“New opportunities in media are helping us open up to the world,” said Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud at the opening of this week’s Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh.
“There is a momentum for investment in media as well as sports, tourism and many other sectors. We are changing the perspective of how the entire world views us.
“I want to participate in growth, education, investment opportunities, renewable energy. I embrace investment opportunities,” the Prince told a full house during the opening session.
After his opening remarks, Prince bin Salman took questions from journalists. One asked: are you sensitive about media?
“We need to understand the profession of media. When I speak I try to take the view of the kingdom not of myself. We should not be ashamed of defending our position even when media put us on the spot.
“I am fully committed to appear in the media. I was a former university professor. It is like university where you give a lecture but your students can challenge your ideas with discussion,” he answered.
At the conference and forum there is a focus on media, the economy, energy, AI technologies, politics and entrepreneurship. There are 2000 speakers, more than 250 exhibitors and thousands of attendees at the event.
In another session on the first day of the conference titled The Future of Radio Begins Now, World DAB’s Jacqueline Bierhorst and MBC Music Group’s Group Director fo Audio Ziad Hamzh discussed the importance of being digital with session host Ghadeer Al-Shehri, a presenter at local station AlUla FM.
Jacqui said: “In my own country, FM listening is 30% and the rest is digital, this is a common trend in Europe where digital broadcasting has gained a huge audience.
“This session is called the future of radio, but the future of radio is already here. Digital radio is in many countries, it is the future.”
To illustrate the success of digital radio, she focused on the budiness benefits. “Digitisation has opened up the possibility of more stations and more choice for listeners. It is more profitable for radio companies because DAB+ transmisison is cheaper than AM and FM, it is cost effective. It can also bring in more income because companies can offer more stations to listeners and advertisers.”
When companies are embracing a digital strategy they should keep broadcasting in mind, not just focus on IP. “Broadcast radio is very robust. But will the internet always work, in disasters, in terrorism attacks? Who controls the internet pipes? Broadcast radio is important because the internet is not always reliable and not in the control of the broadcasters.”
Zaid talked about Radio Apps. “In the coming years this will become more popular as a way of listening to radio, through apps on the smart phone. You can listen to anything you like from anywhere in the world.”
Commenting on the use of AI presenters in radio, Jacquie described the difference between the two types of presenter. “Live radio has somebody on the other end who makes you smile and connects you with another human. AI stations exist but they do not make the same human connection, they are not on the same frequency, they don’t connect people together with each other.”
