Dubai Press Club, organisers of the Arab Media Forum, on Monday announced details of two key sessions from the 12th Arab Media Forum, the region’s largest media gathering.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the forum will run on May 14-15 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai.
The session titled ‘Conventional Media vs. New Media’ comes at a time when the news sector has witnessed the widespread emergence of new media channels. Against a background of sweeping changes, the session will examine the fundamental challenges facing the industry and seek to anticipate future developments. Highlighting ways to leverage digital platforms while retaining the transparency and credibility of the media sector, particularly among the youth, experts will explore the impact of new tools and plat forms disseminating information.
The session will also highlight the audience’s contribution to the development of the media landscape, through the quick adoption of digital formats that offer them the opportunity to shape opinion and react to events around them. As a natural progression, the emergence of citizen journalists who leverage the accessible new media platform to create an alternative source of information will be studied. The inclination of traditional media to depart from neutrality and ethical reportage will also come under the scanner.
As part of the session’s agenda, the alternative face of new media in serving as a provocative tool to instigate media wars and conduct personal propaganda will be deliberated upon, while the growing trend of fabricating newsfor the sake of sensationalism will also be questioned.
Moderated by Malak Jaafar, from BBC Arabia the session will be headlined by Rima Maktabi, Anchor and senior reporter, Al Arabiya News Channel; Samia Nakhoul, Editor Middle East Reuters; Dhaen Shaheen, Director General of the publishing sector at Dubai Media Incorporated and editor-in-chief of Al Bayan Newspaper; Nadia Abou Al Magd, Producer and reporter, Cairo Bureau, Al Jazeera International, and Nart Bouran, General Manger, Sky News Arabia.
The other session titled “Dilemma of the Arabic Language: The Role of Media” will shed light on the media’s role in promoting the Arabic language. Evaluating the factors that prevent its advancement asa language forscience and research, the session will identify ways for the media to enhance awareness on the importance of the language that ranked seventh among the most used in online communication (the ranking represents colloquial Arabic).
The session will seek to understand why the Arabic language is being compromised upon under the overpowering influence of other languages and cultures. Unlike other nations that have preserved their language as an integral part of their identity, the Arab world seems to be increasingly inclined to adopt other languages not only at the workplace but also in conversational and daily communication. This tendency is sorampant that it has led to the creation of perhaps a new language that is widely touted as “Arabizi”.
The session will particularly raise questions on the initiatives to conserve the Arabic language by those who have taken on the roles of guardians of the language. It will also highlight the disappointing performance of the media, which is looked upon as a responsible partner in the preservation of the cultural identity of the region, in maintaining the use of the language. This is the first time that the Arab Media Forum has designed a special session to discuss this on-going issue.
Moderated by Dr. Parween Habib, from Dubai Media Incorporated, the session will draw on the perspectives of eminent experts including Dr. Ziad Al Drees, Writer, Al Hayat Newspaper, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board, UNESCO; Samir Atallah, Writer at Asharq Al Awsat newspaper; Farouk Shousha, Secretary General of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo; Dr. Yasser Soliman, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Sa‘id Professor of Modern Arabic Studies, University of Cambridge, and Dr. Fatma Al-Braiki, Head of the Arabic Language and Literature Department, UAE University
Dubai Press Club will soon unveil the logo of the12th Arab Media Forum. Those wishing to attend the event are invited to register on www.arabmediaforum.ae
Transitional media will be theme of 12th Arab Media Forum
The Arab Media Forum’s organising committee on Monday announced details of a key session in the 12th AMF, the region’s largest media gathering.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the forum will run from May 14-15 at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai.
The session titled ‘Transitional Media: The Need for Development’ will reflect the theme of 12th Arab Media Forum, and will shed light on opportunities to develop the media landscape from the viewpoint of experts who are in support of and continue to play a vital part in this advancement. Apart from the emergence of new media, the audience in most parts of the region has also migrated from following biased and restricted local media channels to seemingly more liberal and professionally managed platforms – both conventional and new.
Against this scenario, the session will examine the changes in the media landscape as an outcome of the social and political revolutions in a number of Arab countries.
Moderated by Taoufik Mjaied, Anchor, France 24, the discussion will feature Dr. Khalid Al Firm, Professor of Political Media, Imam University of Saudi Arabia ; Kamel Labidi, President, National Commission to Reform Information and Communication (INRIC) of Tunisia; Hamlinha Baraasi, writer and media personality from Libya; Yasser Abd El Aziz, consultant and media expert from Egypt; Rakan Al Majali, former minister of state for media affairs and communications, Jordan.
The forum will be attended by representatives of key media outlets, as well as thought leaders, academics, policy makers and students of the Arab region and the world.