Information Minister highlights keenness to empower creative youth, promote responsible freedoms

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Information Affairs Minister Ali bin Mohammed Al-Romaihi has stressed that empowering creative national youth competencies and promoting responsible press and media freedoms are the best means to enhance the media message and ensure that it keeps pace with the enormous information and communication revolution.

This will contribute to highlighting the kingdom’s pioneering national achievements locally and abroad, within the framework of the comprehensive development march, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, he said.

During an open meeting with the Al Ahlia University’s faculty members and students on the Information Affairs Ministry’s Media Strategy, the minister expressed his deep pride in holding the online seminar in coincidence with the kingdom’s celebrations of the National Action Charter anniversary, whose adoption has paved the way for launching reform march and media openness in the kingdom, in light of HM the King’s unlimited support for press and media freedom, as well as for consolidating the knowledge-based society and caring for youth, who are the nation’s real asset.

Al-Romaihi highlighted the Information Affairs Ministry’s keenness to provide the necessary legislative, technical and professional atmosphere in order to develop the national media and its influence as an effective partner in defending the homeland’s security and stability, preserving its cultural and civilisational identity and enhancing its development process on the bases of responsible freedom, pluralism, independence, creativity and sustainability, according to a modern, flexible and advanced strategy, in line with the Government Action Plan, and the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

Al-Romaihi stressed the Information Ministry’s commitment, as part of its development mission, to strengthen the values of belonging and good citizenship, and rehabilitating national media competencies, who account for 98.8% of its staff, by involving them in specialised training programmes in partnership with national universities and international institutions, as well as developing their capabilities to support Team Bahrain, led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, through disseminating facts and trustworthy information, raising awareness on the preventive measures to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, producing televised education lessons, and launching the “Have Only Good Words to Say” Campaign in the face of rumours, hate discourse and cyberbullying.

During the webinar, the minister also reviewed the Information Ministry’s efforts to modernise the infrastructure of the information and communication sector, as well as increase its investment attractiveness and ensure it keeps pace with modern technologies, noting that the sector has been transformed into a huge global industry whose value exceeds $ 2.2 trillion, of which digital media represents 57%.

Al-Romaihi pointed out that the Information Affairs Ministry has implemented more than 20 projects, including mainly the “Heritage Village” project, aimed at enhancing media and technical production, as well as attracting talented Bahrainis, in partnership with the private sector, the modernisation of the radio and television broadcasting systems and studios, the establishment of the Creativity and e-Media Directorate and the inauguration of the digital platform for the live streaming of six TV channels and 10 radio stations through electronic applications and smart devices.

The Information Minister affirmed Bahrain’s resolve to carry on its efforts to strengthen its media presence on the international scene by consolidating the Arab media partnership in the face of religious hatred, extremism, terrorism and counter-media campaigns, including media education in school curricula, and increasing joint GCC and Arab media production, in a way that would promote the role of the media in preserving national security, fostering the values of tolerance and peace, and supporting sustainable development.