ShareKUWAIT: The heads of news agencies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries agreed on Wednesday in principle to establish a joint application project for Gulf News agencies, which allows GCC citizens to access official news directly from GCC news agencies. At their 22nd meeting, which was held via video communication technology (zoom), the presidents tasked the relevant committees to work on the creation of this application, which also allows GCC citizens to watch live broadcasts of various Gulf radio and television channels, view the archive of photos and videos of each news agency, and follow up on the social media networks of each agency.
The meeting agreed that the formation of a technical media committee would enhance cooperation and coordination between news agencies to facilitate the implementation of all recommendations for the establishment of this application. The application provides the service of pulling data from various sources for news agencies in the GCC countries and importing it into the database so that each country can access the information. In this regard, the director general of the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), Dr. Fatima Al-Salem, welcomed the joint application project proposed by Qatar.
Dr. Al Salem called for the need to appoint a liaison officer to be a liaison between the agencies. Gulf News facilitates the task of the heads of agencies and provides them with data and information to develop the mechanism of joint work. She also expressed KUNA’s readiness to host experts and analysts to shed light on the most important issues affecting the GCC countries and to organize awareness seminars and workshops through video communication technology on the dangers of drugs and psychotropic substances and their effects on society.
Salem also expressed the agency’s readiness to host a number of employees working in Gulf News agencies to benefit from artificial intelligence and exchange experiences in this aspect. In this regard, she stressed the need for an exchange of visits between editors and correspondents, provided each reporter or editor has a journalistic project that he is working on at the host agency. She also praised the idea of discussing common topics via video communication technology (Zoom) in order to facilitate urgent issues. Regarding the item contained in the proposal of Oman on a timetable that includes a news file in various fields, Dr. Al-Salem stressed the need to unify journalistic standards and journalistic ethics.
During the meeting, the heads of the Gulf news agencies discussed a study on the current situation of news platforms that spread misleading and erroneous news about the GCC countries. Other news agencies expressed their great appreciation for the initiative of KUNA to prepare this study, stressing that "the agency is always ahead of such matters that are in the interest of GCC countries and citizens". They also discussed a proposal submitted by the United Arab Emirates on introducing the World Media Congress 2023, praising the achievement achieved by the UAE in the first edition of this Congress and calling at the same time the need to continue to organize it annually.
The heads of agencies also discussed the agenda of the meeting, including the proposals of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and nominating a liaison officer in each news agency who will be responsible for communication and coordination between the agencies. They also reviewed a proposal submitted by the Sultanate of Oman, which includes six items, including the establishment of a joint database, activating a unified account for the GCC countries on Twitter, making a schedule that includes a news file in various fields, as well as the implementation of a unified mobile application for news agencies. They also discussed the proposals of Kuwait, which include the establishment of joint workshops and training courses between countries.
The proposals of Kuwait include the establishment of joint digital platforms for the dissemination of news and reports, knowledge exchange, and providing a space for interaction between journalists and correspondents, as well as the development of joint media projects such as journalistic investigations and special reports dealing with common issues in the region, in addition to intensifying cooperation by covering important events such as the Gulf summits. Among these proposals are the standardization of journalistic standards and the use of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analysis to improve the quality of journalism, as well as enhancing cooperation between Gulf News agencies.
The presidents also reviewed the Secretariat General’s proposals on broadcasting periodic reports to promote Gulf citizenship, training courses in Gulf News agencies, exchanging visits between editors, photographers, and technicians, and agreeing to hold their next meeting in Qatar next year. In addition to Dr. Fatima Al-Salem, the meeting was attended by the director general of the Bahrain News Agency, Abdullah Buhaji, the director general and editor-in-chief of the Oman News Agency, Ibrahim Al-Azri Dr. Fahad Al Aqran, the acting head of the Saudi Press Agency, Ali Al Saad, the deputy director general, the director of the communication and international relations office at the Emirates news agency, Nasser Al Awadi, as well as the director of the marketing and public relations department at KUNA, Essam Al Ruwaih. - KUNA
