Shboul inaugurates 8th Arab Media Leaders Forum

AMMAN — Deputising for Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh, Minister of Government Communications Faisal Shboul on Sunday inaugurated the eighth edition of the Arab Media Leaders Forum, organised by the Arab Media Forum Commission in cooperation with the Arab League Media and Communication Sector and the Ministry of Government Communications, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During his opening speech, Shboul highlighted the importance of media experts’ participation in the forum to discuss media codes, laws, charters and obligations.

“All media are under threat nowadays”, he said, adding that “modern technology has given humanity an “unprecedented opportunity” for communication, but in return, has rendered “societies prey to extremism, bigotry, rumours, assaults on people's dignity and violation of children’s rights”.

The minister focused on two challenges facing the media, first of which is determining ways to target a mass audience without employing “rhetorical fallacies”. The second issue Shboul cited is preserving traditional media’s share of advertising space, which is slowly becoming exclusive to social media platforms. 

Jordan submitted a draft law to Arab information ministers to regulate relations with international media companies, benefiting from the EU’s experience in this regard.

The bill stipulated the protection of Arab and Islamic issues, foremost of which is the Palestinian cause, from negative propaganda. Additionally, the bill includes provisions to protect children and young people, retain the media’s right to the advertising market, and combat hate speech, false news and attacks on privacy.

Shboul expressed thanks to the Arab Media Forum in Kuwait for choosing Amman as a venue for the meeting of Arab media leaders, lauding the role of the Media and Communication Sector of the Arab League for holding meetings that enhance joint Arab action.

He expressed keenness to receive recommendations and proposals that will be issued in service of the future of Arab media.

Assistant Secretary General and Head of the Media and Communication Sector in the Arab League, Ahmed Khattabi, underlined the importance the forum and presenting proposals for initiatives to further develop the Arab media.

Khattab also pointed to the necessity of the guiding draft law, presented by Jordan through the Ministry of Government Communications, to regulate social media and protect users from illegal content, including combating extremism and hate speech.

The draft law was circulated to other Arab countries to regulate work between Arab information ministries and international companies, he said, adding that the draft will be presented to the Permanent Committee of the Executive Office of the Arab Ministers of Information in Kuwait in March.

In turn, Lebanese Minister of Information Ziad Makary also expressed his thanks to Arab countries for choosing Beirut as the 2023 Capital of Arab Media, voicing Lebanon’s aspirations to strengthen joint Arab media action.

For his part, Kuwaiti Ambassador to Jordan Aziz Dihani noted that the forum was launched in Kuwait due to the country’s belief in the role of media and the importance of joint Arab action.

Dihani commended the role of Jordanian media institutions in supporting the forum and for their keen participation.

Secretary General of the Arab Media Forum Madi Khamis said that the forum was born from a need to establish a dialogue between officials and the leaders of Arab media institutions about the current and future state of Arab media.

A specialised committee will refer recommendations issued throughout the forum to the Council of Arab Information Ministers to be presented at the council’s next session, Khamis added.