Riyadh (UNA/SPA) - The Saudi Minister of Information, Mr. Salman bin Youssef Al-Dosari, confirmed that the Saudi media awaits a future full of achievements and desired transformations in its various sectors, indicating the most prominent strategic features of the media system for the current year, which will be achieved through a number of initiatives, projects, programs and works, announcing The year 2024 is the year of media transformation in the Kingdom, and preparation for a warm handshake between the Saudi media and the future.
He said, “Today we announce the strategies for the Year of Media Transformation in the Kingdom, which are based on four pillars: numbers, indicators, passion, and work, and with a wise vision supported by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and led by his Crown Prince.”
This came in a speech he delivered at the opening session of the activities of the Saudi Media Forum in its third session, this morning, at the Saudi Aramco Theater, in the capital of the future of media, Riyadh, amid a large media presence from inside and outside the Kingdom that exceeded more than 2000 media professionals.
At the beginning of his speech, Salman Al-Dossary explained that the media sector in the Kingdom has contributed in 2023 the equivalent of 14.5 billion riyals to the gross domestic product, and it also aims to reach about 16 billion riyals during this year, indicating that the media sector’s investment in human capital has contributed to Providing job opportunities, which amounted to 56 thousand jobs until last year, and this year it targets about 67 thousand jobs.
He announced three strategies that the media system is pursuing, representing a road map towards future media, and contributing to strengthening the media sector, raising investment attractiveness, and enhancing the efficiency of national cadres, which is represented in determining the comprehensive strategic direction of the media system in the Kingdom, and improving the governance and efficiency of the media sector, in partnership with... More than 30 government agencies, in addition to the private sector and the third sector.
During his speech, the Minister of Information pointed out some of the features of the Broadcasting Corporation’s strategy, which seeks to enable the Commission to grow, enhance business competitiveness, and develop media cadres and talents, in addition to creating distinguished content that reaches global digital platforms, and aims to enhance the mental image of the Kingdom.
He also touched on working to launch the strategy of the Saudi News Agency (SPA), which aims to increase the effectiveness of its network, offices and correspondents around the world, and provide media content that is compatible with the aspirations of the public and modern trends in the media industry.
He touched on the most prominent initiatives and projects launched and implemented by the Ministry of Information, including the “Media Oasis,” which is held in conjunction with the Kingdom’s hosting and participation in major summits and events, and more than 2600 media professionals have benefited from it, representing more than 455 local and international media outlets from 60 countries. Through it, they learned about more than 30 national projects, pointing to the completion of work on previous initiatives with their new and developed versions, such as the “Mediazone” initiative, which was announced in a number of regions of the Kingdom, to provide a joint work environment for practicing various media arts, and to create a specialized place to present knowledge. Media, reaching creative communities and keeping pace with their developments.
He stressed the importance of the Hajj and Umrah seasons, as the “Hajj and Umrah Mediathon” project was launched a few days ago, for media professionals and those interested in competing to create media initiatives and projects that enhance creative and innovative media coverage, announcing the launch of the “Hajj Media Hub” initiative, which aims to provide an integrated media society and environment. It helps media professionals complete coverage of the Hajj season, and organizes an interactive media exhibition highlighting the services provided during the Hajj season. It is expected that the number of its beneficiaries will reach more than 2000 media professionals and international visitors.
The Minister of Information concluded his speech by talking about the launch of the Saudi Media Academy, which aims to empower, develop and train in the specializations of the future, in addition to concluding early and innovative strategic partnerships with major technology companies and global media platforms, such as: Google, Huawei, Alibaba, and others.
For his part, Chairman of the Saudi Media Forum, Chairman of the Radio and Television Corporation, Muhammad Al-Harithi, said that the forum hosts specialists from all over the world “in Riyadh, the capital of Arab media and development, which brings together through this forum an elite group of media professionals and academics to discuss the features of media change and development.”
He added that the Kingdom is witnessing a comprehensive development renaissance at all levels and in all fields, pointing out that the media is a mirror of global changes.
The head of the Radio and Television Corporation explained that the forum includes a group of sessions that discuss the future of the media in light of the tremendous technological transformations, and a package of media initiatives was launched in cooperation with partners to develop the sector and raise the level of competencies.
He continued, saying: “We have a story worth telling, and the doors are open to everyone, as we receive millions of visitors annually, and we can improve, develop and complete the journey together.”
The forum’s activities in its third session, under the slogan “Media in a Shaping World,” will witness more than 60 specialized sessions and workshops in media, presented by about 150 speakers including ministers, officials, local and international experts and specialists. To discuss the latest developments in media work in the world in its various forms - visual, audio, print and digital - the most prominent local and international experiences in the media were also reviewed, the importance of digital media and marketing, mobile journalism, television and journalism, the arts of news editing, the reality of the Arab media, and many issues related to the media.
On the sidelines of the forum, the second edition of the Future of Media Exhibition “FOMEX” will be held. The largest specialized media exhibition in the Middle East, with the participation of more than 200 local and international companies, over three days, while the exhibition reviews the most prominent developments and technologies in the world of the media industry, in addition to holding a large number of specialized and qualitative workshops, presented by a group of specialists, academics and practitioners in the field. Various fields of media.
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