ASBU Urges Arab Media to Combat Misinformation in Conflict Coverage

TUNIS: In a call for action, Abdulraheem Sulaiman, General Manager of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), has urged Arab media institutions to enhance cooperation in news exchange and to combat the spread of fake news during crises and conflicts. He emphasized the protection of journalists' freedom to report accurate information to the public. According to Kuwait News Agency, Sulaiman's remarks were made during the opening of the 21st meeting of the Permanent Committee for TV News. He highlighted the necessity of robust collaboration among the Union's entities in news sharing, especially as the Arab world contends with ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. These conflicts, he noted, are accompanied by the dissemination of misinformation intended to garner international support. Sulaiman also announced plans for the Union to build cooperative and news exchange relationships with the Latin American Media Alliance (AIL) to ensure the delivery of Arab news to Latin American audiences. Additionally, part icipants in the meeting proposed expanding coverage to include the Umrah season during Ramadan and the Fourth Arab Media Conference, which is set to address the media's role in climate change and will be hosted by Iraq in April 2025. Furthermore, the Union has planned an open media day coinciding with November 29, 2024, to support the Palestinian cause and the resilience of Al-Quds Al-Sharif. Palestinian Television has confirmed its commitment to broadcasting this event, and ASBU's General Directorate has invited member organizations to actively participate.