Saad Al-Azmi, Assistant Undersecretary for Media Services and New Media at the Ministry of Information and Head of the New Media Committee at the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), emphasized the importance of adapting to advancements in digital intelligence technology and its applications within the media sector. He made these remarks during a speech at the Permanent Committee for New Media meeting held at ASBU’s headquarters in Tunis.
Al-Azmi highlighted the increasing focus on artificial intelligence (AI) in media, stressing the necessity for Arab media institutions to keep pace with these developments. He noted that the work of the New Media Committee at ASBU has expanded significantly due to the emphasis the union places on this area. Notably, for the first time in the last session, a special competition dedicated to new media was included in the Arab Radio and Television Festival.
During the meeting’s opening, ASBU Director General Abdul Rahim Suleiman discussed the rising global interest among radio unions regarding the implications of AI for media applications, which can yield both positive and negative effects. He stated that ASBU has developed a comprehensive work plan to address these issues, ensuring that member organizations remain updated on the latest technological advancements. This plan includes providing news exchange services through its cloud platform and offering training courses on AI utilization in media production and broadcasting.
Suleiman also emphasized the union’s commitment to applying AI technologies across various events and activities, including the announcement of results for competitions at the Arab Radio and Television Festival.
Additionally, the committee reviewed a report from the News and Program Exchange Center, which focused on the use of mobile journalism for producing news reports, especially in conflict and war zones. This approach includes documenting Israeli actions in the Palestinian territories through citizen and activist mobile phone footage, ensuring that the footage is verified before use.
Committee members also learned about training courses conducted on topics related to digital media, social media, and the use of AI in radio and television production and broadcasting, which have taken place at the Arab Training Center in Damascus and the Union Academy for Media Training.
