DUBAI, 26 April 2007 — An international panel of experts debated the concept of freedom and journalistic privileges on the concluding day of the Arab Media Forum held at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah yesterday.
The session, entitled “The rights and privileges of media professionals,” focused on the dangers faced by journalists while reporting from politically sensitive zones and investigating official corruption.
Shada Omar of the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) moderated a discussion between Donald Trelford, chairman of the London Press Club, Ali Al-Ahmad, general manager of Abu Dhabi TV, Raj Chengappa, managing editor of India Today, and Edmond Saab, editor in chief of Lebanon’s Al-Nahar newspaper.
“Unfortunately, when a journalist goes beyond the policy of the government, he risks arrest and politically-motivated killing, as was proved in Lebanon lately,” said Saab, referring to his four colleagues at Al-Nahar, who were assassinated for political reasons.
Trelford pointed out that two journalists have died every week in the world for the last 10 years.
“Some news outlets have stopped sending journalists to high-risk areas, such as Iraq. Consequently, the public has limited access to information. Killing of journalists should be treated as war crime,” he said.
Abu Dhabi TV’s Al-Ahmad spoke about his organization’s Iraq office that was bombed. “More often, television channels were singled out as targets than other forms of media, particularly in conflict areas.”
Speakers also proposed the establishment of institutions to train journalists as professionals of international standards. The two-day forum was attended by more than 600 people.
Arab Journalism Awards
Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of UAE and the ruler of Dubai, presented the “Media Personality of the Year” award to Saudi journalist Othman Al-Omeir for his contribution to the industry in the Arab world. The prize is worth $50,000.
Awards for other journalism categories were also delivered during the ceremony.
The late Joseph Samaha was posthumously honored for his pioneering role in the Arab media. Samaha’s daughter, Amina Samaha, received the award from Talal Salman, editor in chief and writer for Al Safer, Lebanon.
A Palestinian photographer won the prize for photography. Mahmud Hams, 27, from Rafah, was given the award for a picture of the funeral of a Palestinian child killed during an Israeli strike.
The $15,000 prize “is a boost which will prompt me to work with more enthusiasm,” said Hams, who was shot in both legs while taking pictures in 2004.
“I am happy to be able to convey the Palestinian people’s daily reality,” said Hams, who works for Agence France Presse.
The winning picture provides a close-up of the slain girl with part of her sunlit face stained with blood during the funeral and mourners in the background. It was commended by the award organizers as “a moving sight from the Palestinians’ daily tragedy.”
The award for the best feature went to Yusef Saad of the UAE daily Al-Khaleej for a report on private schools in the country.
Saudi journalist Abdul Aziz Al-Hindi clinched a prize for best business reporting and Kuwait’s Muhammad Musaed Al-Saleh won an award for the best column. The UAE’s Super magazine was declared the best Arab sports publication and Suhair Hilmi of Egypt’s Al-Ahram won the best interview prize.
During the forum, a report on the Arab media outlook up to 2011 was released which projected continued growth for the region’s print media, contrary to print media in the West.
The report, issued by the Dubai Press Club and PricewaterhouseCoopers, also forecast Arab satellite channels would continue to dominate the media scene despite the increasing influence of the Internet.
— With input from agencies.
