Fostering integration between traditional, new media crucial
The second day of the Fujairah Media Forum 2024 featured multiple dialogue sessions involving distinguished Emirati and Arab media professionals
The second day of the Fujairah Media Forum 2024 featured multiple dialogue sessions involving distinguished Emirati and Arab media professionals. Concurrently, a workshop titled “Media Influence and How to Attract the Audience” took place.
The first session focused on “Traditional Media in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” with panelists including Raed Barqawi, Editor-in-chief of Al Khaleej newspaper, Alaa Thabet, former Editor-in-chief of Egypt’s Al Ahram Newspaper, and Ibrahim al Mulaifi, Editor-in-chief of Kuwait’s Al Arabi Magazine.
Moderated by Mohamed Jalal Alrayssi, Director-general of the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the session explored the impact of modern technology on media, the utilisation of artificial intelligence, and future prospects for Arab media in light of ongoing developments. The panellists also engaged with questions from the audience.
The second session, titled “Podcast… the Next Radio,” featured Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hamad Bin Saif Al Sharqi, President of the Emirates Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation. Additionally, the dialogue sessions included a session on “Young Tweeters... Heroes of Modern Media”.
Furthermore, a workshop was conducted on “Media Influence and How to Attract the Audience”, attracting a significant number of media professionals, stakeholders, and forum guests.
The Fujairah Media Forum 2024, themed “Parallel Media,” concluded its two-day programme, encompassing diverse dialogue and practical activities with participation from esteemed Emirati and Arab media professionals.
Mohamed Jalal Alrayssi discussed the increasingly intense competitive landscape and the new challenges it presents. He noted, “One study shows that individuals receive between 6,000 and 10,000 messages daily. This implies competition against approximately 6,000 other sources, underscoring the need for maximum speed in accessing and disseminating information.”
He further elaborated, “There’s a concept known as Economic Attention, signifying that capturing people’s attention translates into economic value. The challenge lies in the fact that people’s attention spans have diminished over the past 15 years. An adult’s attention span now averages around eight seconds, while a younger individual’s attention span is as brief as four seconds.”
He explained that while artificial intelligence has entered the realm of media, it cannot replace human imagination. Despite its potential for errors, there’s no harm in utilising it for routine tasks, which ultimately saves time for journalists, allowing them more space for creativity.
Alrayssi highlighted additional challenges confronting the media, including misinformation. He referenced the annual global risks report issued in January 2024, which ranked media misinformation and the spread of rumours as the second most significant threat facing the world. Alrayssi provided an example, citing videos that gained widespread viewership during the COVID-19 pandemic, which contained rumours about a conspiracy theory alleging a plot to reduce the global population through vaccines intended to prevent the disease.
Regarding the future of media, the Directorgeneral of WAM stated, “I believe that fostering integration between traditional and new media, along with content creators, is crucial for media success. The world is no longer a small village; rather, it has become a global network, with audiences dispersed across all corners of the globe. This presents the most significant challenge for the media, necessitating collaboration as one cohesive team to achieve integration. It also involves selecting content that resonates with our customs, traditions, and identity.”
Speaking about the influence of the media, Saeed Al Eter remarked, “Today, the media is not merely a fourth estate but nearly a secondary authority, around which nations, societies, businessmen, and economists vie for influence. For instance, the Tiktok platform sparked a shift in American public opinion. With 170 million American citizens active on this platform, and over ten thousand individuals whose livelihoods rely on it, the American government opted to ban it. This serves as a prime example of the media’s power.”