Latest news with #UAENationalMediaOffice
Al Etihad
10-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
20th Arab Media Forum opens in Kuwait
10 May 2025 22:24 KUWAIT (WAM)The 20th edition of the Arab Media Forum opened in Kuwait on Sunday, inaugurated by Kuwait's Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Abdulrahman forum will be hosted over a three-day period under the theme, 'Media Challenges in the Era of Technological Advancement and Digital Transformation'.The opening ceremony was attended by Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, who is heading the UAE's delegation to the forum. Also present were several ministers, officials, members of the diplomatic missions, and Arab media event began with a documentary film that traced the 20-year journey of the Arab Media Forum, highlighting its successful establishment on the regional media scene through the launch and support of numerous impactful media initiatives. In his speech during the opening, Al-Mutairi conveyed the greetings of the forum's patron, the Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and expressed his wishes for the forum's success.
Kuwait News Agency
10-05-2025
- Business
- Kuwait News Agency
Kuwait Info. Min. commends UAE's great media potential
KUWAIT, May 10 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said Saturday the UAE has great human and technological media potential thanks to hard work and serious planning. The minister made the statement to KUNA while welcoming Chairman of the UAE National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council (UAEMC) Sheikh Abdullah Al Hamed upon the latter's arrival in Kuwait to attend the Arab Media Forum due on Saturday, and the 28th meeting of GCC information ministers due on Sunday. He added that the visit came in the context of fruitful and constructive media cooperation between Kuwait and the UAE as well as all GCC member countries, commending this as a role model for pan-Arab media action. The Kuwaiti minister also spoke highly of the UAE's qualitative media advancement and strategic insight based on professionalism and innovation. "We welcome the UAE as a guest of honor at the Arab Media Forum, which is a deserved selection that reflects the UAE's prominent position on the Arab media map and the influential role of its media institutions in supporting cultural and ideological dialogue and developing fruitful media content," he noted. He noted that the GCC information ministers' meeting contributes to promoting pan-Gulf media coordination and pushing forward media action for further integration and cooperation, thus serving the region's issues and its people's aspirations. The minister underlined Kuwait's commitment to continuously beefing up media partnership with the UAE only out of its well-founded belief in the significance of media in building societal awareness and establishing common Gulf and Arab values. (end)
Campaign ME
21-03-2025
- Business
- Campaign ME
UAE Media Council spotlights BRIDGE initiative to spur media ethics in the AI age
The UAE National Media Office (NMO) hosted its annual Ramadan gathering in Dubai on Wednesday, where it showcased the UAE's newly announced BRIDGE Summit – a long-term global initiative designed to enhance media integration, keep pace with digital advancements, enhance media ethics and accountability in the age of AI, train young cohorts within the next generation of media professionals, and more. His Excellency Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, reaffirmed the UAE's commitment, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to strengthen international cooperation in the media sector. The BRIDGE initiative is a year-round effort to foster engagement, develop solutions for evolving media challenges, and champion innovation. Furthermore, the summit reinforces the idea that media is a shared responsibility — advancing it requires collaboration, and a commitment to sound ethics, truth and transparency. HE Al Hamed also announced the launch of the BRIDGE Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering media professionals, promoting responsible journalism, and positioning media as a transformative force in development and positive change, in line with the UAE's commitment to investing in talent and ensuring a resilient, future-ready media sector. Campaign Middle East was present at the event where HE Al Hamed said the UAE recognises the media as a key pillar of progress, a catalyst for positive change and a driver of a more prosperous and sustainable future. During a panel discussion titled 'How Is 'BRIDGE' Shaping the Media's Future?' moderated by entrepreneur and host of #ABtalks Anas Bukhash, the Chairman of the NMO, HE Al Hamed said, 'Our gathering coincides with Zayed Humanitarian Day, a momentous occasion in the UAE's calendar. The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan firmly believed that media is more than a communication tool — it is a humanitarian force that fosters goodwill and peace. His vision laid the foundation for a credible, respectful, and impactful media landscape.' 