Reema Al-Shamikh, the well-known hostess of Al-Ikhbariya TV, lost consciousness last week following a stroke. The news saddened everyone, especially the countless number of viewers who love and admire her. We pray for a speedy recovery. Let her regain her health and full strength to continue to play her unique media role.
Through her work in Al-Ikhbariya TV, Al-Shamikh presented a practical role model for the Saudi women. She managed to deal with community issues including women’s problems, problems connected with family, economy and education. She tackled legal issues too. She was not just presenting the problems; she tried to look for suitable solutions. She proved the competency and professionalism of the Saudi women through the media.
Al-Shamikh also succeeded in attracting a number of national figures of both genders to her daily live show “Media Portraits” (Berasim Alsahafa) that delves deep into social problems and obstacles. Her program became an outlet for many — a means by which they reveal and discuss their fears and worries without any restraint. Special mention should be made of her programs that tackle individual problems having a large social relevance.
Media Portraits provided a link connecting common citizens with officials or authorities, society with its leaders, and decision makers, or different parties. They all gather together in daily episodes but would never have got a chance to meet each together in real life.
Al-Shamikh was aware of the situation Saudi Arabia is undergoing. She realized the need to initiate positive ideas and smart suggestions to advance the country and its citizens. She knew we should admit our shortcomings first before accusing others.
The truth is Al-Shamikh has in her mind an intellectual project designed to better our society by tackling its issues and problems, identifying the factors hindering the financial and intellectual development of our society, and then search for means to solve them and prevent their recurrence.
She also presented the best model in a fair and unbiased dialogue that doesn’t favor one party over the other or exclude certain ideas for personal reasons. She managed to create balance providing a broad-based platform for airing different opinions. Various viewpoints in the show bring about new ideas and suggestions. This would not have been possible if she only brought together people with prejudices or those sharing the same ideologies.
Our country is in desperate need of active men and women to create a framework for development because the right way to do things in any business is to get experts in particular fields to do it. For instance, women’s issues often are discussed by men who give suggestions and ideas that may not fully meet the situation. Women appear on the scene rather late. Their contributions are marginal if not totally absent.
It’s true that men’s contributions to solving women’s problems have a role to play. After all men are women’s partners. But women’s views should have the priority; men’s must enhance and support women’s.
There are many issues — some legal, some social, and some concerning the health sector — where men take the initiative in leading the women to certain actions they believe are right. We might consider some TV programs where men take the initiative to advise women on social and psychological problems. The advice might be helpful and effective in some cases, but not in every case.
As it’s difficult for men to recognize women’s psychological and emotional problems their suggestions might not be of much help. Therefore, women’s presence or participation in such programs is a must.
It’s important not just to say that women are part of the media, but to have women who have a strong sense of their national and humanitarian duty to their country. Such partnership between men and women would lead to the general welfare of society.
Reema Al-Shamikh was able to overcome obstacles any man or woman will face in their chosen professional field. She managed the routine, the difficulties and the ongoing demands of work to appear everyday with a broad smile on the TV screen enlightening and entertaining her viewers. She presented an amazing role model for the Saudi women, a model Saudi society never met before. The general impression of the woman is that she’s always whining and complaining — a creature with lots of demands hard to meet or please. But Al-Shamikh didn’t pay attention to such negative feelings or ideas. She connected herself to a positive mode of thinking that made the impossible easy. She built an image of the Saudi woman that any girl must be proud of. She wants what’s best for everyone and wishes to contribute to the advancement of her country and its citizens.
Reema’s absence is a great loss to her viewers. Many are broken hearted because of what happened and all they can do is pray for her wellbeing. We hope that her absence is only temporary and that she returns to be the remarkable Reema Al-Shamikh we all know and love.
— Maha Al-Hujailan is a medical researcher at King Khaled University Hospital in Riyadh. ([email protected])
