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Call for enacting ethics for media

In his address, Dr Saeed Abdullah Salman, President of AUST Network, said: "It is essential for media persons and scholars to understand the intentions behind all published news items."

"We must protect our Islamic values against some forms of media misrepresentation. We need to be prepared to defend our culture," said Dr Salaman.

Technosphere 2006 was held at the Shaikh Zayed Convention Centre. A large number of officials and media professionals attended the conference. They included Dr Ezzudin Ibrahim, Cultural Adviser to the UAE Presidential Affairs Ministry; prominent media figure Hamdi Kendeel of Dubai TV; Abdul Rahman Abdul Fatah, Cultural Attache for the Egyptian Embassy in Abu Dhabi; Ahmed Al Siufi, political editor for Al Ahram newspaper; Khalid Al Haroub of Al Jazeera TV; Dr Omer Abdul Aziz from the Sharjah Information & Culture Department.

Dr Izzudin said: "Islam has created a clear framework for the media by asking the workers in the field to be very careful in gathering together all the facts before publishing them. It is essential that people's privacy be protected. Islam also advocates freedom of expression in such a way that it shouldn't hurt others. Islam supports social responsibility."

Khalid Al Haroub, an Al Jazeera TV editor, said: "Media ethics can be looked at from three angles: first, the impact of the state on media performance; second, the ethical stance implemented by the media house; and third, the way media workers themselves make ethical choices."

Abdul Rahman Abdul Fatah, Cultural Attache from the Egyptian Embassy, said: "The media should be restricted by the state authorities; the private sectors should not be able to do whatever they want."

• UAE