Arab Media Forum to focus on industry case studies for the first time

The high profile event, to be held at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on 24-25 April, will be built around the theme of 'Developing People, Developing Organizations'.

Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of Dubai Press Club, said: "This year's agenda has been carefully crafted to identify various factors that can accelerate the growth of the Arab media, besides shedding light on its strengths and weaknesses. The discussions will be substantiated with case studies and models to develop the regional media industry.

"Developing the Arab Media is one of the main objectives of Dubai Press Club. Leveraging the developments taking place in the global media arena and driven by the region's unique requirements, we aim to guide the Arab media chart to a new path for growth."

The AMF Organising Committee has been conducting comprehensive research for the past year on media organisations in key Arab countries to identify the current status and future trends and to formulate a strategy.

The Arab Media Forum will explore the potential of the industry for developing professionals and media entities through detailed case studies.

Al Marri said the Organising Committee of the forum was leaving no stone unturned to attract leading Arab and international media personalities to share their ideas and provide a transparent and accurate overview of the Arab media.

The agenda would include several other crucial issues related to the media in the Arab countries and the status of Arab journalists.

Contemporary issues confronting the regional media industry will be discussed in the light of a Western media speaking the language of the Arab citizen and the emergence of an Arab media with a global voice.

The plenary session will discuss factors such as the size and growth of media entities, the emergence of new media and its convergence in the industry, and ways to develop the right people for the Arab media industry.

'Content versus Profit: The Impact of Advertising on Programme Content' will debate on the issue of meeting the bottom line while maintaining the value of editorial content.

The segment on 'The Effect of Technology Innovation on Today's Media Landscape' will highlight the dynamism of innovative technology to enhance the quality and accuracy of media content, provide real time reporting and reach wider audiences.

On the second day of the Arab Media Forum, Dubai Press Club in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), will present the 'Arab Media Outlook,' a comprehensive report outlining the current status and future prospects of Arab media industry. The report will be published annually.

The second day will also include a session on 'The Rights and Privileges of Media Professionals' to explore the importance of protecting the privileges of all professional journalists in the region. AMF 2007 will also initiate discussion on 'Converting Journalists from Print to Television'.

The concluding session on 'Ranking Training and Education in the Rung of Priorities' will debate the value of media education and its status in the Arab world.

The Arab Media Forum has successfully established itself as one of the most important media events in the region. The high significance of the issues discussed has gained the forum extensive regional and international media visibility.