DOHA: The Minister of Energy and Industry, H E Dr Mohamed bin Saleh Al Sada, yesterday urged public relations professionals to develop tools to deal with the new media environment and citizen journalists.
The minister was speaking during the inauguration of the Third Public Relations Regional Conference here.
“In this new era, social media tools play an effective and pivotal role in transforming and transferring information and even spreading personal opinions,” Al Sada said.
He referred to the key role played in the Arab Spring by social media, which are the most popular source of news for youth in the region. “It’s replacing the traditional means of conveying and transferring knowledge, to the point that in some cases a small piece of information can transform society,” he added.
The minister said PR professionals must guarantee credibility and be prepared to deal with breaking news and its negative impact. He added, “even though advances in technology have facilitated the dissemination of information all around the world, the problem still lies in the content of the message, this is the secret of PR.”
Al Sada identified raising the profession to the highest standard as the biggest challenge in the field. “The mission of PR is a continuous effort that will exist while the message exists,” concluded the minister.
More than 300 experts in public relations are taking part in the conference, which seeks to bring together industry leaders from various Arab countries to exchange ideas and experiences on the latest trends and global challenges in this area.
The president of International Public Relations Association Gulf Chapter, Faisal Bin Said Al Zahrani, the vice president, Jassim Fakhro, who is also president of the conference, and the president of the Association, Christophe Ginistry, were among the dignitaries present during the opening ceremony.
Fakhro said it was the first time such a meeting was taking place in Qatar. “It allows us the opportunity to address the challenges of public relations, which is a communication art that contributes to the success of any organisation by conveying a positive image,” he said.
Al Zahrani said, “this conference is taking place in the light of many changes in the field of media,” adding that the organisation had organised numerous events to develop the industry.
Over the years, the Gulf Chapter has organised 120 conferences aiming to encourage dialogue, and among its achievements is a code of conduct for the profession, which was adopted in 2011.
Ginistry said public relations “help journalists survive and contribute to transforming governments and organisations by helping them understand the power of transparency and teaching about social responsibility.”
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