DUBAI, 11 April 2007 — The fifth annual Arab Media Forum (AMF 2007), with the theme of ‘Developing People, Developing Organizations’, will introduce case studies for the first time in order to identify strengths and weaknesses of the Arab media industry.
The Dubai Press Club, organizers of the forum, said that the forum would be held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on April 24-25.
Mona Al-Marri, chairperson of the Dubai Press Club, said: “This year’s agenda has been carefully thought out in order to identify various factors that can accelerate the growth of the Arab media, besides shedding light on its strengths and weaknesses.”
She added the discussions would be substantiated with case studies and models to develop the regional media industry.
“Developing the Arab Media is one of the main objectives of the Dubai Press Club. Leveraging the developments taking place in the global media arena and driven by the region’s unique requirements, we aim to guide the Arab media on a new path of growth.”
The AMF organizing committee has been conducting comprehensive research for the past year on media organizations in key Arab countries to identify the current status and to formulate a strategy on future trends. The Arab Media Forum will explore the potential of the industry for developing professionals and media entities through detailed case studies.
Al-Marri said the organizing committee was working hard to attract leading Arab and international media personalities to share their ideas and provide a transparent and accurate overview of the Arab media.
The agenda will include several other crucial issues related to the media in the Arab countries and the status of Arab journalists.
Contemporary issues confronting the regional media industry will be discussed in the background of a Western media speaking the language of the Arab citizen and the emergence of an Arab media with a global voice.
The plenary session will discuss factors such as the size and growth of media entities, the emergence of new media and its convergence in the industry, and ways to develop the right people for the Arab media industry.
“Content versus Profit: The Impact of Advertising on Program Content” will be debated with the issue of meeting the bottom line while maintaining the value of editorial content being the crux of the matter in the debate.
The segment on “The Effect of Technology Innovation on Today’s Media Landscape” will spotlight the dynamism of innovative technology to enhance the quality and accuracy of media content, provide real time reporting and reach wider audiences.
