In a significant move, Minister of Communication, Mohamed Laqab, toured various national media institutions today, Sunday, in commemoration of National Press Day. Laqab expressed his heartfelt congratulations to the media fraternity, applauding their continued efforts, particularly in covering the Zionist aggression in Gaza.
Seizing the opportunity, Laqab clarified that the National Press Day celebrations had not been canceled. Instead, they have been postponed until the situation in Palestine stabilizes. “The event will be special,” he assured.
The Minister criticized the Western media’s handling of the grim events in Gaza, including the targeted killings of journalists. In the same context, he lauded the statement released today by the publishers of national newspapers on the state of global press freedom. They criticized the Western media’s portrayal of the war waged by Zionist occupation against the people of Gaza. Laqab commended the unity in the main headlines of the national newspapers, stating that it contributes to “amplifying the voice of Palestine.”
Laqab also extolled the efforts made by public media and encouraged them to “redouble their efforts, given the intense competition and rapid news dissemination.” He emphasized relying on “in-depth analysis by engaging prominent Algerian and foreign writers and considering the idea of publishing a weekly magazine in multiple languages, specializing in news analysis and opinion pieces.”
During his visit to “El Shorouk News” channel, representing “all private channels in Algeria,” the Minister congratulated all those working in the audio-visual field on the occasion of National Press Day. He highlighted their contributions in covering various national and international issues, especially the tragic events in Gaza. Laqab revealed that two legislative projects concerning audio-visual and digital journalism would soon be presented to the Parliament. He urged stakeholders to “adapt to the new laws, in service of national media.”
Furthermore, he praised the role of the Algerian News Agency in covering different national and international events. Laqab stressed the importance of “complementing its domestic presence by marking its footprint in the world’s major capitals, especially in Africa.”
Finally, he underlined the significance of covering economic activities in Algeria and supporting the government’s endeavors in this domain. He emphasized the need to “work on elevating news treatment and its marketing to keep pace with global developments.”
By effectively highlighting these issues, Laqab emphasized the government’s commitment to a robust, free, and responsible press, echoing Algeria’s stance on pressing international issues.
