Arab Media Forum addresses changes in media landscape, ways to keep pace

KUWAIT, May 6 (KUNA) -- The Global media landscape has undergone significant changes, whether in terms of technology or the ability to convey messages, said current and former Arab ministers on Monday.
During the second day of the 19th Arab Media Forum (AMF), ministers pointed out that there were many rapid changes in the media landscape globally, making social media platforms a challenging compotator with media institutions.
The ministers pointed out the importance of using those platforms in a way that serves Arab issues and wins public opinion.
Lebanese Minister of Information, Ziad Makary emphasized during the fourth session in the forum titled "Palestine ... Facing the Media," moderated by former Kuwaiti Minister of Information, Sami Al-Nesef, that credibility in covering the Israeli occupation's war against Gaza is essential to win over the public opinion in the West.
He noted that the Ministry of Health in Gaza dealt with great credibility, which was the reason the Western media believed its narrative, expressing pride in their credible media, unlike the Israeli occupation's media that continues to spread misinformation.
Makary pointed out that the West and the Israeli occupation have always controlled the media. Still, now the situation has changed with the presence of Arab media conveying the image with great credibility, which has mobilized many supporters of the Palestinian cause in the West.
The General Supervisor of Official Media in Palestine, Ahmad Assaf stated that the Palestinians and the Lebanese are facing a genocidal war by the Israeli Zionist entity, which was created, based on a lie, claiming that there was no Palestine and have been using media since then to spread this lie and cover up their crimes.
Ahmad Assaf noted that Palestinian media realized this and sought to convey the voice of the Palestinian people and their right to the world, however, they faced strong Western media, which coordinated with the Israeli occupation narrative.
He added that due to the openness of the media and the presence of social media, the Israeli occupation failed to prevent the Palestinian message from reaching the world and revealing the reality of what is happening inside Palestine.
Assaf mentioned that the Israeli entity sought to silence this message, resulting in the deaths of 140 Palestinian journalists since last October and the Israeli occupation's bombardment of Palestinian media buildings.
He affirmed that Arab media played a significant role in exposing the Israeli occupation's narrative and was an important platform for Palestinians to convey their message, along with several workers in major international media institutions who defended the truth and paid the price for it, with some even losing their jobs.
He explained that social media platforms also fought the Palestinian message by blocking pages that revealed the truth and allowed the dissemination of the false Zionist narrative.
Assaf expressed gratitude for choosing Palestine as the guest of honor in this edition of the AMF.
In the fifth session titled "How to Deal with Media Changes," moderated by Waleed Al-Jassim, Editor-in-Chief of Al-Rai newspaper, former Omani Minister of Information Dr. Abdulmunim al Hasani affirmed that the minister of information faces a significant task in balancing governmental policy and ongoing requirements.
Former Bahraini Minister of Information Dr. Ali Al-Rumaihi clarified that over the past ten years, there have been significant developments, with officials forced to deal with media and noted the absence of research centers and leadership training centers to confront the world and other entities in Arab countries.
Former Jordanian Minister of Information Faisal Al-Shboul stated that there was a study on several Arab countries indicating that the credibility of official media in the Arab world is more trustworthy than news services and others on social media platforms, pointing out that the media is a weapon that you either use or is used against you.
The 19th Arab Media Forum began yesterday, Sunday, and will continue until tomorrow, Tuesday, with the official launch ceremony of the forum scheduled for later today. (end) mdm.dss