AJCS seminar on media in the Arab world: Understanding the audience and identifying its needs are important factors in achieving cultural influence and societal change through media
Al Jazeera Centre for Studies and Al Jazeera Mubasher organised a seminar titled "Media in the Arab World: Cultural Influence and Societal Change" on Wednesday, 14 June, coinciding with the Doha International Book Fair. The seminar featured Noureddine Miladi, Professor of Media and Communication at Qatar University; Mutasim Babiker Mustafa, media advisor and academic specialising in public opinion studies; and Qatari journalist Abdulaziz Al Ishaq. It was moderated by Al Jazeera presenter Rawaa Auge.
The seminar discussed the levels of the media’s cultural influence and examined the cultural role of social media influencers. It also reviewed the challenges faced by the media in the process of societal change.
In his remarks, Miladi explained, "The significant development witnessed in the field of media technology and communication, along with the audience's increased ability to interact, has greatly influenced the role assigned to media in the cultural and societal domains." He also explained that artificial intelligence poses a challenge to the media and will be an important factor in shaping its role.
Mustafa, however, argued that the media has several impacts, most notably cognitive impact, impact on attitudes and orientations, and impact on behaviour. He emphasised that any media outlet is capable of having cognitive influence, but its impact on attitudes, orientations and behaviour "requires the construction of a media message with principles, foundations and objectives."
Mustafa noted that the media's influence on public opinion stems from the motivations of the recipient in dealing with the communication medium. He stated that there are two motivations that drive the recipient to engage with communication channels: utilisation and curiosity. The curious recipient, he said, interacts with the media to acquire experiential knowledge, whether it be informational, self-oriented or for the purpose of education and learning, whereas the recipient seeking to utilise tends to gravitate towards entertainment programmes, variety shows, music and the like, in order to alleviate the pressures of reality.
Mustafa concluded that "unless we know the objectives of the communication process, the nature of the audience we will address and the audience’s motivations and desires, the cultural and behavioural impact of media will be weak and limited."
Al Ishaq emphasised the importance of "feedback" or gauging the audience's response to the media message in order to develop it and make it impactful. He pointed out that "those who previously had the ability to control the media now want to control the message and the feedback simultaneously" by employing "electronic flies", for example. He explained that the term, "social media influencer", does not have a precise definition, and questioned whether it means influencer or advertiser. He concluded that as long as they are influencing recipients towards specific behaviours, whether it is purchasing a certain product, going to a particular place, or adopting a specific behaviour, they are influencers.
In addition, Al Ishaq mentioned that there is an identity that distinguishes influencers on social media from producers of culture. He suggested that influencers have become important due to their power of influence and their ability to bring about change, which perhaps is greater than that of traditional media outlets – including radio, television and printed press –whose presence he believes has begun to diminish.
Even so, Al Ishaq revealed that influencers on social media may not have reached the stage of influencing political decision-making and public opinion, especially during elections. In other activities and fields, they have clear impact to the extent that many government institutions now await and take "feedback" from famous and influential individuals on social media platforms into account, and act accordingly.
AJCS seminar on media in the Arab world: Understanding the audience and identifying its needs are important factors in achieving cultural influence and societal change through media
Al Jazeera Centre for Studies and Al Jazeera Mubasher organised a seminar titled "Media in the Arab World: Cultural Influence and Societal Change" on Wednesday, 14 June, coinciding with the Doha International Book Fair. The seminar featured Noureddine Miladi, Professor of Media and Communication at Qatar University; Mutasim Babiker Mustafa, media advisor and academic specialising in public opinion studies; and Qatari journalist Abdulaziz Al Ishaq. It was moderated by Al Jazeera presenter Rawaa Auge.
The seminar discussed the levels of the media’s cultural influence and examined the cultural role of social media influencers. It also reviewed the challenges faced by the media in the process of societal change.
In his remarks, Miladi explained, "The significant development witnessed in the field of media technology and communication, along with the audience's increased ability to interact, has greatly influenced the role assigned to media in the cultural and societal domains." He also explained that artificial intelligence poses a challenge to the media and will be an important factor in shaping its role.
Mustafa, however, argued that the media has several impacts, most notably cognitive impact, impact on attitudes and orientations, and impact on behaviour. He emphasised that any media outlet is capable of having cognitive influence, but its impact on attitudes, orientations and behaviour "requires the construction of a media message with principles, foundations and objectives."
Mustafa noted that the media's influence on public opinion stems from the motivations of the recipient in dealing with the communication medium. He stated that there are two motivations that drive the recipient to engage with communication channels: utilisation and curiosity. The curious recipient, he said, interacts with the media to acquire experiential knowledge, whether it be informational, self-oriented or for the purpose of education and learning, whereas the recipient seeking to utilise tends to gravitate towards entertainment programmes, variety shows, music and the like, in order to alleviate the pressures of reality.
Mustafa concluded that "unless we know the objectives of the communication process, the nature of the audience we will address and the audience’s motivations and desires, the cultural and behavioural impact of media will be weak and limited."
Al Ishaq emphasised the importance of "feedback" or gauging the audience's response to the media message in order to develop it and make it impactful. He pointed out that "those who previously had the ability to control the media now want to control the message and the feedback simultaneously" by employing "electronic flies", for example. He explained that the term, "social media influencer", does not have a precise definition, and questioned whether it means influencer or advertiser. He concluded that as long as they are influencing recipients towards specific behaviours, whether it is purchasing a certain product, going to a particular place, or adopting a specific behaviour, they are influencers.
In addition, Al Ishaq mentioned that there is an identity that distinguishes influencers on social media from producers of culture. He suggested that influencers have become important due to their power of influence and their ability to bring about change, which perhaps is greater than that of traditional media outlets – including radio, television and printed press –whose presence he believes has begun to diminish.
Even so, Al Ishaq revealed that influencers on social media may not have reached the stage of influencing political decision-making and public opinion, especially during elections. In other activities and fields, they have clear impact to the extent that many government institutions now await and take "feedback" from famous and influential individuals on social media platforms into account, and act accordingly.