MBC Group Director highlights media role in reshaping image of the Middle East overseas

Addressing an audience of top political, business and media decision-makers attending the '8th International Agenda Setting Conference' in Berlin, Mazen Hayek, MBC Group Director of Marketing, PR & Commercial, presented the challenges faced in reshaping the image of the Middle East; and the role that local and regional media need to assume in changing international perceptions and in replacing simplistic labels with genuine knowledge of each other's lives.

'The Middle East is most commonly portrayed in international media as a region in crisis, an area of instability, global uncertainty and a source of 'bad news'. Obviously, there is another story that isn't being told, loud and clear,' said Hayek. 'More than a challenge, there's a responsibility for local and regional media to balance the ratio of bad news to good news - while it is easy to focus on the negative stories, of which there are many, there is a duty to report the positive stories too.'

In his address, Hayek highlighted the fact that this responsibility by local and regional media to actively participate in reshaping the image of the Middle East, is as much to alter the perceptions of the global media and international audiences as it is to provide healthy role models for the Arab youth. With approximately 50 percent of the population in the Middle East under the age of 24, it is imperative that their understanding of their world and the view of their future is one of hope.

'Reshaping the image of the Middle East and changing perceptions should ideally focus on balancing the ratio of bad news to good news; portraying the genuine Arab identity; highlighting huge Arab investments overseas; and showcasing successful models such as Dubai, the modernization of Abu Dhabi, the new Economic Free Zones in Saudi Arabia, the reinvention of Libya and the positive gradual change in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Morocco. Sustained efforts should also be deployed to foster cross-cultural joint TV/Film productions, coupled with greater journalists' exchange and training programs; and finally, to invest in international film studios, music, gaming and other content industries, on a global scale,' concluded Hayek.

The International Agenda Setting Conference is an annual event, organised by Media Tenor, and brings together top-level media professionals, politicians, NGOs, business leaders and academics from around the world, to discuss the growing influence of media on society and access a rich pool of content analysis data.