National media to support Yemeni industry [Archives:2008/1210/Local News]
By: Ali Saeed
SANA'A, Nov. 23 ) A conference on the future of industry future in Yemen was held at the Ministry of Industry and Trade last Wednesday to discuss national industry and the role of mass media in supporting it. Organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Hadramout Chamber of Commerce, the Yemeni Businessmen's Club and the Yemeni Industrialists' Society, it was attended by the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Minister of Information and journalists.
Dr. Yahya Al-Motwakel, Minister of Industry and Trade, said that Yemen is preparing a program for industry development with the Arabian Industry Organization.
Stressing the role of the mass media in supporting the national industry, economic reporter Ibrahim Al-Ashmawi explained the current role of Yemeni media in supporting national industry. He highlighted its negative attitude towards national products and called for a media campaign to support and encourage the Yemeni industry.
He pointed out that there are around 115 Yemeni newspapers and magazines, 10 radio stations, two cable TVs, six satellite channels and 1,000 websites in Yemen. Explaining the Yemeni media's treatment of economic issues and development, he mentioned that the percentage of economic programs in Yemeni channels is about 2.6 % of the total programs.
Al-Ashmawi said that the media's negative attitude towards national product was due to many reasons including poor quality and low standards, limited advertisements, the competition of imported brands and a local mindset that thinks that foreign brands are better than local ones. He called for building consumer confidence, fighting smuggling and putting an end to consumer deception, explaining that building a stronger national industry would in turn create more work opportunities for Yemenis.
The economic reporter suggested that the media promote high quality national brands and build Yemenis' confidence in them. He suggested establishing an administration of economic and industrial media, training economic journalists, developing economic sections in newspapers to highlight research findings in industry and technology to raise awareness of what is “made in Yemen””.
Citing the obstacles to industry development in Yemen
