DOHA: Information ministers from the GCC states have called on the media in the region to counter all those who question Qatar’s right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The GCC countries have expressed full solidarity with Qatar and encouraged their media to continue to counter campaigns against Qatar whether in the region or overseas.
In recommendations they issued at their 23rd meeting, held here, the GCC information ministers said that among the simplest duties of the media in member states, is to highlight the cultural and economic gains of Qatar’s 2022 bid win and its positive impact on the youth in GCC states.
The ministers agreed that Qatar, in coordination with the GCC General Secretariat, should develop a strategy for joint media initiatives to counter such campaigns and stress the right of the GCC states, as represented by Qatar, to organise this important event.
The ministers have asked all media organisations in member-states to counter the propaganda of extremist ideologies which target the GCC youth and send a positive message to the people so that such ideologies do not prosper.
This decision taken by the information ministers will need to be followed up by all media committees of member states, including the GCC Media Federation. In this regard the role of all media organisations including that of radio, TV, print, and wire agencies will be made amply clear, reports QNA.
The ministers also decided to set up a technical committee of legal experts to study media laws being framed in GCC member states so that a unified set of GCC media guidelines could be developed and these guidelines will cover all media organisations, including the online media.
With regard to foreign TV channels that are trying to malign the image of GCC states against Arab and international laws, the ministers said they were having a negative impact on GCC societies. “We will continue to counter such campaigns,” the minister said.
Bahrain proposed at the meeting to make a joint GCC platform to make the media more effective so it can take more initiatives to fight the propaganda of vested interests against GCC member-states. In emergency situations, coordination among member-states should be intensified, according to Manama’s proposal. Such a uniform media policy is a must for GCC states, the ministers noted.
The Peninsula
