JEDDAH: P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR ARABNEWS

Dr. Hassan Al-Ahdal

Thursday 7 March 2013

The International Media Organization, an affiliate of the Makkah-based Muslim World League, has announced plans to establish a television channel and media production and training units as part of a program to spread the message of Islam and defend Muslim causes, said Dr. Hassan Al-Ahdal, the organization’s secretary-general.

“Our immediate aim is to set up two units for training and production. There is a lack of good television programs in the Islamic world,” Dr. Hassan Al-Ahdal, the organization’s secretary general, said in an exclusive interview with Arab News. “After that is up and running, we will establish a channel for MWL and its sister organizations.”

He emphasized the importance of having a strong media to defend Islamic causes and mobilize public opinion.
“Media is a powerful institution that plays an important role in world affairs. It influences cultures and traditions,” he said.

Al-Ahdal said the MWL established the organization as part of its efforts to strengthen Islamic media. “Most media organizations in the Muslim world reproduce what has been produced by foreign news agencies and television stations,” he said. “Our media has very little impact on world affairs and even on Islamic societies. In light of this pathetic situation, the MWL decided to establish the new media organization,” he explained.

IMO will coordinate with media organizations in the Islamic world and contribute to developing Islamic media, defending Islamic causes and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), using modern methods.

“Our organization will also work to develop media activities, deepen Islamic and moderate values and correct the wrong image of Islam among the public, win international support for Islamic issues and promote world peace and stability,” he said. “We’ll use various means to achieve our goals and make use of modern media and information technology. We’ll also work to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue and organize media seminars and conferences.”

Asked whether IMO would establish an international news agency, Al-Ahdal said his organization does not have a plan for setting up such an agency at the moment, given the huge financial resources it would demand.

“There is a need to establish a credible international news agency. We have heard that some organizations were working on it but nothing has materialized. We cannot set up a news agency now, because it is a big project that requires huge funds. We hope Muslim businessmen will take up this matter seriously and mobilize funds to establish a profitable news agency.”

He said IMO would create an electronic gateway to interact with media persons and organizations all over the Islamic world and exchange information and research studies. “We would like to hold media seminars and conferences in different parts of the world. This will promote coordination among Muslim media and organizations,” he said.
Al-Ahdal said IMO would hold a general assembly meeting with the participation of prominent media persons and academics from across the Islamic world, adding that it would discuss the organization’s future programs.

“We also intend to organize a seminar on how to confront Islamophobia. It will give a roadmap for Islamic media to confront this serious issue,” Al-Ahdal said.

Another seminar will be held on media’s role in strengthening Muslim unity and cooperation. The Islamic media conference organized by MWL in Jakarta last year has approved a charter for media persons and organizations to follow, he said.

A charitable organization depending on donations, IMO will be based at the MWL headquarters. The MWL will provide necessary financial support to the organization in its initial stages.

“We need moral and material support from everybody,” the IMO chief said and thanked Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, secretary-general of MWL for his backing.