Arabs need catching up Monday, 27 June 2011 03:17

DOHA: Science journalism, like journalism in general in the Arab world, has yet to reach its full potential, says a leading Arab science journalist.

“Unquestionably, there is room for improvement. Reporting is yet to be instanced here in journalism. Journalism is based exclusively on reporting. So we have to do more on this and science journalism is no exception to the whole body of journalism,” Waleed Al Shobakky (pictured), a science writer based in Qatar, told
The Peninsula.

“But there is certainly reason for hope and optimism as reflected in the number of people who work or focus on science,” said Al Shobakky, ahead of the official opening of the World Conference of Science Journalists 2011 at the
Education City yesterday

The Conference opened yesterday bringing together established and aspiring science writers to the Middle East for the first time.

More than 600 science journalists, reporters, researchers and academics have gathered to discuss a range of topics in science writing facing Qatar and the larger Arab world.

The event has also brought together 60 Arab science journalists, the highest number to attend a World Conference of Science Journalists.

Working sessions at the event will begin today.

He also said that more journalists do not show interest in science writing due to the misconception that there is no opening for science journalism due to the developed energy sector in Gulf countries.

“There is a temptation to view Qatar and probably the larger Gulf region from the point of energy — gas and oil. Therefore, the first impression is that we need more business journalists here, and there might be not more that science reporters can report on in this part of the world. I think this is inaccurate,” said Al Shobakky.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and especially Abu Dhabi are doing cutting edge experimentations to review their higher education institutes and introduce new ones. “This is a good opportunity for science journalists,” said Al Shobakky.

He further called upon science journalists to look closely and examine these initiatives and study how other Asian countries like Singapore, Turkey and Iran are working in the context of global science.

“Because science is a global enterprise and the Qatari experience is that you have to rely on global players even when you try to energise your own domestic higher educational and science institutions,” said Al Shobakky.

Al Shobakky, since 2005, has worked with science and academic projects. He turned to write about science policy and now works for Al Jazeera. He is a founding member of the Arab Association for Science Journalists. Al Shobakky is also actively involved in the World Federation of Science Journalists’ s online course aimed at making the Arabic translation more accessible to Arab journalists.

“In my capacity as a mentor of the World Federation of Science Journalists and as a person who trains young Arab science journalists, more mediapersons are becoming interested in science issues, though they don’t exclusively report on the world of science,” he said.

The World Conference of Science Journalists 2011 is an ideal way to raise awareness about the value of science journalism and should excite more science journalists within and beyond the region, explained Al Shobakky.

The Peninsula