LONDON, 20th March, 2023 (WAM) — The Global Media Congress, in partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) and leading trans-Atlantic think tank Henry Jackson Society, today launched a new White Paper on the future of the media industry at an exclusive event in Westminster, London.
The launch event convened over 60 media leaders, MPs, academics, and other figures from across the industry around the theme of "Building resilient media organisations in the age of disinformation".
The highlight of the morning was a frank panel discussion featuring Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of WAM; Lord Bethell, Former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State; and Chiyo Robertson, Senior Business Editor. The conversation was expertly moderated by Henry Jackson Society’s Director of Research, former journalist Marc Sidwell.
The publication of the White Paper follows the conclusion of the inaugural Global Media Congress in Abu Dhabi last November. Hosted by WAM in association with ADNEC Group, this highly successful new event for the media industry gathered 14,000 experts and visitors over three days. Preparations for its second edition in November 2023 are already gathering pace.
A key feature of the Global Media Congress are the Media Future Labs, a series of no-holds-barred roundtable debates led by those shaping the future of the media industry. It is from those discussions that this new White Paper was developed. It presents eight different perspectives on fundamental questions around news organisations’ resilience in an age of fast-paced technological change and the spread of disinformation.
Central themes explored include media literacy, the impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the demand for people-centric news, the growth of the metaverse, and Gen Z consumption habits. The White Paper also includes four expert insights from leading media practitioners.
Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of WAM, said, “It is my hope that this White Paper will serve as a reference point for the global media industry as we work together to sustainably reform for the future. It is something we intend to update and publish annually”.
In the face of fundamental transnational challenges – not least the amplification of false information – the role and place of the media is under scrutiny. But its centrality and importance to societies has never been stronger.
To consult the White Paper, please visit 'Building resilient media organisations in the age of disinformation'.