National media institutions succeeded in providing coverage distinguished by speed, accuracy and credibility amid the events and challenges witnessed by the region in recent times. Alongside the readiness and efficiency of the armed forces — which reflected the level of national preparedness — a comprehensive media landscape emerged, confirming that national media has become an integral part of crisis management systems. At a time marked by rapidly unfolding events, an intense flow of information, and escalating disinformation attempts across digital platforms, the national media succeeded in delivering coverage based on official information and professional analysis, thereby reinforcing public trust, preserving the clarity of the national narrative, and deepening societal awareness of developments.
Media experts, speaking on the sidelines of the UAE Media Forum, affirmed that this performance was not spontaneous but rather the result of accumulated institutional construction and long-term professional preparedness, built on a number of key factors that enabled the national media to appear with such readiness and efficiency. These factors included the state's transparency in handling events — providing information with full clarity and precision — which served as a reference for media outlets in conveying these facts to the public, as well as the integrated collaboration between media institutions and government communications departments.
High efficiency
In this context, media professional and content creator Jassim Al Shuhaimi affirmed that the secret behind the UAE media's readiness during crises lies in proactive work that precedes the event itself, explaining that media institutions rely on clear plans, well-studied scenarios, and effective communication mechanisms that allow them to move swiftly and efficiently when any developments arise.
He noted that the national media has, over recent years, succeeded in entrenching a professional model built on credibility, transparency and rapid response — essential elements for maintaining public trust in times of crisis. Al Shuhaimi added that the UAE's experience during the coronavirus pandemic provided a practical example of the media system's efficiency and its ability to keep pace with rapidly evolving events, as media played a pivotal role in conveying reliable information, strengthening societal awareness, and supporting national efforts.
Experience and lessons
For his part, content creator Saeed Al Zubaidi said that the readiness of media institutions in the UAE during crises did not emerge from a vacuum, but is rather the result of accumulated experience and lessons learned from the exceptional junctures the country has passed through in recent years, foremost among them the Covid-19 pandemic. He noted that those experiences contributed to building a media system better prepared to handle rapid changes, both in terms of the speed of information transmission and the ability to deliver official messages clearly and accurately to various segments of society.
He pointed out that one of the most prominent secrets of this readiness lies in the integration of roles between media institutions and official bodies, which limits the confusion that may accompany crises and enhances the timely flow of reliable information. He also noted that rapid developments in artificial intelligence technologies have imposed new challenges on the media landscape, yet UAE media institutions have been able to keep pace with these transformations.
Proactive readiness
Content creator Mansour Al Mansoori said that the true secret to the success of the media system lies in proactive readiness, which encapsulates the entire picture. He explained that media institutions in the UAE do not wait for crises or emergency circumstances to begin mobilising or drafting last-minute plans, but rather operate according to sustainable strategies that keep them perpetually prepared behind the scenes.
He believes that the current professional environment in the country has succeeded in defining each individual's role within the system with remarkable precision, to the point where every journalist or content creator is clearly aware of their duties and responsibilities in advance. He noted that this continuous and systematic preparation is the decisive factor that makes the real difference, granting institutions high flexibility that allows them to transition swiftly and in an organised manner from normal working mode to intensive, comprehensive coverage within a matter of minutes and at the highest levels of efficiency and excellence.
Media professional and content creator Walid Al Asbahi said that the state's handling of events was marked by a high degree of transparency and speed in issuing official statements and updating information on a continuous basis, which provided a reliable reference for local media outlets that performed their role efficiently in reporting news and developments around the clock, free from speculation or unverified information. He noted that this approach enhanced the media's ability to follow events moment by moment and raised its credibility with the public, which was reflected in the great trust shown by citizens, residents, visitors and tourists in information issued by official bodies and national media outlets.
A balanced picture
Media professional and content creator Mohammed Imran said that the true value of what the national media delivered during the recent events lies not in the volume of coverage or the speed of follow-up, but in its ability to maintain a balanced media picture at a time when information was flowing at an unprecedented pace. He noted that global experience proves that crises test not only the readiness of security and military institutions, but also the efficiency of the media system in managing information, because any information vacuum opens the door to rumours and inaccurate narratives.
He added that what occurred reflected the existence of a mature media system capable of absorbing successive developments without being drawn into a race to publish, with priority given to accuracy and reliability and to delivering information at the right moment.