H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, and Dr. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Chairman of Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, attended today the launch of the 8th edition of the Fujairah Media Forum.

Dr. Sheikh Rashid bin Hamad Al Sharqi said that the forum aimed to put Fujairah on the Arab and the global media map, and attempted to raise critical issues related to the media and community, through social media channels that are accessible in all homes.

Hamdan Karam Al Kaabi, Director-General of Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, affirmed that the 8th edition of the forum aimed to promote its professional and academic experience, which started since its inception.

Mansour Al Mansouri, Director-General of the National Media Council, NMC, said that the media sector is witnessing a new phase, defined by the communication and interaction between news publishers and recipients. The digital media, despite its short history, managed to change the media scene and impose new tools and advantages; currently, everyone is a reporter and information is no longer limited to a specific medium. The current media scene is characterised by fast, viral and highly influential news, he added.

This new reality represents a serious challenge to the conventional media, especially newspapers, as it has reduced their ability to compete, emerge and sustain themselves, he observed.

He highlighted several pieces of evidence on the decline of the traditional media as the primary source of news and information.

He pointed out that the British newspaper 'The Independent' declared that its paper edition issued on 26th March 2016, would be its last, which proved the influence of the new media, including the social media outlets.

The first day of the forum included a session discussing the relationship between the news media and social media. Moderated by Ahmed Al Yamahi, the panel discussion saw the participation of Mohammed Jalal Al Raisi, Executive Director of Emirates News Agency, WAM, and journalists Othman Al Omair from Saudi Arabia, Jalal Mohammed from Palestine, Hassan Yakoub from the UAE, and Abdulhaleem Al Madani from Iraq.