The world needs ambition like HH Sheikh Mohammed's, says Piers Morgan
Dubai's scale of evolution, transformation and dynamism is contagious, said renowned British broadcaster and media personality Piers Morgan, while praising the bold vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. Recalling the construction of the Burj Khalifa, Morgan noted that when the tower was just 40% complete, Sheikh Mohammed instructed it be pushed to become the tallest building in the world. 'That's the level of ambition the rest of the world needs. Be bigger, better and higher in everything we do,' he said.
From admiration for Dubai's amazing growth to a hard-hitting critique of global media challenges, Morgan's session at the Arab Media Summit with Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-in-Chief of The National, on Wednesday, touched upon ambition, truth, controversy, and the future of journalism. He was speaking on the third and final day of the Summit organised by the Dubai Press Club.
The session addressed controversies around his coverage of the Gaza conflict 'I'm not here to take sides, I'm here for 'The Truth', Morgan emphasised. Responding to Al-Oraibi's point about his rising influence in the Middle East, Morgan cited his viral debate with comedian Bassem Youssef, which garnered over 22 million views. 'That moment showed us the world was watching,' he said, recounting how the two later met in Los Angeles for an extensive discussion that helped him understand the region's complex history.
He clarified that he is not a reactionary. 'I change my views when the facts change. My job is not to take sides, it's to stand with 'The Truth'; not your truth or my truth, but 'The Truth',' he explained.
He warned of a rising tide of misinformation, citing a recent UK case where a woman was jailed over a now-deleted social media post. 'She apologised, yet she's serving two years. That's baffling. Where do we draw the line?'
'Free speech must be protected,' he said, 'but it must not be confused with fake news. Facts are sacred. Agree on the facts; then debate your opinions.'
While Morgan admitted he still enjoys reading print newspapers, he was blunt about their future: 'No one under 35 is consuming traditional media. They get their news from TikTok and X. That's the reality.''
Emphasising the importance of credibility in the age of AI, when social media gives News, he said, 'Let everyone be a journalist, but for trained professionals, individual credibility is important.'
Asked why he doesn't shy away from controversy, Morgan was candid: 'I love controversy! It makes people watch me. But never on false promises. I am the voice of common sense. That's what most people relate to.'
He cautioned against overestimating noise on social media: 'Only 20% of people are on X, and it's 8% of them making the noise. That doesn't represent reality.'
When asked about the future of media, Morgan responded, 'Legacy media is in the dark ages. Look at where youngsters are today; they are on phones, laptops, YouTube. That's the future.'
As the session closed, Al-Oraibi emphasised the importance of responsible journalism in shaping informed societies, while Morgan reiterated that in a world full of noise, truth still matters, and real ambition can reshape the world.
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