November 15, 2023
ABU DHABI – Media professionals should deliver balanced and quality content for diverse audiences in a digital world and make collective efforts to combat misinformation and fake news, an international media congress in Abu Dhabi heard on Tuesday.
The three-day Global Media Congress 2023, themed “Shaping the Future of the Media Industry”, kicked off in the capital of the United Arab Emirates with virtual speakers participating in panel discussions on the opportunities and challenges that technology has introduced to the media industry.
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The second edition of the congress aims to provide a platform for media professionals to learn about latest industry trends and challenges while exploring ways to foster global connections and reinvent brands in the new-media landscape.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the UAE’s minister of tolerance and coexistence, emphasized in his inaugural speech that media professionals have the responsibility to provide balanced, quality content catering to the diverse needs of national and international audiences.
“The media industry is changing rapidly. We must agree that the most important thing in the media is the content created and not the technology used,” he said.
He called for coordinated efforts to combat misinformation and fake news. “The success of the media industry … requires cooperation and coordination in fighting misinformation and false news. At the same time, success requires ensuring wide access to the benefits of the new forms of information delivery,” the minister said.
Tolerance and peaceful coexistence “create opportunities for integrated local and international community engagement that promotes peace and prosperity for all,” he added.
Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, director-general of the Emirates News Agency and chairman of the Higher Organising Committee for the Global Media Congress, said during his keynote speech that the congress was playing “a decisive role in assembling media leaders to tackle the key issues faced by the industry.”
“In pooling the drive and ability the diverse participants, the congress is driving the sector’s growth and evolution and highlighting its immense potential to create game-changing solutions and open up new business horizons,” he said.
In an interview with China Daily, Al Rayssi said, “This year’s congress, as observed, is larger than last year’s, drawing a broader audience and more international participants. It covers diverse areas through its comprehensive agenda.”
The congress serves as a hub for learning, implementation, and exchange on various topics, he added.
Key themes of the congress include sustainability, innovations in media technology, sports media, youth education, and the future of media.
The congress, organized by the government-supported business Capital Events of the ADNEC Group and the Emirates News Agency, brought together government officials, media representatives, businesspeople, and scholars from 172 countries.
Also on Tuesday at the congress, China Daily signed a memorandum of understanding on its news exchange with the Emirates News Agency.
Zhou Li, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Group and publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific, said the MoU has enhanced news exchanges and promoted mutual understanding between the peoples of China and the UAE.
Madina Idrisova, head of press service of the North Caucasus Institute, a branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, said she is attending the congress for the opportunity to gain fresh knowledge, the experience, and to network with professionals in the media industry.
She highlighted the issue of fake news, and stressed that this is a significant problem globally. “We need to learn how to operate in a new-media world because in the aftermath of the pandemic and other global challenges, our world has transformed, and we must adapt to work effectively within it.”
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Ririko Tega, a student of the faculty of law at Keio University in Japan, expressed her interest in exploring digital education, artificial intelligence, and the relationship between AI and media.
Aspiring to be a journalist in the future, Tega is keen on establishing meaningful connections with her peers and other professionals at the congress.
Ibrahim Issaka Mali Issaka, a journalist from Niger, said through participation in the congress, he expects to garner valuable experience and broaden his understanding of the global media landscape.