Salma Mohamed Al Yousef
To facilitate foreign media outlets, Qatar News Agency (QNA) has built 11 purpose-built offices at QNA West Bay building that will be provided to foreign media houses on cheaper rent.
“Initially we have established 11 office spaces which are equipped with all necessary amenities like furniture and internet. Any foreign media organisation either a newspaper, a TV channel or a news agency can avail the space on cheaper rent,” said Salma Mohamed Al Yousef (pictured), Assistant Director of Foreign Media at QNA while talking to The Peninsula.
She said that the move was part of Qatar government’s vision of providing maximum facilities to media. “QNA operations have also been moved from old office at Al Waab Street to QNA Tower West Bay,” she said.
Apart from providing office spaces to international media outlets, a spacious hall has also been built to facilitate government organisations. “Any government organisation can avail the hall services for free for conducting press conferences or other kind of media interactions,” Salma said.
The assistant director further revealed that QNA was working on the plan to develop a sophisticated TV studio to facilitate foreign correspondents attached with the electronic media.
“This studio will have DSNG facilities among others and all foreign journalists will have the access and permission to use the studio for recording, editing or video transmitting,” she said, adding currently those journalists were using Qatar TV facilities that was also creating troubles for them due to rush at existing studio. Salma hoped that the TV studio would start working in six months.
She said currently 90 foreign media correspondents were working in Qatar. “Around a dozen big foreign media outlets have good offices but others representing small or medium outlets lack purpose-built facilities therefore QNA’s step of providing offices equipped with all necessary facilities would help them in accomplishing professional tasks,” he added.
Salma further said that now media outlets had started moving from Dubai to Doha due to sports activities. “They are looking towards 2022 World Cup and also want extensive coverage of other sporting events continue throughout the year in Doha,” she observed.
She said that QNA had received warm reception over its moves of providing offices, hall etc. from foreign media houses. “So far around 15 media organisations have approached us for the offices. They have yet not applied officially but we hope soon all offices will be allotted on rent,” she said.
QNA official said that QNA was also facilitating foreign media outlets in completing legal procedures sans any troubles for opening their offices in Qatar.
“With an approval letter from QNA they get permission from concerned authorities and allotted computer card and can also hire other journalists from abroad on their company name. We are making procedures easy for media,” she added.
“QNA also holds workshops for working journalists both for Arabic and English media for their capacity building,” Salma said, adding QNA was also offering internship to students of Qatar University’s Mass Communication department.
