When tackling the Gulf mass media regarding the NATO, we have to be aware that we are not dealing with one single media but with different ones," Turki Al-Dakhil told a second-day session of the "Media in Changing World: Gulf and NATO Visions."
He added that the talk about "one Gulf media as a generalization and shallowness. But it is possible to say that the Arab media is less stern toward the NATO than toward the US. Thus, the coverage of the NATO activities will be more positive due to relative acceptance." Al-Dakhil noted that the "conspiracy theory" still manipulated many Arab mass media, however less it is toward Europe and the NATO, than the US.
He attributed the inadequacy of coverage of the NATO activities to the "professional weakness the Gulf media suffers from, making the coverage of the NATO activities less than it should be." He said that several media men in the Gulf did not know much about the NATO as an organization and so "a distinguished coverage cannot be expected." .
According to Al-Dkahil that shortage regarding the NATO is embodied in the absence of analytical work on the various aspects of the relation with the NATO. Most of the available work is based on other sources.
He also blamed part of the responsibility on the NATO that has to "work on upgrading the media skills and capabilities of the Gulf media men, many of whom have humble professionalism."
