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Bahrain official highlights role of Twitter and Facebook

MANAMA - Bahrain’s Information Affairs Authority President Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa reached out to IAA subscribers via Twitter for 45 minutes on Tuesday, marking the World Press Freedom Day.

He underscored the crucial role of social networking media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as cutting-edge tools in the era of new and globalised media, stressing the importance of using them to project the true picture to the external world with complete transparency and objectivity.
Shaikh Fawaz was also engaged in a discussion with bloggers and twitter users, in Bahrain and abroad, and answered their questions, focusing particularly on the IAA plans and aspirations in addition to local developments.
Shaikh Fawaz stressed IAA’s keenness to optimise the use of social networking media to clarify things to the public opinion and to interact with network users to correct false news reports. Asked about allowing foreign reporters to enter Bahrain, he stressed the IAA’s open-door policies, adding that up to 110 foreign journalists had entered Bahrain to date.
He pointed out that Bahrain TV had from the beginning of the crisis invited representatives from the other party to address the public opinion live but they declined the invitation. “The IAA is still keen to invite human rights activist Nabeel Rajab to speak on air at the Bahrain TV,” he said.
He also stressed the IAA’s resolve to reveal the truth, correct false information, and highlighted Bahrain’s firm commitment to the freedom of opinion and its rejection of malpractices, particularly incitement on violence and hatred.
shamada@khaleejtimes.com

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