DOHA– The Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr. Hamad Abdulaziz Al Kuwari said new age social media and evolving smartphone applications “will not diminish newspapers’ traditional role of disseminating news”.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Qatar News Agency’s (QNA) social news network site Maydan Qatar, at Sharq Village and Spa Hotel on Wednesday night(April 30th), Dr. Al Kuwari said, “Growth of Internet and satellite network based social and news media sites will not diminish the roles of traditional print media and newspapers.”
The Internet is a wonderful tool for exchanging information and spreading knowledge, perhaps it may affect circulation numbers of newspapers in some countries, but it will not dilute the importance of the print media and its traditional role of disseminating news in the community, he said.
Speaking at the launch of QNA’s Maydan Qatar, a pioneering global news network, the minister reiterated the importance of media in spurring a knowledge-based economy where there is free flow of information exchange through new media.
“Maydan Qatar site will help publicize Qatari media like newspapers, radio, and television and disseminate news from all fields like economy, science, technology, culture, social and sports. It will certainly not diminish the role of traditional media like newspapers which is a reading habit for many people all over the world.” QNA anticipates Maydan Qatar to evolve into the country’s largest hub to disseminate information, news and audio and visual content.
It endeavours to build all-sector information and knowledge hub that will provide access to all agencies and individuals. An interactive platform, it will give users opportunity to edit content and add their own news and information from economy, politics, science, technology, culture and sports.
Maydan Qatar will use NewsPad technology to build knowledge-based societies in consonance with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The application will be available to iOS and Android-backed devices as well as other operation systems of smart phones, tablets, laptop and personal computers in Arabic and English languages.
The new site www.maydan.qa has tie-up with global news agencies like Dow Jones Newswires and Geopolitical Information Service. (QNA)