Minister of Information Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi has affirmed the key role played by the media in disclosing news and raising awareness in any exceptional circumstance.
He stressed the national and humanitarian responsibility in assuming this role properly in order to achieve the goals of this vital sector.
Speaking in the opening session of the Arab Media Forum (AMF), which is held for the first time at a distance under the theme “the Media amidst Changes”, the Information Minister stressed the change in official media and its growing importance in disclosing the right and trusted information in light of the crises and exceptional circumstances undergone by the world over the past years.
He affirmed that the current global crisis because of coronavirus outbreak has made the equation difficult in maintaining a dividing line between underestimation and exaggeration.
He said Bahrain won the bet by adopting a balanced media discourse based on transparency in disclosing the right information and informing the public about the health situation.
Responding to a question on comparing the Arab and western media in dealing with crises, the Information Minister stressed that the successive stances proved that the western media is not an example to be emulated because of being subject to influential forces.
He pointed out that comparison is not sound, particularly in light of coronavirus crisis in which the western media oscillated between downplaying and exaggeration, causing major losses.
He noted that this was not the case with the Arab media which proved its awareness, commitment and ability to assume professional responsibility competently.
Concerning media laws and their role in restricting freedom, the Information Minister said the media laws aim principally to regulate media work and preserve the rights of all and not to restrict freedom.
This, he added, has become the demand of mass media and the media persons themselves are seeking to implement amid the spread of social media networks and their impact on literary property and the propagation of fabricated news.
SOURCE: ALBILAD