Hajj conference study finds gaps in media skills for addressing pilgrims in their languages

A field study presented at the Hajj Conference and Exhibition has revealed gaps in foreign language writing, content performance analysis, and use of design and editing software among media professionals surveyed in Makkah and Madinah. This comes despite a high average self-assessment of their ability to communicate Hajj and Umrah messages to international audiences, with a score of 4.06 out of 5.

The study, conducted by Dr. Ahmed Ali Deen from Taibah University and Dr. Hassan Mansour Al-Najrani from the Islamic University of Madinah, was based on a questionnaire completed by 230 media practitioners. It assessed their linguistic, cultural, digital, and professional skills, as well as their ability to plan communication for multinational audiences.

The results showed that applying cultural knowledge, preparing media plans, and selecting publishing channels were among the highest-rated skills. Practitioners with 15 years or more of experience reported higher perceived competence, while no consistent statistical differences were found based on training or type of institution.

The researchers recommended integrating language training with digital production and performance analysis, including language tests in recruitment processes, and identifying the most effective channels to reach pilgrims according to their countries. They also called for regulations on the use of artificial intelligence in content creation, requiring human review of AI-generated outputs before publication.

The researchers noted that the results reflect participants' self-assessment of their skills, while the actual quality of published media messages was not measured in the study.