Media Workshop Recommends the Establishment of an Independent Media Body

At the end of the three-day meeting held by media experts to revamp the national media outlets, recommendations were made to establish an independent body for the national media outlets that includes television and radio channels, a newspaper, and a periodical in order to reach out to the Syrian citizens and the Arab and world public opinions. The media experts also put forward visions and procedures to address the reality of the Syrian media outlets through identifying the problems facing them and suggested solutions to these problems. Khalid Saleh, head of the Media Office, said that “there is a pressing need to put the suggestions and tips made during the meeting into effect without any delay. Fayez Sara, member of the Syrian Coalition, describes the meeting of media experts aimed at drawing the outlines for the national media outlets as “a necessary step at this stage of the revolution and must have been taken a long time ago. This project aims puts the media outlets of the revolution on the right track in keeping with academic and professional standards. The role of the Syrian Coalition will be limited to providing the necessary tools and means needed to carry out this project. We are also seeking to partner with the Syrian media experts to methodically and efficiently set the guidelines for the revolution’s media outlets.” Hadi al-Bahra, president of the Syrian Coalition, said during the opening of the meeting that “the media battle today is as important nowadays as the military battles waged by the FSA against the Assad regime. The targeted audience will not be limited to the rebels and dissidents, but will also include the few regime supporters as because Syria is for all Syrians without any distinction based on race, sect or belief.” Bahra calls on the media experts “to develop a comprehensive strategy to produce informative, balanced and inclusive speech capable of steering the homeland after the fall of Assad regime. The role of the Syrian Coalition in dealing with the media projects will be limited to supporting media activities and directing them without interfering with the vision and the content of the new media outlets.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)