Arab information ministers acknowledge new challenges

The official state-run media in the Arab world need to double their efforts to face challenges stemming from the constant changes in the technology of communication among people, said a number of officials at the opening here on Tuesday of the meetings of the executive office of the council of Arab information ministers. Taking place at the Arab League headquarters and attended by ministers of information or their representatives from Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, and lasting two days, the meeting of the executive council today listened to, among other speakers, the Saudi minister of information and culture Abdulaziz Khoja and Arab League representative to the meeting Haifa Abu Ghazala. Khoja emphasized the absolute necessity for state-run information ministries to keep up with new changes in the communication field such as the pervasiveness of mass communication among people through the social networks, which keep popping up frequently offering new ways of communication. In her speech today, Abu Ghazala said the Arab League was contemplating the idea of establishing radio and TV stations on the internet, in Arabic, English, and French, to promulgate Arab viewpoints on issues seminal to the Arab world and convey Arab interpretations of these issues to a wider swath of people online. She was of the opinion that these stations should be launched next year to commemorate the platinum anniversary of the Arab League (70 years). Among topics the meetings will discuss is the role Arab media should take in the fight against the scourge of terrorism, which has been plaguing many Arab countries. Another topic is seeking appropriate measures to prevent transmission interference on Arab broadcasting satellites. Head of the Kuwaiti delegation to the two-day meetings is assistant undersecretary for external information at the ministry of information Tariq Al-Mizrim