Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH – A national platform to connect reporters with spokespersons of various ministries and government agencies was launched by Minister of Information Abdulaziz Khoja here on Wednesday during a two-day workshop entitled “Spokesman and Media: Vision and Expectations.”



The platform will do the “chasing job” instead of reporters, said Abdul Aziz Al-Milhim, the newly appointed spokesman of the Ministry of Information.



The web platform, called ‘NAL’ for its Arabic abbreviation meaning ‘Getting spokespersons online’, will allow a reporter to select a spokesperson and submit questions.



The system will automatically remind the spokesperson of the questionnaire each day, and if no answer is given, then the questions will automatically get transferred to the chair of the government body. If no answer is received in this case too, then the reporter has the right to publish that no answer was received.



While journalists always raise the issue of a lack of cooperation from spokespersons, a small number of reporters showed up at the workshop while almost all government spokespersons were present.



Saud Katib, the head of external media at the Ministry of Information, criticized the absence of reporters, saying: “I always stand by journalists, but today they did not show up as opposed to spokesmen who are all here and ready to correct mistakes. Who will correct the mistakes of journalists if media establishments are not here?“



Mouna Jafarawi, a reporter, raised the common problem reporters face when they contact spokespersons. “We do not get answers and we get referred to official websites which have nothing useful or new to offer.”



Spokespersons addressed the challenges they face, such as convincing their bosses about cooperation with the media, as well as dealing with “unprofessional” reporters who make personal attacks.



Khaled Khaibari, the spokesman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), described his responsibility as “not a job but a duty that adds more pressure with no benefits.”



Mohammad Bin Louay, director of conferences and seminars at Nazaha (National Anti-Corruption Commission), said that they are still in the process of looking for a spokesperson.



Turky Al-Shulayil, spokesman of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, said that the platform “will need time to be activated.” He said the Commission has no problem in contacting media organizations. “Any delay in response is because some topics need time to get the information from the concerned departments.”