When Arab News launched its first website at the dawn of the new century Google was three years old and had just been awarded a patent for its now dominant PageRank search mechanism. Facebook and Twitter would not be founded for another few years.
There was a sense of excitement about the possibilities that digital publishing offered especially to the common man or woman.
It was a time where traditional media was no longer the gatekeeper to getting published.
A different way of personal publishing began to emerge. Blogging was its new name.
The masses finally had a voice and it was theirs without the filter of an editor who decides what could and could not be said.
Initially, newspapers saw this nascent medium as a way to broaden their readership and thus charge more for advertising because of that increased reach. Then newspapers realized that everyone was reading their content for free and fewer readers were buying the printed newspaper.
This trend of consuming content online would never be reversed and as a result a number of publications inevitably closed.
It was Albert Einstein who said‚“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change,” and like many publications, this paper, has tried to understand how to best use modern digital resources without hurting the print product that so many people still enjoy.
Arab News is continually trying to reassess how the print and digital products form a cohesive entity.
Fortunately, here in the Kingdom the trend away from print and on to digital appears to be a little slower than in other parts of the world.
However, this could be a generational thing.
There is no doubt that in recent years the Internet and social media in particular have seen a tremendous growth in Saudi Arabia. When it comes to YouTube usage per capita in the world, the Kingdom ranks top.
In its first incarnation, the website was extremely simple.
Needless to say, it didn’t provide much more than a headline and the basic copy and if you were lucky, one image. Over the years, this began to change.
There was a complete site overhaul, introducing new features and sections to make available more of the rich content being produced daily.
The site was being updated, for the first time, throughout the day instead of when the print edition was put to bed.
The improvements were widely appreciated by readers who felt part of the Arab News community.
They discussed news articles, they helped each other answer questions and alerted staffers to potential stories.
The site thus became a first port of call for local news in the English language in the Kingdom.
As a result, the site gained a multifold increase in the number of pages viewed.
The following years saw a rise in the social web.
A multitude of people started using sites like Facebook and Twitter to not only connect with family and friends but also to find and share news.
It was therefore key for Arab News to adapt to these changing trends and to go where readers were. So, a Facebook page and a Twitter account were added.
These became a tremendous success and provided a further platform for our readers to discuss and share Arab News content.
With nearly half a million fans, the Arab News Facebook page has fostered a real community who are active and really care about the issues we cover.
The page is now the number one in the Middle East when compared to other English language papers in the region.
Twitter has also been a success and allows us to get news out quickly to readers.
Arab News’ various digital platforms allow Saudi Arabia’s leading English language news brand to cover news in a way the print edition cannot.
From videos to polls to user generated content, these platforms are a useful complement to the printed newspaper.
Last year’s crackdown on illegal labor in the Kingdom was comprehensively covered by Arab News and readers have praised the paper, particular the digital editions, for the relentless coverage, which readers say was exceptionally informative.
The annual Haj coverage is another example where readers are constantly looking toward the digital offering to find out what is happening during the annual pilgrimage to Makkah.
Recently, Arab News launched a careers portal for those seeking employment in the Kingdom.
This has been well received. Another project, which has also just been launched, is an “Ask an Expert” service where readers can ask several experts questions on a number of topic from law to investing to health.
Many print publications in the Kingdom seem to be in rude health but as some experts believe it’s not a matter of if but when the printed word will be a thing of the past. So it’s important, more than ever, for print brands to take advantage of the potential of digital.
We have taken some determined steps to yank this 39-year-old publication into a rapidly changing digital terrain and we must continue this task if we are to better serve our esteemed and loyal readers.
Adapting to the digital challenge in era of citizen journalism
Adapting to the digital challenge in era of citizen journalism
AI, automation creating new jobs and displacing traditional roles: Saudi HR minister
- Ahmad Al-Rajhi: Expect significant growth in tech-centric jobs like AI specialists and data analysts, while roles such as data entry and administrative assistants may decline
- Al-Rajhi: Rising living costs and economic slowdowns will shape which skills are most valued, like resilience, flexibility and creative thinking
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence, robotics and automation are creating new opportunities while displacing traditional roles, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmad Al-Rajhi said in his opening remarks at a conference in Riyadh on Monday.
