*** Information Minister reviews media role in virus crisis | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Information Minister reviews media role in virus crisis

TDT | Manama

Information Affairs Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al Romaihi reviewed yesterday the role of the national media amidst the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. He said that 17 press conferences of the National Taskforce for Combatting COVID-19 have been broadcast live on TV and radio channels, as well as on digital and news platforms.

He also pointed out there have been more than 5,300 published news reports and polls in Arabic and English, including more than 1,000 local news reports on Bahrain News Agency (BNA). He added that 13 TV programmes were presented, including four in English.

He also noted there were 1,600 news reports, 3,133 subtitles in the news bar in both languages, more than 250 TV awareness timeouts, 26 radio timeouts, and eight timeouts in seven languages to raise awareness of expatriates. The Information Minister underscored the role of the National Communication Centre (NCC).

He pointed out it has broadcast 870 media messages in Arabic and English, and added that there were also 30 files for weekly messages, the editing of 20 journal articles, eight analytical reports, the promotion of 16 electronic platforms for government bodies, the support of 45 national digital initiatives, the publication of 46 designed reports, the re-publication of many success stories on the national preemptive procedures, and the monitoring of 1,508 news and 4,127 news site notifications.

The Information Minister further outlined the centre’s response to 138 queries from local, regional and international mass media. He added that it published 262 news reports in local and foreign media, communicated with various media to facilitate TV interviews with officials and organising 12 media visits to Intensive Care Units at the Military Hospital and the field hospital in Sitra to inform the public about the efforts of the medical and paramedical cadres.

The Information Minister lauded partnership with the Ministry of Education in producing more than 396 televised educational sessions. He also pointed out the contribution of Bahrain TV to the “Feena Khair” donation campaign.

The Information Minister stressed keenness of the Ministry on assuming its media role, with the production of an average of 191 live TV programmes per month, 88 recorded ones, 240 news bulletins, 97 news programmes and 255 live radio programmes, as part of the Ministry’s regular coverage of diverse local, regional and international issues.