Sky News Arabia set to showcase excellence in the use of technology and human talent investment at the Global Media Congress

Sky News Arabia has announced its participation in the first edition of the Global Media Congress (GMC) from November 15 to 17, an event focused on the theme of ‘Shaping the Future of the Media Sector’.

In line with its commitment to delivering credible, relevant news in a timely manner across all content platforms, Sky News Arabia’s participation at GMC will underscore its pioneering media strategy which centers around excellence in newsgathering and delivery, driven by top-quality industry expertise, and supported by technological innovation.

As part of its dedication to the growth and development of industry talent, Sky News Arabia Academy will also take part in GMC through a series of free interactive workshops, covering a range of topics focused on journalism, digital content delivery, and news presentation. The Academy was founded with the aim of supporting professionals in all sectors in the development of their media, communications, and content development skills, and helping them stay up to date with the latest trends in a rapidly evolving landscape. The programmes are designed both for professionals in the media industry, as well as all other professionals who want to improve their presentation skills or deepen their knowledge in the field of digital journalism and content production.

Commenting on the event, Nart Bouran, CEO of Sky News Arabia and International Media Investments (IMI), said: “We are proud to have Sky News Arabia as a strategic media partner in the first session of the Global Media Congress, where we look forward to connecting with industry peers and colleagues. The congress also provides a platform for us to showcase Sky News Arabia’s leading capabilities and innovation in the use of modern technologies that contribute to our regional and local success across TV, radio, digital, and podcasts.”

He added: “While the world is witnessing an unprecedented period of development and innovation, the human factor remains a key element in shaping the news and conveying it in an effective and rich manner to the public. Part of the reason behind our creation of Sky News Arabia Academy is our firm belief in the importance of providing the right support to young media professionals, and enabling them to hone their abilities in the fields of visual and radio broadcasting and digital journalism, in order to keep pace with technical and human performance developments, and to communicate with the public in an effective manner.”

Visitors to the stand can engage with Sky News Arabia’s TV, radio, digital, and podcast teams, as well as learn more about its studio technologies through a display of virtual and augmented reality. In parallel, Sky News Arabia Academy will host an autocue text viewer challenge, which enables guests to test their news reading performance in front of the camera.

The Academy will also be providing a series of free, open-to-all workshops throughout the event. The first Sky News Arabia Academy workshop will be held on the morning of Tuesday, November 15, titled “Digital Media: Requirements for Success”; the session focuses on the telephone audience, journalistic writing in a digital world, and the use of social media as a source of news and promotion of media materials. The course will be delivered by Multimedia Journalist Nuha Omar.

On Wednesday, November 16, “The Future of Journalism and the Concept of a One-Man Staff” will see digital transformation expert, Roland Berber, discuss the secrets and concept of a one-man crew – a recent phenomenon enabled by technology – and the role of technology in enabling journalists to create and produce high-quality content. The course will be delivered by Roland Barbar, Head of Digital and Social Media at Sky News Arabia.

Chantal Saliba, one of the channel’s leading TV presenters will conclude the Sky News Arabia Academy series of workshops on Thursday, 17 November, with a session called “The Future of the Next Generation of TV Presenters”. During the workshop, she will reveal to aspiring young talent the secrets of succeeding as a TV presenter, including:  The importance of body language and direct communication, how to deal with the camera, the art of changing the tone of voice and how to control breathing, in addition to guidance on preparing newsletters and interviews.

Sky News Arabia presenters will also take part in moderating various panels throughout the event. Iman Lahrash will inaugurate the Congress by moderating the ministerial discussion session, which will be attended by the Ministers of Information of India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Bahrain, and will look at industry developments and the future of investment opportunities around the world. In addition, on the second day of the event, Carolina Nassar will lead a discussion session titled “Media for Good, and Objectives of Sustainable Development”, while presenter and media personality Chantal Saliba will moderate a panel organized by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, about the role of Media thinktank dynamics in the digital information age.

Attendees to the Global Media Congress can visit the Sky News Arabia stand located in Hall 5, as part of the International Media Investments stand, showcasing its network of media partners.