“The perception of reporting the non issues by the leading global channels including the BCC will not yield any results,” Anwer Abdulrahman, Chairman of Akhbarul Khaleej Group told media representatives during a monthly luncheon meeting of the IAA Bahrain Chapter.
“When there are traffic jams in Bahrain, the reporters want to know the reason but when a journalist and writer becomes a target of attacks by thugs, no channel bother to run a story,” he said.
He urged all media organizations and professionals based in Bahrain to thwart this nefarious campaign aimed at tarnishing the name of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Khamis Al Muqla the International Advertising Association (IAA) President Bahrain Chapter in his opening remarks said that the media industry was going through a very challenging phase as per the latest industry figures.
“The latest Pan Arab Research (PARC) report shows a 27% per cent drop in the advertising expenditures for January-September 2011 which is $47.7 million compared with $65.3 million for the same period last year. Local figures show some bigger drop which includes outdoor media who are seeking a tax exemption levied by the Municipality for this year,” he said.
Khamis Al Muqla said that IAA Bahrain Chapter added three more new members to its fold and the total number expected to reach 100 before the end of 2011.
He urged the marketing and advertising companies to play a vital role in bringing back the confidence in Bahrain economy. “There should be an aggressive push in marketing Bahrain in Vienna — which will now host the conference,” he added. Expressing optimism that the next congress could be held in Bahrain, he called on those who would participate at Vienna to showcase ‘Brand Bahrain’.
Obaidli Obaidli from Al Wast, Rayees Sharif and Mahmood Rafique from 24X7 News were the new members added to the IAA Bahrain Chapter and welcomed by the IAA President Khamis Al Muqla.
Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the President of the Information Affairs Authority, who was a chief guest, highlighted the importance of the upcoming two major initiatives i.e. New Media City and New International TV Channel and said these projects would reshape the media climate in the Kingdom.
Shaikh Fawaz said that the infrastructure for the proposed channel was in place and this new initiative would cover European and Northern African countries.
“Initially, the new channel will have the best of the main channels — including the live channels, the news both in Arabic and English and live sports events. So it will be a combination of all the Bahrain channels — Bahrain TV, Bahrain 55 and Bahrain Sports,” he added. Once the new channel has established in the first geography of its existence, then the expansion will be into Northern America and East of Asia.”
“The Tender Board has already given its approval,” he told the BNA, adding that the Bahrain Media City would be an interesting project.
“We are working closely with the private sector to establish this project. In the start there will be with four buildings and negotiations are underway for a new television station to establish their presence in Bahrain,” he said. The final decision, he said, is expected in a few weeks.
“We are aggressively marketing Bahrain so that the new station will come to Bahrain Media City. We are also talking to the Economic Development Board to establish the rules and regulations that will govern television channels and media companies setting up there. Various channels have shown an interest,” the IAA president said. Currently there are over 1,500 channels and he showed optimism that the outcome of the campaign would be more than positive.
Zain’s PR head Samya Hussain Ali, Kamar’s Commercial Director Leanne Arnold and Economic Development Board’s Isa Abdulrahman were also honoured.