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Jaber Al Harami, Editor-in-Chief of Al Sharq, and Khaled Al Jaber, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Al Sharq, with Northwestern University in Qatar Dean and CEO, Everette E Dennis at the media forum yesterday.
DOHA: Top representatives in publishing, electronic media, digital media, public relations and advertising joined forces yesterday in a first-of-its-kind forum to assess the present and future prospects for the development of Qatar’s media industries.
“This is the first time that Qatar’s media professionals have come together to formally discuss our industry. The active participation here today demonstrates not only that there is an interest in greater industry-wide engagement, but also that Qatar enjoys a vibrant media scene ready for growth. Gatherings like these demonstrate the potential influence our industry could have through greater cooperation,” commented Mohamed Jaidah, chief executive officer of Firefly Communications, during the inaugural session of the Qatar Media Industries Forum, held at the W Hotel.
Representatives from Oryx Media Services, Aljazeera Network, Qtel, Qatar News Agency, local papers, as well as other businesses and organisations that make up Qatar’s media sector were in attendance.
The forum was a significant step forward for Qatar’s media industry – while sister cities elsewhere in the Gulf cluster organisations in “media cities”, this forum provided the first structured opportunity for exchange and community-building within Qatar’s media industry.
Northwestern University in Qatar organised and facilitated the forum, headed by NU-Q dean and CEO, Everette E Dennis. Dean Dennis’ report “Qatar’s Media Scene: Current State and Possible Future” served as the basis for discussion.
Addressing the leadership gathered from across Qatar’s media industries, Dean Dennis remarked, ‘Media attributes in Qatar, just as the rest of the country, continue to evolve at a phenomenal pace and a number of possibilities have arisen that could lead to disciplined priorities in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 roadmap.’
The assembled media business leaders were divided into groups for roundtable discussions, moderated by NU-Q faculty. Each group debated one of four key sections in Dean Dennis’ report: Qatar’s existing media attributes, barriers to market entry, challenges for media development, and potential areas for media exploration.
The Peninsula
