dubai Press Club in partnership with Google aimed at developing the skillsets of media professionals.

Al Marri briefed Sheikh Mohammed on the new office’s advanced facilities created as part of the office’s objective of being at the forefront of global media developments and ensuring the highest international operational standards. Inspired by the design of traditional Emirati homes, the GDMO offices were built to provide a creatively stimulating environment for employees.

His Highness stopped by each department of the Media Office and was briefed about how their work contributes to Dubai’s broader vision and objectives. He was also briefed on GDMO’s close collaboration with government organisations and the media and its various initiatives aimed at highlighting Dubai’s achievements to the world.

Main Control Room Sheikh Mohammed was given a detailed presentation on GDMO’s main control room, which features cutting-edge broadcast equipment and sophisticated technology to monitor global news. The control room also manages the advanced audio-visual equipment in the main conference room of the office that can cater to an audience of 150. The room is equipped with technologies that facilitate live broadcast and simultaneous translation to achieve the widest possible media exposure for events held in Dubai. The main control room also features advanced technologies for the live webcast of special events through GDMO’s social media accounts.

The new headquarters of the Media Office have been designed to maximise environmental sustainability. The office features smart lighting control systems that use sensors to optimise quality of lighting and energy efficiency.

News Centre During the tour, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was also briefed about GDMO’s news centre and the advanced video and photography equipment used for field coverage. His Highness also visited the office's leading-edge media production studio. The new GDMO headquarters features three editing rooms connected to the main control room. State-of-the-art audio and video editing equipment ensure speedy production of news reports and dissemination to media.

His Highness also visited the new headquarters of Brand Dubai and the Dubai Press Club, where he was briefed about their 2020 initiatives, which seek to build on Dubai’s status as the Capital of Arab Media for 2020.

During the visit, the Dubai Press Club unveiled their new offices and facilities for hosting major events. This year, the Press Club will host a series of initiatives for its members, media professionals, students and other visitors. DPC’s new premises feature soundproof facilities for radio stations to broadcast during DPC’s events.

The visit also included a stop at the Dubai 10X Media platform, which was launched by GDMO to transform the emirate’s digital content sector with future-oriented projects. His Highness was briefed on the Dubai 10X Media team’s activities and the initiatives it has launched to raise the city’s profile as a global hub for digital content and eSports.

At the end of the tour, Sheikh Mohammed signed a photographic montage centred around a picture of His Highness taken at the opening ceremony of the Press Club in 1999. Photographs of dignitaries from across the world who have attended DPC events also form part of the montage.

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