KUWAIT CITY — Kuwaiti Minister of Information Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi honored Editor-in-Chief of Okaz newspaper Jameel Altheyabi and a number of other eminent Arab media personalities and veteran journalists. This is in recognition of their great efforts in supporting the media work and stimulating creativity and innovation in the media field over a period of several years. The honoring was held at the end of a dialogue session organized as part of the activities of the 18th Arab Media Forum. The forum kicked off on Sunday in Kuwait, under the auspices of the Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. Several prominent Arab media leaders and professionals are attending the forum being held on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its founding. The forum's topics of deliberations and discourses include a multitude of issues pertaining to the future of the media industry in the region. An exhibition, titled "Media, communications technology and electronic applications" kicked off on the sidelines of the forum. Altheyabi was one among the speakers of the forum's first dialogue session titled "The future of media, and media of the future." Other speakers were Arab League Assistant Secretary General for the Media and Communications Ambassador Ahmed Khitabi, Editor-in-Chief of Omani newspaper Al-Roya Hatim Al-Taie, and Editor-in-Chief of the Kuwaiti newspaper Al Rai Waleed Al-Jassim. In his speech, Altheyabi said that the future of the media profession is based on the importance of creating media content in a creative way apart from keeping abreast with the latest developments and changes amid the breathtaking technological boom. Altheyabi emphasized that the advent of artificial intelligence would have an impact on media outlets worldwide. "With the hegemony of artificial intelligence, we may witness the end of media organizations and companies. It was important to catch up with all modes of development within media or be left behind," he said. He also expressed hope that the media profession would continue to exist though there would be fast changes and variations in their means and outlets. In his speech, Khitabi stressed the importance of meeting the challenges of the new and digital media. "Upgrading media capabilities should not sweep away issues of great urgency mainly the Palestinian cause," he affirmed. On his part, Waleed Al-Jassim said that the Arab media faced challenges in suppressing freedoms, which are an integral part of any plans for much-sought development and creativity. He noted that Social Media platforms had a higher ceiling for freedoms compared with regular media. In his speech, Hatem Al-Taie indicated that the newer generation of media personnel needed to prepare for the upcoming transformation in digital media.
