Gulf news agencies discuss fake news, joint media strategy

NT Bureau
Doha

The threat of fake news and a programme for personnel exchanges were among the topics discussed at the 23rd meeting of the heads of the news agencies of Gulf Cooperation Council countries on Monday.
The talks, held virtually, were chaired by Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Rumaihi, director-general of the Qatar News Agency

The meeting also discussed the decisions made during the 26th gathering of GCC Ministers of Media, most notably the plans for a collaborative media strategy for 2023-30.

The delegates stressed the need for more training courses and workshops and looked into a report about misleading and false news reports. The meeting also outlined plans for an upcoming photography exhibition.

The attendees approved a program for exchange visits between editors, photographers and technicians across the region, and expressed their support for the Bahrain News Agency’s coverage of the 33rd Arab Summit on Thursday.

Ahmed bin Saeed Al Rumaihi affirmed that the key objective of the meeting is to enhance communication and cohesion among the GCC news agencies and forge cooperation in a diversity of media fields to serve the mutual interests based on shared benefits.

Al Rumaihi pointed out that the massive transformations in communication and social media platforms have generated significant changes in the techniques of producing, distributing and receiving information and news materials, thus posing an overwhelming challenge to the GCC news agencies.