News leaders from across the Arab region gathered in Tunis for the Arab States Broadcasting Union’s 19th Standing Committee on News, where members emphasised a common need for sovereignty over their content, free from foreign censorship.

Held against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, members agreed on the urgent need for a platform where content is not governed by the laws of countries outside the Arab region.

They noted that platforms such as those run by Meta have been censoring crucial information for the public at a time of urgent need for truthful information, pointing out that posts including words such as “Gaza” have been flagged and removed.

The union stressed that although the conflict is close to the hearts of many in the region, where stories often tend to be driven by emotion, broadcasters should prioritise truth and objective reporting.

The ABU was represented at the meeting by Asiavision’s Senior Editor, Ahmed Afruh Rasheed, where he discussed the close cooperation between the two unions’ news exchanges and ways to further enhance the exchanges between the two organisations.