LONDON: The Global Media Congress, in partnership with the Emirates News Agency and trans-Atlantic think tank the Henry Jackson Society, published on Monday a white paper on the future of the media industry.

The launch ceremony, which was held in London, gathered more than 60 media leaders, politicians, and academics from across the industry, WAM reported. 

The event held a panel discussion featuring WAM Director-General Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi; Lord James Bethell, a former parliamentary undersecretary of state in the UK; and Chiyo Robertson, a senior business editor. The discussion was moderated by Marc Sidwell, a director of research for the Henry Jackson Society.

The release of the white paper follows the conclusion of the Global Media Congress held in Abu Dhabi last November. It drew on discussions from the event’s roundtable debates on the resilience of news organizations in an age of rapid technological change, and the spread of disinformation.

The impact of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the demand for people-centric news, the growth of the metaverse, and Gen Z consumption habits are among the central themes explored. Four expert insights from leading media practitioners are also included in the white paper.

Al Rayssi said: “It is my hope that this white paper will serve as a reference point for the global media industry as we work together to sustainably reform for the future. It is something we intend to update and publish annually.”