'The BRIDGE Summit builds on this legacy, offering a global platform that leverages media for the greater good in line with our belief that media should unite, not divide.' 'The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan firmly believed that media is more than a communication tool — it is a humanitarian force that fosters goodwill and peace. His vision laid the foundation for a credible, respectful, and impactful media landscape.' Shaping the future of media through the BRIDGE initiative HE Al Hamed also described how rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and digital technologies are reshaping the media landscape. In response to these trends, the BRIDGE Summit aims to provide a global forum for international collaboration, addressing industry challenges and ensuring sustainability through innovation, transparency and credibility. HE Al Hamed said, 'Our goal is to establish the BRIDGE Summit as a global benchmark for anticipating the future of media, driving industry transformation and strengthening its contribution to the global economy. The summit will facilitate knowledge exchange, explore emerging technologies and build bridges between media institutions, academia, and businesses.' He added, 'BRIDGE is not just an event—it is a movement; it is the UAE's invitation to the world to collaborate in uplifting media's role in society. By forging strategic partnerships with global media organisations, we aim to develop an international framework that ensures ethical and responsible media practices in the digital age.' In closing, HE Al Hamed urged policymakers, media leaders and decision-makers to engage with BRIDGE as a dynamic platform for dialogue and collaboration. HE Al Hamed said, 'Our success depends on open communication and a shared commitment to using media as a force for good. Let us work together to shape the future, build knowledge networks, and establish BRIDGE as a gateway to a more responsible and impactful media industry.' Following HE Al Hamed's address, His Excellency Dr Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Director-General of the National Media Office, provided further insights into the BRIDGE Summit's key themes. He emphasised its role in driving international media collaboration, keeping pace with digital advancements, and fostering meaningful dialogue among media leaders and experts. Dr. Al Kaabi announced that Abu Dhabi will host the BRIDGE Summit from 8-10 December 2025, bringing together heads of state, CEOs, policymakers, and media professionals to shape the future of media. Emphasising that BRIDGE is the UAE's 'gift to the world', Dr. Al Kaabi said the summit will also feature a media production exhibition showcasing cutting-edge innovations from leading national, regional, and global media companies. Dr. Al Kaabi said the BRIDGE Summit will also serve as a hub for media entrepreneurship, creating new opportunities for innovation and creativity. The event will provide a dynamic platform for media startups and innovators to present their ideas, connect with investors, and expand their presence in global markets. The NMO's annual Ramadan gathering also featuerd a fireside chat and a panel discussion titled 'Legacy vs. Disruptors: How has the Media Evolved Through Eras of Change'. The fireside chat welcomed Rani R. Raad, CEO, IMI, President and Operating Partner of RedBird IMI on stage and was moderated by Richard Attias, Founder and Chairman, Richard Attias & Associates. The event also included a panel titled 'From Newsrooms to Algorithms: Who Controls the Future of Media?' The discussion featured Arya Bolurfrushan, Founder & CEO, Applied AI; Julien Hawari, CEO of Million; Marwan Kai, CEO of Media International Services Gulf; and Aaina Pahwa, Digital Content Creator, and was moderated by Becky Anderson, Journalist and Anchor at CNN.
