by Xinhua writer Shen Feng
BEIJING, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Media organizations should step up cooperation in joint reporting, technical support and journalist training, and devote more attention to the development of Global South countries, Lebanese Information Minister Paul Morcos said.
International media coverage often focuses heavily on crises, but pay less attention to what happens after the headlines fade, Morcos said in an interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the 7th World Media Summit in Beijing.
"When fighting subsides, for example, the next story is how families return and how communities reopen their schools and businesses," he said.
Morcos said that international media could provide a more comprehensive picture of Lebanon by working more closely with local journalists and drawing on a wider range of sources and that Lebanon has a long tradition of independent journalism, publishing and cultural debate.
He said the same approach could help improve coverage of other Global South countries, allowing international audiences to better understand the challenges facing local communities and how people respond to them.
On the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the media industry, Morcos said AI tools could help newsrooms, including smaller ones, with tasks such as translation, but human oversight remained essential.
Editors must verify names, quotations and context before publication, he said, warning that AI tools could also make fabricated images and recordings more difficult to identify.
He called for greater training in content verification and clear guidelines on disclosing the use of AI when it has materially altered published content. News organizations should also explain their verification processes and distinguish confirmed facts from unverified material to help maintain public trust, he said.
Regarding media cooperation between Lebanon and China, Morcos said the two sides discussed translating documentaries about China into Arabic for broadcast by Lebanese media outlets.
"Giving Lebanese and Arab audiences a chance to see how people live in China is one way to bring our two peoples closer together," Morcos said. ■