Al-Rajhi was speaking during the opening of the third Global Labor Market Conference, which is being held under the theme “Future in Progress” and brings together decision-makers, thought leaders and experts from around the world.
“Expect significant growth in tech-centric jobs like AI specialists and data analysts, while roles such as data entry and administrative assistants may decline,” he said.
Al-Rajhi added that the green transition is driving demand for renewable energy engineers and environmental specialists.
“We will see a surge in green jobs as industries adapt to climate goals,” he said.
The minister also pointed to broader economic and geopolitical pressures shaping labor markets globally, including rising living costs and slowing growth.
“Rising living costs and economic slowdowns will shape which skills are most valued, like resilience, flexibility and creative thinking,” he said.
Al-Rajhi added that demographic shifts, including aging populations in some regions and expanding working-age populations in others, will continue to influence labor supply and demand, increasing the need for healthcare, training and inclusive job creation.
Turning to the global youth employment challenge, he said international trends highlight the urgency of coordinated action.
“More than 262 million young people worldwide are not in employment, education or training in many regions, and job creation is not keeping pace with population growth, while other countries are facing the pressure of aging workforces and rising dependency ratios,” Al-Rajhi said, citing international estimates.
He added that rapid technological change is outpacing education and training systems, making continuous upskilling essential across both advanced and emerging economies.
“These pressures differ by region, but they are too complex for countries to address in isolation,” he said.
Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s domestic workforce transformation, Al-Rajhi said more than 2.5 million Saudis have joined the private sector since 2020, describing young men and women as a growing national asset driving new fields and skills development.
“These indicators, among others, show an economy movement for people who are investing in themselves, learning, competing and shaping the future with confidence,” he said.
During the event, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef announced the launch of an occupations and skills framework for the mining and industrial sectors, aimed at clarifying job roles and workforce requirements.
He said the framework will cover more than 500 occupations and outline the skills, job descriptions and titles needed across the sectors, helping private companies, educators and training providers to align workforce development with industry demand.
“This is an important framework to allow different players in the ecosystem, from private sector who will actually need (those) kinds of jobs, but it will allow, I think, most importantly, training and the training ecosystem,” Al-Khorayef said
Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb added global travel is expected to continue rising over the next decade, driving demand for tourism workers as the Kingdom expands new destinations and cities.
He said the global tourism sector is expected to create 91 million jobs by 2035, while facing a projected shortfall of 43 million workers.
“(This is) good news for the job market in Saudi Arabia. We’re projecting to create an additional 400,000 jobs to 600,000 jobs in the next five to six years, just to fill the new destinations, the new cities that we are building today.”
Al-Khateeb added that tourism does not require highly specialized skills in the same way as sectors such as engineering or medicine, but instead builds soft skills that can deliver positive outcomes.
He said that employment in the tourism sector has risen sharply since the Kingdom launched its tourism strategy in 2019, contributing to job creation and lower unemployment, and underscoring the importance of training and workforce development.
“When we launched tourism back in 2019, we used to have 750,000 people working in the sector. Last year, we surpassed 1 million,” he said.
He added that tourism has become one of the most impactful sectors for reducing unemployment and creating jobs, with an emphasis on ensuring that workers entering the industry are well trained.
Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser said infrastructure investment plays a key role in driving economic growth, development and job creation, citing its strong multiplier effect across sectors.
Al-Jasser also cited a recent World Bank statement at the World Economic Forum in Davos on the scale of the labor market challenge ahead.
“There would be 1.2 billion (entering) the labor market in the next 10 years … but only 400 million jobs will be opening up,” he said.
He added that the growing global focus on job creation will be decisive in determining whether development succeeds or falls short in the years ahead.
The event will run from Jan. 26–27 and will focus on six key pillars: trade changes and employment; informal economies; the new global skills landscape; the real impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and productivity; building resilient labor markets in times of crisis; and improving job quality, with particular attention to youth as the foundation of the future economy.