Politico
17-03-2025
- Business
- Politico
The UAE courts the media to build its tech brand
With help from Anthony Adragna The United Arab Emirates has spent the better part of the last 20 years reinventing itself as a tech hub. Now it's aiming for a broader role on the world stage — and its next play is for the media. Last week, Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, chairman of the UAE National Media Office, gathered about 150 journalists and Washington personalities in the Ritz-Carlton in downtown D.C. to unveil 'BRIDGE,' a high-profile global media initiatives that will 'empower the next generation of storytellers, invest in ethical AI, champion press freedoms, and ensure that integrity remains at the core' of global news. It's the latest of a host of recent events the UAE has hitched to big global trends. In December, Eric Trump and now-Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff spoke at Bitcoin MENA, a crypto conference held in capital city Abu Dhabi. Last month Dubai hosted the 2025 World Governments Summit featuring Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Palantir co-founder and CEO Alex Karp, CNN CEO Mark Thompson and, via video call, Elon Musk. At the BRIDGE launch event at Washington's Ritz-Carlton, waiters passed out dates and strong coffee before the attendees sat down for a presentation on the summit, which Al Hamed billed as 'an ambitious new global platform' where government and media industry leaders could 'set the agenda for the future.' He said a summit would be paired with a nonprofit foundation and hoped to foster media startups. The plan was short on details, such as who would be at the summit or why, specifically, American journalists should attend. But it also seemed completely plausible, given the UAE's role as a node in the global economy, and its rising influence on the American tech industry — including the Emirati MGX fund that backed the Stargate AI infrastructure plan announced from the White House. BRIDGE also has a producer with a track record of bringing durable, landmark events to ambitious Gulf states: producer Richard Attias. Attias, born in Morocco, served as executive producer of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland for about 15 years. He also was CEO of Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative, and produced more than 1000 events, including the Clinton Global Initiative and the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which he co-produced. DFD asked Attias what the goal of BRIDGE was, and he framed it as a helping hand to a struggling industry. 'The challenges coming from AI technologies and all this fake news and the social media which are not really under control, could really have some collateral damage,' he said. 'So we said, what can we do? How can we help the media industry?' Gulf watchers said a splashy international media summit would serve another aim: training the world's attention on the UAE's rapid transformation into a tech powerhouse. 'The country is investing massively in digital infrastructure to become a global hub for the AI and post-oil economy — so I'm not surprised they want to take that further into the media sector,' said political scientist Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a Dubai-based nonresident senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center. Joshua Jahani, managing director of the New York-based Jahani and Associates investment bank that has worked with UAE sovereign wealth funds, told me he saw a giant media event like BRIDGE as a brand-building exercise. 'The UAE has taken materially successful steps to diversify its economy through international tech investments and domestic tech investments,' he said. Now, media was a key component. 'They have to be able to get the story out.' The UAE is not the only Gulf country to try to cultivate global media brands as it builds out its tech sector. It's part of a regional trend, Dania Thafer, executive director of the Gulf International Forum, told me. Web Summit Qatar held its conference last month, featuring CNBC and The Wall Street Journal | Barron's Group as media partners. And yet, there is a contradiction at the heart of the UAE's scheme to plant a flag in the global media conversation: it's an autocratic state with limited freedom of speech. The U.S. State Department has found that the UAE imposes 'serious restrictions on free expression and media, including censorship' and — ironically for a would-be tech power — 'serious restrictions on internet freedom.' Reporters Without Borders ranks the UAE 160th of 180 in world press freedom, behind India but ahead of Russia. Asked about censorship, Attias said, 'I cannot comment, because I'm not aware at all about that.' Jim Krane, an energy research fellow at the Baker Institute at Rice University, said he visits the UAE with university students and cautions them to avoid posting negative commentary online. 'I always tell them if you have anything outrageously negative to say, wait till you get home,' he said. 'It's a great launchpad for covering the region, but start looking inward at corruption or ruling family issues and you can wear out your welcome pretty easily.' He believes he experienced censorship himself after he chronicled his time living in the UAE as a reporter in the 2009 'City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism.' 'It sold well in Dubai the first two years when it was out, but then when I would go to bookstores they would tell me they would not sell it unless it was being asked for by name, and then they told me they were not allowed to sell it,' Krane said. (Abdulla, the political scientist, said he was a friend of Krane's and had been able to find the book in Dubai stores.) BRIDGE will be held in Abu Dhabi in December 2025, and the attendee list is far from clear. But in a world where many countries, the U.S. included, are seeing press freedom curtailed in the interest of business-minded leaders, the UAE might again be on trend. 