Arab media must avoid fake news and stick to objectivity, says minister

JEDDAH: The Kingdom’s media minister met with information ministers from the Arab League on Wednesday, with fake news and Palestine among the issues discussed.
Turki bin Abdullah Al-Shabanah welcomed the audience to Riyadh and greeted them on behalf of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who wished them success in strengthening media efforts within the Arab League framework.
The session was organized in partnership with the Saudi Media Ministry as part of celebrating Riyadh being named the Arab Media Capital for 2018-2019.
Al-Shabanah kick-started the meeting by saying it was important to emphasize the Palestinian cause and the coordinated Arab media efforts needed to promote it.
Another topic was an amendment to the code of conduct for Arab media, including the avoidance of spreading rumors and fake news, committing to objectivity and professionalism and avoiding hate speech.
Al-Shabanah stressed the role of Arab media in combating terrorism through educational programs that raised awareness about this phenomenon.
The success of Arab efforts in tackling terrorism required constant coordination and a united front, aimed at fighting radical and misguided ideas, he said.
Secretary-General of the Arab League’s Social Affairs Sector Badr Al-Din Alali thanked the Kingdom for its hospitality and congratulated Al-Shabanah on his recent appointment as media minister.
Alali spoke about the last decade, which had witnessed tremendous regional and global changes that demanded a better performance and capacity from Arab media so that it could compete on the international stage.
He said the secretariat-general of the Arab League and Council of Arab Media Ministers were keen to develop and strengthen the work of the media.
This enthusiasm and support was reflected by the council’s decisions and discussions from recent years, such as its role in combating terrorism and achieving sustainable development goals, he said.
Last month the Kingdom’s then-Media Minister Dr. Awwad Al-Awwad and his Arab counterparts pledged to devise a joint Arab strategy to overcome the challenges facing the region.
They discussed a number of initiatives and ideas to revitalize the media industry, also agreeing to abide by a code of conduct and ethics.
The Council of Arab Media Ministers’ Executive Office includes the following members: Jordan, the UAE, Tunisia, Somalia, Sudan, Iraq and Egypt.

Arab media must avoid fake news and stick to objectivity, says minister