UAE Media Council And Google News Initiative Begin Media Leadership Training

The UAE Media Council, in partnership with Google, has successfully wrapped up the initial phase of the "Media Leadership Training Programme". This pivotal event was hosted at Google's regional headquarters located in Dubai Media City. It was a collaborative effort with the Google News Initiative and Upskill Digital, marking a significant step towards enhancing the skills of media professionals across the UAE. The workshop saw participation from over 50 media leaders, journalists, and content creators from a wide array of media organisations and digital platforms.

Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE Media Council, highlighted the critical importance of nurturing the talents of media personnel. He emphasized the council's dedication to ensuring that UAE's media workforce remains abreast of the swift changes characterizing the global media landscape. "Investing in our media cadres and developing their capabilities is essential for keeping pace with global advancements," Al Shehhi remarked.

Al Shehhi expressed pride in the collaboration with Google, aiming to fortify media professionals in the UAE with state-of-the-art media skills. These skills are not only pivotal for their career growth but also vital for the progression of media organisations, enabling them to compete on an international level. He noted that this workshop is merely the beginning of a long-term partnership with Google, anticipating future workshops focused on generative AI in newsrooms, video production for content creators, and other digital skills crucial for enhancing productivity and efficiency among media professionals.

The commitment of the UAE Media Council towards bolstering the UAE media sector was also underscored by Al Shehhi. He stated that this initiative is in line with the Council's vision to foster growth and expansion within the media industry, thereby cementing the UAE's stature on the global media map.

Mazen Sabbagh, News Partnerships Lead for Middle East and North Africa at Google, shared his enthusiasm about collaborating with the UAE Media Council. "We're excited to hold the Business Training for Digital Transformation training to news publishers in the UAE," Sabbagh said. He elaborated on Google's ongoing support for journalists, news publishers, and startups through training programmes and funding aimed at supporting digital transformation and innovation within the local news industry.

The workshop covered a broad spectrum of topics crucial for today’s media landscape. Experts from the Google News Initiative and Upskill Digital delved into strategies for reaching targeted audiences, measuring impact, leveraging YouTube to grow news audiences, increasing ad revenue, best practices for newsletter growth, and an introduction to GA4. Additionally, it provided insights into developing editing and publishing skills in the digital age using various technologies and tools.

This initiative represents a significant milestone in empowering UAE's media professionals with essential digital skills. It sets a foundation for future advancements in the region's media industry, ensuring its readiness to meet global standards and challenges.

With inputs from WAM