A visiting New Zealand-based media and public relations consultant has made an impassioned plea for a meeting of minds between journalists and the corporate world in order to enhance the quality of business reporting in the Middle East.

Rob Neale, who was in Dubai as a guest of World View Communications, the PR arm of Dubai World, said that while building good, trust-worthy relations with news organizations tested the best PR managers anywhere in the world, it is far more pronounced in emerging economies.

'Corporate PR managers often perceive the media as unfair and unsympathetic towards the corporate world, but the fact is they need it desperately,' he said. 'It is the job of journalists to chase stories that are of interest to the general public. This occasionally results in stories that may impact negatively on the companies involved.'

Neale was speaking at a Marketing, Media & Communications Forum organized by World View Communications, the PR arm of Dubai World, at the Emirates Tower Hotel. It was attended by some 100 Group communications and public relations executives.

Mr Farid Mohammed Ahmed, Dubai World Secretary General, elaborated on Dubai's quest for a place on the global map through trend-setting projects like the Palm Islands, Burj Dubai and other iconic developments.

'Dubai prides itself in its new identity as home to the best in the world, be it architecture, finance, sport or any other field,' he said. 'People internationally are looking at Dubai through the spectrum of these appealing projects. The criteria for this success has gone beyond these developments in the form of instituting structured policies, internationally accepted laws and regulations, and our desire to create harmony and equality in all we do. That's why Dubai attracts the Fortune 500 companies to invest here.'

Mario Natarelli, Chief Brand Experience Officer-Worldwide, Future Brand, the company that designed Dubai World logo, said: 'Dubai holds a flag for value proposition to the international community. The sophistication of the market is increasing steadily. And significantly, a large number of ideas coming to us in New York are from Dubai.'

In his keynote address, Rob Neale said, 'Brands tend to make a strong impact on the media, and the media in turn influence the audience. This makes it extremely important for media managers to listen to the media in order to reach the target audience.'

Mr Neale, who advices clients in the Middle East, Britain, Singapore and New Zealand, said, 'Corporates by nature seek positive publicity and are averse to news that is negative or critical about their activities. But a non-stop run of only positive stories could lead to a loss of credibility. There is no value in having such publicity.'

He also strongly advised corporate public relations managers to face critical questions from journalists and avoid shunning them with a 'no comment'.

He said: 'Silence is not always the best option.'

A panel discussion - titled 'Media & Corporations: The Fine Art of Balance' - that followed the speeches involved three special guests: Duraid Al Baik, Foreign Editor, Gulf News, Dr Sulaiman Al Hattlan, Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Arabia, and Andrew Critchlow, Managing Editor (ME), Zawya Dow Jones Newswire.

All underscored the difficulty of sourcing reliable information and data about the business activities of companies and corporate houses. They stressed on the need for companies to deliver on their promises openly and spokespersons to be forthcoming with information and insights when approached by the media on developments, positive or negative.

Mr Al Baik said, 'I urge corporate leaders to come open with stories that are critical of them as much as they seek a positive spin in their press releases. Shutting themselves out during a crisis could only contribute to damaging their image.'

Dr Al Hattlan spoke of the need to increase the awareness about the basic concepts of journalism and said: 'We need to redefine the way the Media is looked at in the Arab world. PR (Public Relations) dominates the media culture here. Companies expect the press to publish their stories but often they are not accessible themselves. The key is to establish credibility through communication both ways.'

Mr Critchlow concurred, saying, 'Companies put a spin on everything they say and frown upon when the accuracy of their claims is questioned. The most important thing is accuracy. If media is accurate and fair, it will be seen in the proper light. Corporates must help by being more forthcoming in sharing information with journalists.'

The journalists' claims provoked a heated debate, with several corporate executives refuting the charges. They said the Media sometimes published inaccurate and biased stories without verifying facts with the companies.

Rob Neale summed it up by saying, 'Finding a balance between corporate bodies and the media is a delicate art that requires the building of mutual trust. And communicating openly and regularly is the only prescription to achieve it.'