Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia set to launch national dialogue channel
Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans to launch an exclusive national television channel in the near future to promote the spirit of dialogue on key issues.
- By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent
- Published: 22:54 July 5, 2009
Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans to launch an exclusive national television channel in the near future to promote the spirit of dialogue on key issues. For added emphasis, the kingdom's Minister of Culture and Information, Dr Abdul Aziz Al Khoja, observed that pursuing dialogue and diversity is the only way forward in the digital information age.
"The ministry will carry out comprehensive studies and hold discussions and consultations before presenting the proposal to launch the dialogue channel to King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz," he said.
Dr Al Khoja made the remarks in a working paper titled 'The role of the mass media in promoting the culture of dialogue.' The paper was presented at a certified trainers' forum on the promotion of the culture of national dialogue at the King Faisal Conferences Hall here on Saturday.
Dr Al Khoja highlighted the significance of both the print and electronic media in promoting national dialogue in a true perspective. "A national dialogue television is essential in making the case for fair, healthy and more vigorous debate in society. Those in charge of the official media should be fair to the new digital media that have forced the official mass media to allocate space for dialogue, differences in views, and diversity," he said.
According to the minister, new media have strongly signalled "the end of one voice, one opinion and one colour".
In his opening remarks at the forum, Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz Alu Al Shaikh emphasised the role of the media in strengthening the unity of society and furthering the love of Islam and respect for the country's leadership.
"A person engaging in dialogue, with all his intellectual and physical power, must work on strengthening society, not on destroying it," he said while urging participants of dialogue forums to display sound judgment and goodness of heart.
The forum was organised by the King Abdul Aziz Centre for National Dialogue.
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