'The lack of media freedom is outweighed by the access for investment, and it's just a great place to be, to cover an interesting part of the world that's getting wealthier and wealthier,' Krane said. Abdulla concurred. 'Media freedom, press freedom is definitely a shortcoming, we admit it. But if you come over here, there are lots of freedoms across the board, social freedom, economic freedom,' he said. 'We over here think that is just as important as having political freedom.' Crypto fought the law... and won Bolstered by President Donald Trump's victory, some of the biggest names in the cryptocurrency industry are launching a new volley against the Securities and Exchange Commission. POLITICO's Declan Harty reports that many of the biggest players in the industry who backed President Donald Trump's candidacy are now demanding accountability from the SEC — and in some cases payback — over its investigations. That includes Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple's top lawyer, Stuart Alderoty — who want the industry to shun law firms that hire former SEC employees involved in the crypto crackdown — and the billionaire Trump-backing twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who want the agency to fire anyone who handled an investigation into Gemini. The pushback could boost legislative efforts to set up new boundaries around the SEC's authority over crypto, writes Declan. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), who leads the House Financial Services Committee's digital assets panel, said demarcating who should police the market will prevent 'some of the enforcement abuses we saw during the previous administration.' Inside NASA pick's finances Billionaire space enthusiast Jared Isaacman released his financial disclosures ahead of his Senate confirmation process to lead NASA — revealing a sprawling web of financial interests. Chief among his assets is more than $316 million in Shift4 Payments, which provides payment processing technology. Isaacman, the founder and CEO Shift4, will resign from his corporate posts once confirmed, according to his ethics agreement. He also reports modest stakes in major tech companies such as Alphabet Inc.; Amazon; Netflix; Paypal; Rivian; Nvidia; Tesla; Apple and Microsoft, among others, which Isaacman said he will divest once confirmed. A group of seven Republican governors have urged swift confirmation of Isaacman to lead NASA, though his confirmation hearing has yet to be scheduled. Trump announced his pick for NASA in December. The Senate Commerce Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment on when it might schedule a confirmation hearing for Isaacman. POST OF THE DAY THE FUTURE IN ANOTHER FIVE(ISH) LINKS Stay in touch with the whole team: Derek Robertson (drobertson@ Mohar Chatterjee (mchatterjee@ Steve Heuser (sheuser@ Nate Robson (nrobson@ Daniella Cheslow (dcheslow@ and Christine Mui (cmui@
Broadcast Pro
12-03-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
UAE launches initiative to tranform media industry
Abu Dhabi will host the BRIDGE summit in December, uniting thousands of media professionals to shape the future of the industry. The UAE National Media Office has introduced BRIDGE, an initiative aimed at empowering media professionals, fostering innovation and promoting responsible journalism in the digital era. Operated by the non-profit BRIDGE Foundation, the initiative seeks to build a dynamic, inclusive media ecosystem that supports collaboration and ethical storytelling. The launch event, led by H.E. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE National Media Office, alongside H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi and Richard Attias, Founder & Chairman of Richard Attias & Associates, brought together top journalists, publishers, investors and thought leaders. Their shared mission: to shape the future of media through strategic action and innovation. H.E. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Butti Al Hamed said: 'Media is the pulse of a thriving society. It informs and inspires us, it shapes global perceptions and influences international dialogues, and it connects cultures from around the world. By convening the brightest minds from across the global media landscape, this initiative will empower the next generation of storytellers, invest in ethical AI, champion press freedoms, and ensure that authenticity and integrity remain at the core of our industry.' As AI-driven disruptions reshape the media landscape, BRIDGE aims to serve as a global hub for thought leadership, technological advancements and investment. It will equip media professionals with the tools and networks needed to navigate digital transformation. Richard Attias added: 'This platform is built on the belief that partnerships, not silos, will define the future — particularly when it comes to media. The media is not just a witness to history; it is a force that shapes it.' BRIDGE functions as a year-round platform for engagement, collaboration, and action, culminating with the world's largest and most influential gathering of media in Abu Dhabi on December 8-10, 2025. H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi commented: 'BRIDGE is designed to tackle the most pressing challenges of our industry and deliver real-world solutions. It is not just about dialogue—it is about economic opportunity. At our flagship December conference, the BRIDGE Showcase and Marketplace will be a launchpad for startups, a deal-making hub for investors, and a catalyst for business collaboration.' Further details on BRIDGE's strategic roadmap will be announced later this year in Abu Dhabi.
