Doha, Qatar: Highlighting current status and future horizons of print media of Qatar, Editor-in-Chief of The Peninsula, Dr. Khalid Bin Mubarak Al-Shafi has authored a book Qatari Press: Present challenges and future prospects.
The book, a bilingual publication (Arabic and English), covers the evolution, growth, contemporary challenges and future of Qatari press.
In author’s own words the “book reviews the challenges faced by the Qatari press in vital aspects related to the industry’s sustainable development by way of analysing factors such as advertising, distribution, reading patterns, and media content trend indicators, in addition to analysing the role these factors play against the challenges facing the press currently, and what necessitates its future continuity.”
“This book also delves into the characteristics of the Qatari press, the nature of its work, and the role it played as an effective authority alongside the three well-known authorities – legislative, judiciary, and executive,” the authors pens in book’s preface.
Published by Dar Al Sharq Group, the book’s first chapter “The emergence of the Qatari press and stages of its development” throws light on history of evolution of Qatari press starting from the publication of The Gazette which was issued in 1961. The chapter also tells the story of some magazines of ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s of the last century like Doha Magazine, Al Ouroba Magazine, Al Saqr Magazine and Al Ummah Magazine.
The chapter two of the book ‘Role of Qatari press in international relations’ shows the role of Qatari press in reflecting the efforts of Qatari diplomacy in the field of mediation with intensive humanitarian and development efforts to strengthen the appropriate ground for establishing and sustaining peace. The Qatari press also played a significant role in promoting interfaith dialogue, alliance of civilisations, protection of human rights.
Chapter three of the book deals with English newspapers of Qatar while media freedom is the theme of the chapter four of the publication.
“One of the most important indicators of press freedom in Qatar is the openness to all opinions, without resorting to sensationalism, intimidation, or trading accusations, relying on dialogue and knowledge, and focusing on transparency while presenting various topics, issues, and points of view,” Dr. Al-Shafi writes.
Another important chapter ‘Qatari press and modern challenges’ discusses very important global phenomenon of contemporary challenges to print media in the forms of electronic and digital media. The author thinks that “Qatari newspapers have drawn up ambitious plans for the digital transformation phase with the aim of facing these challenges and preserving at the same time the advantages of print journalism, which still commands readers’ trust.”
The last chapter of the book ‘Qatari press and future prospectives’ kindles hope of readers and print media journalists. The writer argues that “many serious studies argue that digital challenges will not lead to the collapse of the print media, but they will certainly lead to major changes in its editorial policies, administrative staff, and methods of work.”
The book will be available at the Dar Al Sharq booth in the upcoming 32nd Doha International Book Fair set to take place at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre from June 12 to 21, 2023.
