DT Fine Art

Media Forum addresses issues in shadow of Arab Spring

KUWAIT: The ninth session of the Arab Media Forum, themed The Arab Media Spring, began yesterday under the patronization of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Secretary General of the Arab Media Forum Madi Khamees said in a statement on the occasion that Tunisia was chosen as honorary guest of the forum. The Arab Media Spring also noted that the Tunisian media made strides in upgrading and updating its infrastructure.

Tunisia, since the launch of the Arab Spring events, has accomplished many democratic achievements that boosted freedom of expression and the media profession, in the service of higher objectives of the state, rather than narrow and personal interests, he said, alluding to the policy of the ousted regime of Zine El-Abidine Bin Ali.

Several eminent figures will be honored during the event, he said, naming the Prince of Makkah region and the founder of the Arab Thought Foundation, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Chairperson of the Jordanian Media Institute and member of the Board of Commissioners of the Jordanian Royal Authority for Movies Princess Reem Al-Ali, the Lebanese writer, Samir Atallah, the media figure, Nasser Al-Sanousi, and Chairperson of the Tunisian Journalism Union, Najiba Al-Hamrouni.

An exhibition held on sidelines of the forum included four sessions addressing issue, such as the Arab media in the shadow of the Arab Spring. Officials, eminent media figures and journalists addressed this session. They include Tunisian Minister of Human Rights, Samir Dilo, Chairman of the Arab Parliament, Ali Deqbasi, Lebanese columnist, Jihad Al-Khazen, Saudi journalist, Jamal Al-Khashoghji, Chief editor of the Moroccan newspaper, Al-Akhbar, Toufic Bou-Eshreen, and the head of the Iraqi media network, Dr Mohammad Abdul-Jabbar Al-Shabbout.

The second session of the gathering, themed The media from state authority to masses authority, includes lectures by the media figure, Khairi Ramadan, the dean of Egyptian journalists, Mamdouh Al-Wali, deputy chief editor of Iraqi newspaper Al-Mada, Adnan Hussein, publisher of Elaf, Othman Al-Omair, Samir Atallah, the Kuwaiti journalist, Ahmad Al-Fahad and the chairperson of the Tunisian union of journalists, Najiba Al-Hamrouni.

The third session on Future of the Arab-Western relations in the shadow of political changes, will be addressed by the female journalist, Karima Awad, Lebanese Minister of Information Walid Al-Daouk, spokesperson of the British government for the Middle East and North Africa, Rose Davis, member of Kuwaiti Parliament, Mohammad Al-Sager, member of the Saudi Consultative Council, Dr. Fahad Al-Arabi Al-Harthi and the Libyan journalist, Mahmoud Shammam.

The third session will be followed with open dialogue, to be run by Al-Khamees, with the attendance of Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah, and Information Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah. The concluding ceremony will be marked with an address by the Arab League Secretary General, Nabil Al-Arabi, the participating Tunisian official and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak. -KUNA

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¶Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Atlanta, part of AFC Enterprises, chose Campbell Mithun, Minneapolis, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, as its digital agency of record. There was no previous digital agency and spending was not disclosed. The assignment includes Web site redesign and digital support of promotions, social media, mobile marketing and search engine marketing. The first work from Campbell Mithun will be a Mood Wing app, a play on “mood ring,” supporting a promotion for a menu item called Bonafine bone-in chicken.

¶Milk Processor Education Program, Washington, which oversees the national milk mustache “Got milk?” campaign, named MGSComm, Miami, as its national Hispanic marketing agency of record, replacing Siboney USA, New York and Miami, which is closing. Billings were not disclosed. “Siboney was integral in helping MilkPEP tap into the mindset of the Hispanic consumer and successfully raise the profile of milk in Hispanic households,” Vivien Godfrey, chief executive of the program, said in a statement. “Although we are saddened by their closure, we are looking forward to continuing outreach to Hispanic consumers about milk’s benefits.”

¶Nestlé USA reshuffled assignments for a leading roster agency, McCann Erickson Worldwide, part of the McCann Worldgroup division of the Interpublic Group of Companies. Total spending was not disclosed. The Nestlé Waters North America unit expanded its relationship with the McCann Erickson New York office by awarding the office, which has worked for the unit since 1997, two assignments. One is to introduce a product named Resource, a spring water with electrolytes, and the other assignment, previously handled internally at Nestlé Waters, is to create campaigns for the Nestlé Waters Direct residential delivery business. Also, Nestlé USA decided to move the duties to create American campaigns for two brands, Coffee-Mate and Nesquik, from the McCann Erickson Los Angeles office to another of its roster agencies. McCann Erickson continues to create campaigns for those two brands in about 30 other countries.

¶Lending Tree, Charlotte, N.C., selected Ocean Media, Huntington Beach, Calif., as agency of record for media planning and buying. Spending was estimated at more than $31 million. The assignment had previously been handled by two Interpublic Group of Companies agencies, the MediaHub division of Mullen and ID Media.

¶Merrick Pet Care, Amarillo, Tex., which sells superpremium pet food, chose Carmichael Lynch, Minneapolis, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, as its agency of record. There was no previous agency and spending was not disclosed.

People

¶Andy Fletcher, who left the advertising industry in 2010, is returning. Mr. Fletcher, who had held posts that included president of Fletcher Martin, Atlanta, is becoming chief executive of Bailey Lauerman, Lincoln, Neb., succeeding Jim Lauerman, who becomes chairman. Mr. Fletcher had most recently been associate vice president for marketing and public relations at the University of Florida, his alma mater.

¶David Zaritsky joined Roska Healthcare Advertising, Montgomeryville, Pa., as president, assuming duties from Jay Bolling, who continues as chief executive. Mr. Zaritsky had been managing director at the Lambertville, N.J., office of Healthcare Regional Marketing.

Miscellany

¶Indigo Consulting, a digital agency in India, was acquired by the Publicis Groupe, Paris. Financial terms were not disclosed. Indigo, which is based in Mumbai and also has an office in Delhi, will keep its name and operate as part of the Indian operations of the Leo Burnett Worldwide division of Publicis.

¶Nile Project, San Francisco, also known as Nile Media, was acquired by Travora Media, New York. Financial terms were not disclosed. Josh Steinmetz, chief executive at Nile, will become a principal executive at Travora.