The Director General of the Saudi News Agency (SPA), Abdullah Bin Fahd Al Hussain stressed that the 40th conference of the General Assembly of the Federation of Arab News Agencies currently held in Manama comes in the framework of a study and research of what is facing the Arab media and Arab news agencies. This also includes reviewing the ideas and motivating the agencies to keep up with the tremendous progress in the new media and means of social communication, calling for strengthening the capacity of Arab news agencies in accelerating the dissemination of news to address any tendentious media campaigns.
In a special statement to Bahrain News Agency (BNA) Abdullah Bin Fahd stressed the importance of activating a unified media strategy which included all news agencies, ant the external media sector, and others to address any misleading information transmitted by unprofessional and irresponsible news websites. He also said that they get their official news from the Arab official and national agencies, and not from other agencies which may transmit biased news.
Abdullah Fahd thanked Kingdom of Bahrain represented by BNA for hosting the 40th conference of the General Assembly for Arab News Agencies Federation.
Assistant Director General for Editing Affairs in the Sudanese News Agency (SUNA) Abdullah Jadallah Ahmed Nemr said that the conference is held in crucial time witnessed by the Arab Nation, where it is facing true challenges stated by HRH the Premier, Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa during his meeting with the representatives of the participating Arab News Agencies in the conference.
Al Nemr said that the most prominent challenges is the need for concerted media today, especially since many of the Arab countries are targeted and facing a media campaign that requires from the Arab News Agencies to unify their efforts.
He also said that the Arab States are witnessing development and great projects, in addition to providing concern to the citizens and nations issues, contrary to what is broadcast by some news websites, calling on giving consideration to our identity and issues.
The Director General of Jordanian News Agency (Petra), Faisal Al Shobool called on strengthening the technical and human capabilities in the Arab News Agencies, with resolving the problem of lack of commitment by some Arab States to pay their financial obligations to the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA).
Al Shobool also stressed the importance of coordination, distribution and transmitting the official news in the Arab News Agencies, and strengthening the training capacities in various news agencies, highlighting that all those issues will be transparently discussed in the current meeting, particularly in the light of the electronic and alternative media. He also called on giving concern to the society’s issues and social problems.