UAE | Media
Gulf media needs quality Emirati journalists
There is a need for quality journalists and the Emirati journalists in the UAE's media, said editors of major UAE English language dailies at a media forum on Tuesday.
- By Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporter
- Published: 22:24 October 14, 2008
- Image Credit: Ahmad Ramzan/Gulf News
- Francis Mathew (right), editor-at-large of Gulf News, and Martin Newland, editor-in-chief of The National, at JW Marriot on Tuesday during a panel discussion on the quality of journalists and the state of the Gulf media.
Dubai: There is a need for quality journalists and the Emirati journalists in the UAE's media, said editors of major UAE English language dailies at a media forum on Tuesday.
"There is a need to hire and try to keep Emirati and Gulf journalists in the UAE's newspapers," said Francis Mathew, Editor at Large of Gulf News, on a panel shared with the Editor in Chief of Abu-Dhabi based The National organised by the Public Relations Congress.
Mathew also criticised the draft Press and Publication Law, arguing that some of its clauses did not meet the needs of the local media. He mentioned the lack of a reference to online media, and a clause dealing with criticising "brotherly nations" as well as that dealing with causing damage to the country's reputation.
He said it was unclear what constituted both criticism and "brotherly nations", adding that such ambiguous terms left editors unable to determine where the red lines lie.
"The front page of Gulf News has had dramatic coverage of the [stock market crisis] in the past few days. Does reporting on the stock market damage the country's reputation?" he questioned. Mathew said that the law would also give courts the power to suspend newspaper licenses "which are granted by the cabinet".
Another essential step to developing the region's media, was to establish a government press office. There is a need for a point of contact and to make it an obligation of the authorities to give information.
Latest news
- Students attend traffic court hearings
- New road widens Jumeirah Lakes Towers access
- Filipino students, groups attend cultural meet
- For this maestro, it's all about the sound
- Experts can't tell old instruments from new
- Sound of violins
- Facilitators: Helping others find joy
- Volunteers remove garbage from Mamzar beach
- Clean-up campaign set to raise awareness
- Sharjah landmarks bathed in light
- Shaikh Mohammad meets South Korea leader
- Get friends on board, zip away with Salik bonus
- Top Arab advocacy group in dire need of aid
- New rules for Abu Dhabi buildings
- In the pursuit of happiness
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
