Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Minister of Culture and Information Awwad Al-Awwad explored the prospect of further improving the local media industry in the Kingdom during his meeting with editors-in-chief of local newspapers at a workshop held at King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh on Thursday.

The meeting discussed a number of topics such as the overall situation of the local media organizations and ways to develop key areas such as editing, dissemination of news and impact of the media. The session also brainstormed the use of technology and social media platforms to serve the media content.

The international experiences and practices were reviewed so as to take advantage of them for the benefit of the media industry. The workshop also discussed means of developing the media industry to make it more competitive and influential, while keeping pace with the Kingdom’s political, economic and cultural status.

The minister exchanged views and ideas with the attendees about the ways to deal with the financial situation of the media organizations. The meeting approved a string of key recommendations in the field of investment to benefit from the assets of the press organizations, as well as the situation of the advertising market and search for effective and significant participation in this market.

The workshop also underscored the need to give emphasis on provision of training and sending journalist trainees abroad to develop their journalistic capabilities in the best possible manner so as to enable them to contribute tremendously in the local and foreign media work.