August 06, 2019
Top Skills of Future Journalist in Focus at DPC Workshop
A two-day workshop held by Dubai Press Club (DPC), in collaboration with Al Ain News Portal, addressed the top skills journalists of tomorrow must master to succeed in a rapidly evolving media environment. Titled ‘How to Become a Multi-Skilled Journalist’, the workshop was organised as part of DPC’s ongoing Media National Youth Programme (MNYP), which is being held in partnership with Watani Al Emarat Foundation.
Director of Dubai Press Club Maitha Buhumaid expressed her appreciation to Al-Ain News for its role in training the next generation of Emirati journalists on the skills that are becoming basic requirements for the journalist of tomorrow. “At Dubai Press Club, we are always keen to bring together accomplished experts from across the media industry to share their specialised expertise with aspiring media professionals. The workshop was able to explore how a highly competitive job market now requires journalists to have a combination of skills that are relevant to the digital age.”
His Excellency Dherar Belhoul, Director General of Watani Al Emarat Foundation, said partnering with the Dubai Press Club to hold the training programme stems from the Foundation’s confidence in youth and their ability to positively contribute to the media sector. “We believe the programme is an effective platform to prepare a generation of Emirati media professionals who are capable of being pioneers and competent in an evolving media field.”
His Excellency Khaled Al Kaabi, Director General of Al-Ain News Corporation for Media and Studies said: “Al Ain News believes in the role of youth in all fields. Through its various platforms, it addresses the aspirations of Arab and Emirati youth. It empowers them and allows them to present their stories and promising experiences in creative and interactive ways.”
He added: “Al Ain News supports the “Media National Youth Programme” because it recognises its role in the media, and its ability to present a role model in media work. Its employees are distinguished by their professional ethics and principles of tolerance and co-existence on which the United Arab Emirates is based. For these reasons and more, Al Ain news takes upon itself the task of supporting young professionals, training them on the latest technologies affecting media content and the overall journalism skills of digital media.”
Presented by Jouhaina Al Khaldiya, Director of the Dubai Office, Al Ain News Portal, the session underscored the increasing need for journalists to be equipped with a wide range of skills in a digital age, from fact-checking online news content and writing for social media and web, to mastering the skills of data journalism.
Addressing participants of the MNYP, Al Khalidya pointed out that multi-skilled journalists are the future of the media industry, and that journalism is no longer limited to traditional forms of news gathering and dissemination She added that journalists need to reconstruct their skill sets for the growing world of online media and be able to analyse data and present it in an attractive format. The workshop also discussed the use of artificial intelligence in media and how it is predicted to become more advanced in the future.
Launched in April, the second edition of the Media National Youth Programme aims to create a comprehensive platform for young Emirati students and media professionals to enhance their knowledge, expertise and skills in media. The Programme features a series of workshops in collaboration with leading academic and media institutions in the country.
