A recent US study said Iran annually spends nearly $950 million to improve its image and distort the image of the GCC countries in the US media.
Meanwhile, a study recently published by Ali Al-Qarni, titled “The image of Saudi Arabia in the world: A survey study on samples of academics and media professionals in the Kingdom,” said the image of Islam has been negatively affected as a result of Western campaigns, notably Zionist campaigns in the US, which were never addressed except by the Saudi diplomatic institutions.
Commenting on this, the head of the College of Information and Communications of Post-Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Imam Mohammed Islamic University, Mohammed Al-Subaihi, said: “We cannot deny that the Iranian media is organizing media campaigns whose expenses are fully paid in an exaggerated manner. Through these campaigns, it is spreading its false ideas and information through mercenaries of the media who are presenting information based on distortion and rumors.”
He said the presented information depends on fabricated lies and seeks points of weakness in the Kingdom and other GCC countries and underestimates the points of strength of these countries.
He said such media activities should not be allowed to pass easily because their impact is great. “We all know that media is the soft power that outperforms the military, and, therefore, the Saudi and GCC media organs have to reconsider their media strategies,” he said.
Al-Subaihi said the problem does not lie in the material capabilities or preparation of satellite-based TV channels but, rather, it is linked to the media tools which are currently based on indicators to measure the volume of activities, and to what extent they comply with developments.
He suggested that media study to make sure that targets are realized, and to avoid being engaged in activities that have nothing to do with reality while the opponents exploit media loophole to promote itself.
He affirmed the crisis experienced by Saudi, GCC and Islamic media is linked to the art of management and target realization indicators. Media items have to be translated into modern languages and delivered to different countries, and local and global public opinions have to be addressed, he said.
Additionally, we need newspapers in Farsi, TV channels in different languages, and other media activities presenting facts with figures and statistics respecting the mentality of the audience, he said.
The world media and public opinion look and listen to experiences and information from all parties and ultimately facts speak for themselves. Islam is clear and, even in present circumstances, could attract many people to embrace it, he said.
He believed that Saudi, GCC and Islamic media have many facts and information to present, saying that we cannot underestimate their efforts and presence, but we need more efforts and awareness because they retain potentials to address the community through humanitarian ethics and facts.
But the Saudi, GCC and Islamic media have to abandon individualistic efforts and take to organized group work within an integrated media system by providing programs reflecting media maturity, the positive side of their countries, and facts that could respond to the Iranian media, he said.
Despite attempts and efforts exerted by the Iranian media, they have failed to achieve their targets because they carried false information and lies as facts, he said.

Source: Arab News