The “third eye” (sixth sense) is the fourth authority, the source of news, the beacon of culture, the voice of awareness, the tool of criticism, opinion and the other opinion, the first pillar of the media, yes, it is “press”.
Over the past years, the press has constituted an intellectual and civilized product, and a cultural salon that includes many intellectuals, thinkers, writers, cartoonists, photographers, and critics who gather knowledge and talent to contribute to the development of national media.
Newspapers also contributed to educating generations of readers on an impressive level of literary, historical, and political culture, in addition to sports, economics, etc.
Through various reports and articles, to form the basic building blocks in building the individual, as it worked on social solidarity, and other social and cultural features…etc, and informed us about different societies.
There has been much talk recently that paper or electronic newspapers have ended and must be closed, due to the creation of many platforms, without realizing the consequences of closing these entities and cultural edifices that include many experiences and high competencies, which contributed to journalism becoming a national title. And a social tributary, to document and chronicle different stages, nobility, history, and originality of a great cultural heritage.
The newspaper column is still followed and steadfast in front of Twitter’s tweet, or the rest of the other media, and that privilege, newspapers that take into account the source, the social status of the readers, and the selection of the appropriate word, while the sources of social media do not adhere to the standards of journalism such as “opinion” and news, or taste. Rather, it is a source of mostly false news, or individual news that does not reflect public opinion. There must be newspapers to be a platform and a reliable source for officials and people, as they are the mirror of societies, the voice of people, and they are the link between the official and the individual.
And I am amazed at those calling for the closure of newspapers, and that they have ended, as the same hadith was repeated, when television was discovered after radio and theater, after cinemas. Which serves the dear country and its citizens, and shows the true picture with full transparency and clarity, to form a soft power that serves and defends the country.
I know that there is a global press crisis, but the Saudi press is going through a difficult economic crisis, and a very dangerous turning point, whether it is paper or electronic. All newspapers have worked to reduce their expenses and they are basically limited, to the point that they have amputated an important part of their body, which is attracting qualified journalists and writers.
or at least keep it; Yes, our newspapers have lost important pens due to the absence of incentives and competencies.
It is not true that there are no solutions.
There are many international newspapers that are still successful, and they do not suffer, even the paper ones, from crises, due to the support and financial and commercial facilities they receive, such as The Times or the Asahi Shinbun… and so on.
There are also several solutions, such as converting them into institutions for studies, training and media production, or distinguishing them from other platforms in some exclusive news or advertisements, and other solutions, which are known to the experts among the heads and owners of newspapers.
I also hope that there are solutions and facilities that are consistent with the current state of the press, in order to keep pace with and contribute to the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
In this article, I appeal to the Minister of Information, Salman bin Yusef Al-Dosari – may God bless him – who has a distinguished media history and journalistic achievements.
He is very confident and optimistic that he will find solutions for newspapers and journalists, so that the system is complete, and newspapers contribute to the media sector, and their sublime message comes to the homeland, defending it and its citizens, and showing the true image of our dear homeland, as a soft and influential force.
Ahmed Yousef Al-Rajeh
