20 March 2023 – A new White Paper published today by the Global Media Congress and Emirates News Agency (WAM), in partnership with the leading trans-Atlantic think tank Henry Jackson Society, serves as a reference point for the media industry as it comes together to shape a sustainable future.

At an exclusive event in Westminster, London, leading figures from across the media, political, and academic spheres discussed the White Paper’s findings at length. Entitled ‘Building resilient media organisations in the age of disinformation’, the Paper reveals how media professionals across the world are grappling with the challenge of adapting to new audience demands and the threat of false information.

The White Paper is based on the contributions of dozens of media leaders who spoke at the Media Future Labs, part of the inaugural Global Media Congress in Abu Dhabi in November 2022.

This group, comprised of media CEOs, editorial directors, academics, researchers, and former journalists, agreed that technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse are rapidly gaining in popularity and will be a gamechanger for the media industry – although some were more sceptical than others as to how quickly this change will come about.

The Paper also uncovers a global trend toward participatory and multi-channel journalism, reflecting the rapidly growing popularity of opinion-based reporting. This comes at the same time as Gen Z, the first to be born straight into the digital age, are generally understood to be more sceptical of traditional news organisations.

Despite these new challenges, the Paper explores how media professionals generally agree that traditional expectations of journalism – quality, accuracy, and reliability – are still in demand. Innovation should not happen for innovation’s sake, they say.

Underpinning the debates at the Media Future Labs and this White Paper is an acceptance that news consumers need support to navigate an increasingly polluted information environment, for example through wide-scale public media literacy training.

HE Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of WAM, said: “This White Paper demonstrates that sustainable reform of the media industry requires knowledge-exchange, collaboration, and partnership. That happens through constant coordination, but also important events such as the Global Media Congress”.

To consult the White Paper, ‘Building resilient media organisations in the age of disinformation’, please visit: wam.ae.