RIYADH: Journalists should be accurate and objective when reporting. This was the message delivered at the inauguration of the international media conference on “Future of News Publishing” at the King Fahd Cultural Center here yesterday.
“Media personnel should show professionalism and follow the ethics enshrined in their profession,” said Minister of Culture and Information Abdul Aziz Khoja during his inaugural address.
The minister said journalists would be held responsible for their work by the Almighty as well as the authorities and said devotion and sincerity would enhance their credibility.
He stressed the need for transparency in reporting, as the world has become a global village.
He said journalists should also respect the social, religious and cultural values of their society.
The minister said the conference, the first of its kind in the Kingdom, would serve as a bridge of understanding and cooperation between media organizations in the Middle East.
“The conference reflects Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s commitment to encouraging a free press,” he said. “The Kingdom has gained rich experience hosting international conferences in the economic, political and cultural fields,” he said.
The three-day program is being sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Information in cooperation with IFRA, a global research and service organization for the news publishing industry. The Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG) is the event’s diamond sponsor. SRMG Chairman Prince Faisal bin Salman attended the event along with other dignitaries.
Khoja opened an exhibition that is to run concurrently with the conference.
In his speech, titled “Newspaper Industry Is Dying in the United States — What Can We Learn From It?” Niko Ruokosuo, chief operating officer of the Saudi Specialized Publishing Company, said the Kingdom has to act fast and adapt to global changes.
“The world publishing industry is undergoing difficult times. There are two storms heading toward the industry, namely the global financial crisis and the consumer change moving toward the online, Internet and mobile sectors,” he said.
He added that there is a strong need for quick action since the Kingdom’s market will be affected in the long run. “Although it has not affected the Kingdom’s market, we cannot sit back and relax,” he noted.
He said more efforts are needed in product development, research, development of human resources, and increasing marketing and branding activities.
