Al Qasimia University (AQU) concluded the international conference “Content Industry between Institutional Media and Social Media – Problems of Integration and Competition”, organised in cooperation with the Emirates News Agency (WAM), under the generous patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Founder of Al Qasimia University.
The conference, which was held over two days, saw the participation of 45 researchers representing 13 countries, who presented 37 scientific papers through 9 scientific sessions.
The conference sessions addressed pivotal topics such as digital transformations in the media, the integration of traditional and digital media, the impact of new media on media institutions, content creation in institutional media, digital media and professional practice, and experiences from digital media.
AQU stressed its keenness to follow up on the conference recommendations, in coordination with various Arab media and academic institutions, calling for strengthening partnerships between institutions and content makers aimed at developing Arab media content in a way that serves national identity and cultural values.
On the sidelines of the conference, WAM organised two workshops that were followed and attended by a large number of practitioners and students. The first workshop, entitled “The Journey of Preparing News”, moderated by Omar Al Ahmad, reviewed the steps of editing news at WAM, while the second workshop, presented by Abdullah Al Shehhi, entitled “Content Creation Using Artificial Intelligence”, focused on the role of modern technologies in improving media performance and enhancing innovation.
The conference issued a final statement of recommendations that included comprehensive visions for developing Arab media, stressing the importance of achieving integration between traditional and digital media to ensure its effective impact in shaping public opinion.
The statement called for enhancing the use of classical Arabic in digital content as a basic pillar of cultural identity, while providing training programmes for media professionals to develop their linguistic and professional skills. The conference stressed the need to develop clear strategies to combat fake news, while launching awareness programmes aimed at enhancing public awareness and developing critical thinking.
The conference also recommended investing in artificial intelligence technologies to improve the quality of media content and increase engagement with the public, in addition to updating the curricula of media colleges to include digital media specialisations, in order to meet the requirements of the changing labour market.
The final statement stressed the importance of establishing modern legal and ethical frameworks to ensure the integrity of content published on social media, while respecting intellectual property rights and protecting the privacy of users, pointing out the need to direct digital influencers to support societal and cultural issues that enhance national belonging and sustainability, which contributes to providing media content that reflects societal values and keeps pace with digital transformations.