DUBAI – Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of the UAE Media Council (UAEMC), has approved a comprehensive legislative and policy roadmap for the media sector in the UAE during a meeting of the Council’s Board of Directors.
At the UAEMC meeting, Sheikh Abdulla emphasized the importance of aligning national efforts and creating partnerships with various media organizations in the country.
He stated this approach is crucial for establishing a leading and integrated media ecosystem that elevates the UAE’s media sector to new heights, consistent with the UAE leadership’s vision to enhance the nation’s standing on the global media map.
He remarked, “The UAE Media Council is entering a new phase by designing a comprehensive strategy and an ambitious roadmap that includes supportive policies, progressive legislation, and proactive initiatives that keep pace with the rapid shifts reshaping the media industry.”
The UAEMC Chairman affirmed the media’s significant role in shaping public opinion and culture, and the national media’s responsibility as a platform for constructive dialogue on critical issues and highlighting the UAE’s renaissance under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He underscored the importance of ensuring that the UAE’s media sector is underpinned by core values such as tolerance and coexistence, which serve the interests of the country and the people, promote human growth, and drive the UAE’s development and its quest for leadership in the present and future.
“We have been instilled with the core principles of modern media that remains at the forefront of contemporary discourse and champions the vital concerns of our nation and its citizens. These guiding principles stem from the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father and architect of our nation. His unwavering belief in the power of media to propel national progress and development is firmly rooted in his profound faith in human capital as the cornerstone of all advancements. He recognized individuals as the true architects, builders, and wealth of the Emirates. This conviction fueled his dedication to fostering a media landscape that serves as a truthful reflection of both our nation and the global community, upholding the values of strength, influence, effectiveness, transparency, and the comprehensive development he envisioned for all sectors,” Sheikh Abdulla continued.
Roadmap for Excellence
The Chairman of the UAE Media Council explained that the UAEMC is committed to developing a modern national media sector that embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. By leveraging his directives as a roadmap for lasting excellence and leadership, with the youth serving as the pivotal driver.
“This entails creating a media sector that embraces world cultures and communities, keeping pace with ongoing developments and transformations. We aim for a modern, flexible, and innovative media industry that enhances the UAE’s unique status both regionally and globally. This sector is driven by the vibrant spirit upon which the UAE was built, its comprehensive vision for the future, its efficiency in addressing crises of all kinds, and optimally using its resources to fuel sustainable development for current and future generations.”
He further emphasized the Council’s commitment to implementing the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to develop a future-proof media sector that can adapt to regional and global changes through innovative, pioneering, and ambitious plans and programs.
Sheikh Abdulla highlighted the UAEMC’s dedication to adopting the approach of UAE leaders and the Rulers of the Emirates in terms of work ethic, generosity, serving the UAE people, and building a prosperous, cohesive, and peaceful community. This effort includes preserving national identity and heritage by developing a media sector fueled by science, technology, knowledge, and values.
Content in the Knowledge-based Economy
Sheikh Abdulla stated that the comprehensive UAE media roadmap aims to enhance the media landscape and provide quality content that accelerates the growth of the UAE’s knowledge economy.
“It also seeks to establish a modern, flexible, and innovative media industry that showcases the uniqueness of the UAE experience to the region and the world. This is through its forward-looking vision and its excellence in overcoming various challenges, presenting to the world a model of prosperity built on order, stability, development, and tolerance.”
The media, continued the UAEMC Chairman, is our effective tool to help achieve the UAE’s development goals. We aim to leverage new media opportunities and emerging sectors to enhance the media economy’s contribution to the country’s GDP. Furthermore, it plays a critical role in strengthening national identity through content that promotes national values and cultural heritage.
He also emphasized the UAE Media Council’s commitment to fostering a competitive and adaptive media industry, one that thrives on innovation, echoes the aspirations of the UAE people, and acts as a sustainable engine for spreading and developing knowledge.
Incentivizing Young Talent
The comprehensive legislative and policy UAE media roadmap, adopted by the UAE Media Council during the first Board of Directors meeting of 2024, aims to promote entrepreneurship in media by offering incentives to attract young talent and creating a conducive environment that encourages innovation and ensures ease of doing business. It also focuses on protecting the intellectual property rights of creators in the media sector.
Moreover, the roadmap seeks to enhance the creation of competitive local content by supporting local production, developing training programs in cooperation with international experts, and forming partnerships to highlight local content and extend its global reach.
The meeting saw attendance from notable figures including Saeed Mohammad Al Eter, Assistant Minister for Strategic Projects at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and Chair of the UAE Government Media Office; Mohammed Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council; Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, Director-General of the Government of Dubai Media Office; Dr. Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City; Nasser Muhammed Al Yamahi, Director-General of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority; Dr. Saeed Saif Al Matroushi, Secretary-General of Ajman’s Executive Council, and Maitha Majed Al Suwaidi, CEO of Strategy and Media Policy and Secretary of the UAE Media Council.