New Bahrain Radio studios great leap into digital broadcasting: Information officials

Manama, July 8 (BNA): Information Ministry officials said the launch of the first phase of developing Bahrain Radio studios is an important stage in its rich history and enhances its leadership and competitiveness by diversifying its services across multiple platforms. The people today managing and running Bahrain Radio are continuing the work of the pioneers with modern equipment that keeps pace with the digital development in the media sector, they added. “The development of the studios we are witnessing is an extension of previous stages of continuous work that reflects the leadership of Radio Bahrain in the region,” Dr Abdulrahman Mohammed Bahrain, the Ministry Undersecretary, said. “The digital transformation and the introduction of new technologies in various aspects of radio work aims to make a qualitative shift to enhance competition with other media and to reach audiences through various modern communication devices. It also enhances its active presence in the service of the country, the citizens and the residents, and keeps abreast of the progress of the Kingdom's comprehensive development and civilizational achievements during the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.” The digital transformation in broadcasting studios comes within the framework of plans and directives of Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi, the minister, for new technical projects to advance the media and communication sector, employ modern technologies in developing radio work and invigorate its competitive and creative capabilities in keeping pace with the latest technical and professional developments, he added. “The technical project for Bahrain Radio in its first stage was not limited to developing studios and supporting digital archiving, but was also extended to the creation of an external transport vehicle equipped with an integrated studio and high-quality capabilities to cover national events and functions as well as the various activities hosted by the Kingdom,” the Undersecretary said. “The experiences achieved by Radio Bahrain today in the technical and technological sector and the making of radio content represent a milestone in the transfer of cumulative experiences, their passing on from generation to generation and the smooth transmission of information and expertise.” He expressed his appreciation of the contributions of the media, technical and engineering Bahrainis to developing the radio sector, from the founders and pioneers eight decades up to the current generation. “There is now a harmonious mix of promising youth, great talents and outstanding efforts to promote the leadership of Bahrain Radio and enhance its longstanding media message across its various stations, with high quality, modern technologies and meaningful contents,” he said. “Bahrain Radio is moving forward with its mission to express the nation’s issues and citizens ’concerns while adhering to professional standards, communicating honest and trustworthy messages and ensuring productivity to accommodate new generations of young Bahrainis to work for the sustainability of the sector, to continue the role of their predecessors in the media and to maintain the leadership of Bahraini audio media.” Abdullah Khalid Al Dossari, the Assistant Undersecretary for Radio and Television, said that today’s media is facing great challenges to keep pace with the speed of broadcasting news and information. “This necessarily requires enhancing the efficiency of traditional broadcasting means and an optimal transition to new media that relies heavily on the Internet, digital devices and smart applications using the associated technologies that secure high quality in broadcasting,” he said. “This leads to increasing productive and creative capacity of the radio programs presented to the public and to creating a wonderful motivating work environment in addition to ensuring a smooth and comfortable audio and video access to the listeners who will also turn into viewers at the same time wherever they are.” The new technical equipment of the studios is a remarkable milestone in developing Bahrain Radio that has not been seen since the 1980s, he added. Abdullah Ahmed Al Beloushi, the Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs said the ministry was proceeding with the implementation of the development plans that contribute to advancing the media standards at the production and development levels. Al Beloushi stressed the ministry's keenness to keep abreast of developments in the media sector at the global level. “This project took 11 months thanks to Bahraini nationals, including 15 engineers, and to the support of a number of administrators. It will serve a large segment of media professionals for more than 10 years,” he said. Younes Salman, the Director of Bahrain Radio, said the first phase of the promising project aims to keep pace with digital technical development and reduce the percentage of potential interruptions in radio studios and the main control room. “We also aspire to move the radio standards to more professional levels in both form and content and benefit from it in all stations to save time and effort and secure the optimal investment in human resources by giving greater creative production space,” he said.