Information Minister praises Bahrain-UAE media strides, successful digital transformation

Manama, Oct. 21 (BNA): Information Affairs Minister, Ali bin Mohammed Al-Romaihi, has stressed the importance of investing in the human element and empowering the creative youth competencies in ensuring the sustainability of media excellence. This can be done through enhancing the level of cooperation in the fields of training and education, exchanging expertise and information, encouraging joint media, technical and programme production, in addition to media and diplomatic coordination at regional and international gatherings, he said. The minister made the statements while addressing the Bahrain-UAE Media Forum, organised virtually by Dubai Press Club (DPC), in cooperation with the Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA), with the participation of an elite of press and media professionals, officials, editors-in-chief and promising talents in the media and communication industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Al-Romaihi lauded the role played by the Dubai Press Club, led by Mona Al Marri, praising its contributions to achieving more rapprochement and activating channels of cooperation between media institutions in the two brotherly countries, which serves the GCC media action, in general, and the deep-rooted Bahraini-UAE relations, in particular. The Information Affairs Minister pointed out that the forum highlights the success story of the two brotherly countries in managing crises, overcoming the repercussions of the novel Coronavirus pandemic and digital transformation in developing services, at a time when the media played its vital role in disseminating credible and reliable facts and information. He stressed the inevitability of accelerating the pace of digital transformation in the media field, noting that the current developments and the rapid technological transformations, with the opportunities and challenges they pose, impose the need for joint cooperation in the advancement of the media and its role as an influential force in preserving cultural and civilisational identity, promoting the values of tolerance and peace, and confronting the hate, extremism and terrorism discourse. Al-Romaihi praised the advanced capabilities and infrastructure enjoyed by Bahrain and the UAE in the field of digital technologies, paving the way for the use of interactive media techniques and artificial intelligence in developing the media message. He highlighted the importance of joint coordination in creating clear visions for media development requirements in the coming phase, in light of the current situation and ambitious aspirations towards a media sector that is capable of competing globally using advanced technical capabilities to ensure the confidence of the recipient in the modern and useful media content provided to them.