Arab News: 35 years young and going strong

For the last 35 years, Arab News has been a prime source for news about Saudi Arabia and the Arab world, and it has also provided the multinational work force with up-to-date news of their respective countries.
During nearly four decades, we have witnessed the advent of satellite television, the Internet and the meteoric success of smartphones that have spearheaded deep changes in the country’s social and economic arena.
These technological advances have impacted greatly on our way of life. The print media can be likened to a field swept by repeated storms. However, newspapers are far from dying out. Their survival depends essentially on their ability to adapt and change accordingly. Arab News was one of the very first newspapers in the region to acknowledge the importance of digital news by creating an online edition.
Still devoid of regulations, the Internet can easily mislead and misinform. A professional newspaper creates a legitimate and accountable online edition, more trustworthy than a blog.
Despite the plethora of information available on the Net, we have never been so hungry for information. We never seem to have enough. We want to be continuously informed, and to meet our needs, newspapers transmit their content from a variety of platforms ranging from a mobile phone to broadsheet.
The younger generations are already living in a paperless environment: anything written is read on a screen. Smartphones that provide an immediate access to digital news and information have become the hottest device in the market. Young people, however, also require what news readers have always wanted: a source they can trust and most of all, a valuable content.
For the last decade, we have been splurging on free information: too much content of little value. We should not forget that print media covers a wide range of topics that benefits even people who are not newspaper readers. The work of journalists is used by bloggers, television and radio producers, politicians and educationists. In short, the raw material provided on a daily basis by newspapers, benefits society as a whole.
Professionnal journalism gives us quality information. That kind of coverage requires experienced and trustworthy reporters. In view of the over abundance of bad information and trash on the Internet, there is a growing demand for premium information which has value. Hence a number of prestigious newspapers and magazines are charging for news online. The content of a newspaper can be transmitted on paper or a laptop, a smartphone and other convenient Web-enabled devices like Apple’s iPad. But there is no substitute for good journalism.
As more people are using smart phones, there is a growing need for customized information. Smartphone users want to get information tailored to where they are physically standing. They want to know what’s happening whenever and wherever they may be. They are interested to know about exhibitions, sports events, businesses and restaurants. Who is more capable of supplying this digital, specialized information than a local newspaper thanks to its team of experienced reporters?
As we celebrate Arab News 35th anniversary I am hopeful that far from eliminating the old media, the Internet has forced the traditional print media to re-invent itself and re-define its goals. The cinema did not do away with novels and television has not stopped people from listening to the radio or going to see a movie. The Internet, far from eliminating the written press, has created a demand for specialized and professional newspapers.
Arab News thanks to its highly skilled and dedicated team of professional journalists provides an unparalleled, balanced and honest coverage of political, economic and social events in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. Diverse and resourceful, Arab News serves both the local community and keeps the world informed on the evolution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf countries. A bridge of hope between the East and the West, Arab News is truly the Middle East’s Leading English Language Daily, and will remain so for the years ahead.
— Lisa Kaaki is a media personality who worked in Saudi Channel Two and Radio Riyadh. She continues to write for Arab News.