Press freedom, responsibility of scribes discussed at media conference

Freedom of the press and difficulties faced by media in the Arab world were discussed at a conference on the sidelines of the third Advertising and Media Expo, which concluded on Thursday. Media specialists from the sultanate and other countries held a number of discussions at the three-day forum. Salim al Riyami, project manager, Al Nimr Expo, the organisers of the exhibition, said, “The conference was aimed at shedding light on Omani media and the obstacles faced by it.”

Ways to increase freedom of the press and responsibilities of journalists towards society were also discussed. Laila al Shaikahly, a presenter from Al Jazeera channel, talked about the coverage of the Arab revolutions and the difficulties that the media faces in this regard. She stressed on the need for credibility and objectivity in covering developments in the Arab region.

Ahmed al Hooti from Oman TV presented the challenges the visual media in the sultanate faces and ways to deal with them.

The second day's sessions discussed the growth of print media in Oman with the entry of new newspapers and tabloids, as well as the improvement in content and subjects covered. The event also covered the relationship between journalism and advertisements and rise in public and private radio channels in the sultanate, challenges they faced and the content they aired.

The changes brought about in electronic media by websites, forums and social networking sites were also discussed.