RIYADH: The first Hajj Media Forum has been launched in Makkah as the Hajj season gets underway in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. The forum, inaugurated by the Minister of Information Salman bin Youssef Al-Dosari, aims to provide an integrated media environment supporting journalists during the Hajj season. The initiative is a joint effort between the Media Ministry, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Guests of the Rahman Service Program. This initiative is a key component of the media transformation efforts announced by Al-Dosari three months ago at the third edition of the Saudi Media Forum. The "Hajj Media Forum" is expected to benefit more than 150 local, Arab, Islamic, and international media outlets, and over 1,500 journalists from around the world. The forum features 11 supportive media areas, an interactive media exhibition, a venue for press conferences, and a comprehensive media center. Pilgrims continue to arrive in the Kingdom ahead of the key day of Arafat on Saturday, where worshipers will stand on the plains of the holy site. The yearly spectacle is reported on intensely by local and international media.