KUWAIT:  Social media platforms play an important role in mitigating and managing crises, said a Kuwaiti academic on Thursday. Speaking to KUNA at the conclusion of the KUNA Center for the Development of Media Skills’ training course on managing media crises via social media, Professor at Kuwait University Dr. Fawaz Al-Ajmi indicated that the direct line to the wider audiences made social media such an important communication tool.

Administrators and experts at various institutes must be aware of how to deal with media crises and speak to the public through social media platforms to avoid mishaps, he affirmed. In regards to the program, which began on June 2, Dr. Al-Ajmi revealed that it dealt with several stages of media crises, including false advertisement and manipulation, which required tools that would enable media personnel to refute and defuse. Established in December 1995, the KUNA Center for the Development of Media Skills had provided many training courses and programs to boost media personnel’s skills and elevate journalists’ capabilities. — KUNA