Officials, experts and specialists in the field of media, emergency management, crisis and disaster management and government communication stressed the importance of the role of the national media in confronting the rumors, lies and conspiracies promoted by the fictional accounts on social media, known as "electronic flies". Aimed at destabilizing and security of Arab societies.
The experts called for a joint Arab system to face these challenges, especially at the current stage, which is witnessing a remarkable growth in crises and risks that cast a negative shadow on all countries in the region.
This came during the second session of the "Media Forum on Risks and Threats" organized by the National Authority for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management in Abu Dhabi under the slogan "The Media System in the Face of Risks".
Participants highlighted the role played by Al-Jazeera in Qatar and its negative impact on Arab national security by promoting lies against Arab countries, spreading the speeches of terrorist groups, and their impact on Arab consciousness.
The Minister of State for Defense, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Bawardi, stressed that "the feeling of every individual residing in the land of the UAE is safe and secure. A feeling that has become dear in a volatile region full of tensions and instability. "
Al-Bawardi pointed to the importance of "the role of the media in guiding public opinion before and during crises." He stressed that "media messages are the ones that can pass through the members of society to safety, and instill confidence in them and guide them to deal optimally with them."
He pointed out that «efforts to address crises and disasters is a key process to maintain stability, even in the most difficult times, and is no longer possible as the development of communication technology in the management of crises and disasters without an arm of information active and proactive».
For his part, the Minister of Information Affairs, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Institute for Political Development, Ali Bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi said in his speech that the media and communication in all its forms, traditional and modern, are witnessing unprecedented and unprecedented developments. Or entertainment, but turned into a huge and influential global industry.
Al-Rumaihi pointed to the most prominent indicators of the media as a global industry, saying «the global expenditure on media increased by $ 1.7 trillion annually, electronic or digital media accounted for 45%, and the number of private satellite channels, including 963 private Arab channels, % Of total Arab satellite channels ».
Al-Rumaihi stressed the importance of having an integrated media system to counter the threat of the media conspirator and the client by conveying the truth quickly rather than reaction. He stressed that the Arab peoples today see the magnitude of the conspiracy on Saudi Arabia, the Arabian Gulf and the larger Arab country. This unethical attack, From 20 years, the Arab street was absent from it.
He pointed out that the Gulf region and the Arab region, due to their historical and religious value, economic importance and geographical location and strategic, one of the most threatened areas of the world and the crisis, especially the growing rhetoric of extremism and hatred, and external interference in our internal affairs to undermine our security and stability, Especially since the establishment of the Khomeini revolution in 1979, Iran's support of terrorist parties and its financing of subversive activities.
He pointed to a study by the Jordan Publications Department in 2009 about the Qatari island, and its coverage of the war on Gaza, that "Al-Jazeera has opened its screen daily to the official spokesman of the Israeli army and the official spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Israeli commentators to provide emotional justification for their aggression against the brotherly Palestinian people from an Israeli point of view. (The island) English word (dead) for the Palestinian, and call him a martyr in the (island) Arabia ».
The Director General of the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Agency, Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Hosani, said: "The Second Risk and Threat Information Forum aims to enhance knowledge of crisis management, media, partnership and coordination with various media in emergencies, crises and disasters. Issues, in addition to success factors in crisis management, national media message and methodology, preparedness and media planning to successfully address the crisis or disaster ».
193 million users
The Minister of Information Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Institute for Political Development, Ali bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi, said that among the modern media indicators, the number of users of social media networks increased to 37% of the world population, including 193 million Arab users.