Arab Media Forum 2009 opens with workshops on proliferation of Fatwa TV programmes

The television scene in the region was also closely examined with a specific focus on the proliferation of fatwa programming.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the two-day Arab Media Forum is being held at the Atlantis Palm Hotel in Dubai. It has brought together over 1,000 eminent media personalities, including 57 speakers, 11 moderators, and 300 foreign participants from abroad and 600 from the UAE.

Moderated by Safiya al Shehi, Producer and Presenter, Sama Dubai TV, the workshop titled 'Popular Heritage Channels: Message or Entertainment?' drew the participation of Kamal Abdul Latif, Writer and Researcher, Morocco, Sultan Al Amaimi, Director, Poetry Academy, Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, UAE, Nasser Al Khahtani, Chairman, Al Saha TV, Saudi Arabia, and Nassir Al Abboudi, Secretary General, UAE Writers' Union.

Highlighting the importance of these channels, the participants focused on the aim of these channels to preserve the heritage and deliberated on whether the channels comprehensively convey the elements of popular cultural nuances or focus instead on communicating cynical commentaries that eventually prove detrimental to societies.

Kamal Abdul Latif said:

"These channels do not provide a clear vision of the meaning of folklore. The main concern of these channels should be on preserving the heritage and history, to avoid the risk of forgetting our roots and our rich past."

The second workshop 'From Terrestrial Fatwa to Satellite Fatwa' was moderated by Khadija Ben Genna, Presenter, Al Jazeera, and included speakers such as Ahmed Al Haddad, Director, Dubai Fatwa Administration, UAE; Salman Al Odah, Chairman, Al Daleel TV, Saudi Arabia; Jameel Al Theyabi, Managing Editor for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, Al Hayat Newspaper; Abdul Hamid Al Ansari, Professor of Islamic Studies, College of Law, Qatar University, Qatar, and Fahad Al Shimeimri, Chairman, Al Majd TV, Saudi Arabia.

Focusing on the rising number of channels broadcasting fatwa programming as a result of advanced technology, the speakers concurred that some of these channels are causing grave concerns, as many of them feature Muftis who are not completely qualified for issuing Fatwas, but exploit the opportunity to wrongly interpret dreams or popular medicines.

Abdul Hamid Al Ansari said: "The proliferation of such satellite channels comes from the increased demand from viewers for authentic counseling. These channels also make it convenient for them to receive such advice from their homes, instead of seeking it personally from a Mufti."

The Arab Media Forum 2009, held under the slogan 'Arab Media: Weathering a Period of Change and Crisis', includes a number of workshops and sessions featuring eminent experts who will debate on some of the vital issues that concern the media in the region.