Arab Media Forum to debate the fate of print media in the context of new technologies

Lined up to address these vital aspects of the media industry in the region are some of the region's and the world's top authorities on the subject.

The session on newspapers, titled "Daily Newspapers: Crisis in the West, Growth in the Arab World," will focus on the huge challenges facing the print media as a result of the advancements in the communications technology.

Print papers in the West seem to face an electronic challenge that is hard to escape. Figures available point out that around 525 magazines were closed down in 2008 in the US, while leading dailies such as the Guardian, the Independent, The Times and the Daily Telegraph suffered substantial drop in circulation. In the Arab world, however, print media have seen an expansion in more than one country, such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and the number of daily publications have multiplied.

The session, moderated by Mohammed Abdullah, Executive Director, Dubai Media City, will feature a host of speakers from various countries, such as Othman al Omair, Editor and Publisher, Elaph, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Mohammed Al Rumaihi, Editor in Chief, Awan, Kuwait, Abdullatif Al Sayegh, CEO, Arab Media Group, UAE, Firas Adrah, Editor in cheif, dp-news.com, Syria and Magdy al Galad, Editor in Chief, Al Masry al Yaum Newspaper, Egypt.

The second session, titled "The New Media: New Platforms that Change the Scene," will look at the latest developments in the New Media in the region, which has seen tremendous growth in recent times thanks to the electronic revolution.

This is an important development that is sure to have a direct impact on cognitive and moral fabric, particularly of the younger generations who constitute well over half of the populations in the Arab societies. Figures confirm that the internet has become the source for information anytime at any place for a large number of Arab youth, far higher than any other sources since these sections find in the internet the space for expressing their views unlike in any traditional media outlets.

Moderated by Hosam El Sokkari, Director, BBC Arabic, the session will feature Ayman Al Sayyad, Editor in chief, Wijhat Nazr magazine, Egypt, Dr. Ammar Bakar, Editor in chief, alarabiya.net, Saudi Arabia, Sultan Al-Bazie, Co-founder and CEO, Attariq Communications, KSA and Issam Hamoud, Blogger, Algeria.

The Arab Media Forum this year will be attended by well over 600 top media persons from all across the Arab world and outside, making it the largest and most significant media gathering in the entire Middle East.