Diplomats and media industry experts shed light on “soft power” and how it can be leveraged to build national reputations and shape public awareness of contemporary international issues, as the Saudi Media Forum hosted candid discussions on the reality of the Arab media sector and the requirements for elevating its global impact.
During the second day of the forum, held in Riyadh, participants offered frank assessments of the challenges facing Arab media and the steps needed for it to meet the demands of the current phase and extend its influence internationally.
Panels and workshops explored a wide range of topics, including the role of citizen journalism in shaping the news agenda, the challenges of keeping pace with digital infrastructure amid rapid content industry transformations, and the craft of producing high-quality journalistic storytelling in an era of technological abundance and fragmented content trends.
Confronting Fake News and Disinformation
A session titled “Diplomacy of Influence: Media and Image-Making” examined the role of media in shaping perceptions and enhancing states’ soft power, with the participation of several ambassadors accredited to Saudi Arabia.
Diaa Al-Din Bamakhrama, Djibouti’s Ambassador and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the Kingdom, said Saudi Arabia offers a prominent model of influence diplomacy through its hosting of international forums and its investment in culture and sports, particularly football, which has helped project Saudi presence across the globe.
“In an increasingly interconnected world that has become a small village, false and fabricated narratives fall quickly and cannot withstand the flow of information and facts,” Bamakhrama said, noting that digital media has made exposing falsehoods faster, and that only truthful narratives can build lasting trust with public opinion.
Spain’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Javier Carbajosa Sánchez stressed that the relationship between media and diplomacy is historic and has grown more complex and influential in the age of modern communications and social media.
Media, he said, has never been merely a transmitter, but an active and influential force, adding that political work cannot be separated from managing media presence.
For his part, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan, the Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said that image-building and perception management lie at the heart of public and cultural diplomacy.
He explained that delivering the right message to the right audience is the key to influence, with art and national cuisine among the most effective soft-power tools.
He added that cultural diplomacy relies on activating soft-power instruments such as arts, music, cinema, and cuisine to enhance human connection and build bridges between peoples.
In Saudi Arabia, he noted, the Indian community, alongside Indian cinema and food culture, plays a major role in shaping perceptions and strengthening partnerships—sometimes with an impact exceeding that of formal diplomatic efforts.
In confronting fake news and digital disinformation, Khan stressed the need for swift, honest, and direct diplomacy to present facts before rumors spread.
South African Ambassador Mogobo David Magabe highlighted mutual respect and dialogue as fundamental pillars of diplomacy, pointing out that the main challenges today are the spread of disinformation and the accelerated pace of modern media, which contrasts with diplomacy’s traditionally gradual, long-term relationship-building approach.
A Candid Look at Arab Media
In a separate dialogue session on the realities of Arab media and the requirements for expanding its global reach, Saudi journalist Jameel Altheyabi said local Arab media is largely inward-looking, driven by a mindset focused on domestic audiences with limited consideration for the global sphere.
He described Arab media as often emotional, with varying approaches to content and engagement across the region.
Writer and journalist Mamoun Fandy said that stories produced in the Arab world are viewed internationally through the lens of their origin and nature, as global audiences apply their own standards of credibility, accuracy, and sourcing.
He added that the Arab world can generate distinctive journalistic stories capable of shaping global discourse through exclusivity and originality, expressing regret that many official Arab institutions still prefer foreign outlets to convey their narratives to the world.
