Abu Dhabi, UAE. 10 October 2012 – Today anaZahra, the Arab woman’s ultimate how-to guide, unveiled a fresh new look and format designed around its most popular topics and features. The anaZahra world comes to life in four new segments: My self, My Home, My Society and My Occasions. The new site offers registered users a fully customizable experience, allowing them to prioritize the news and content as per their own personal traits and interests.

Hala Al Gergawi, anaZahra’s Editor-in Chief, commented: “anaZahra reflects women’s aspirations, and as such, empower them to achieve them. In relaunching anaZahra, we addressed the relationship our readers have with our brand, and launched a new design and innovative features that will help enhance every user’s individual experience. We are committed to supporting our vibrant content with the most cutting-edge technology, ensuring our users get the most from their time with anaZahra.”

Whether browsing through fashion trends, beauty content and celebrity news, anaZahra allows its readers to access their preferred portal sections by just one click. The new site is organized around four main segments:

My Society showcases breaking celebrity and world news, as well as exclusive features on entertainment, culture, art and the latest in women’s interests.

My Self offers some “me” time, with updates on the latest looks and trends, cutting-edge fashion, as well as beauty and health features.
My Home features the newly-launched decor section, with the latest home solutions and planning trends as well as expert advice on do’s and don’ts for home decorating, allowing readers to bring the styles they admire to their own homes.

My Occasions inspires our brides to-be with a rich tapestry of wedding styles, bridal looks, unique ideas for their big day brought by recognized experts and professionals.

AnaZahra is a leading lifestyle brand for Arab women offering insider access, unparalleled original editorial and video content with unique personal experience to an influential generation of Arab women. It also allows its registered users to interact with leading experts from different fields, providing them with solutions to their beauty, medical and social queries. anaZahra strives to continuously develop its structure and content in order to provide its readers with the most cutting edge experience.

The Execution of the new marketing campaign for anaZahra has been supported by Ermanno Scervino, Hugo Boss, Joseph, Shanghai Tang, I Wish Flowers,  Enchante Abayas by Nada & Huda Al Jallaf, HudaBeauty.com, Adnan Jewellery Mazaya and Rami Al Ali Haute Couture, who provided the shooting with Abayas, Jewellery, clothes, Flowers and makeup.

anaZahra.com

AnaZahra is a leading lifestyle brand for Arab women who are passionate about the latest in fashion, beauty, fitness, entertainment and more. The portal, launched in 2010, offers a unique engaging media experience and features style leaders, influential bloggers and worldwide contributors who are a direct reflection of the audience served.

anaZahra’s positive voice targets the age group from 18 to 40 and delivers over 1.2 million unique visitors monthly and 23 million page views monthly. anaZahra has been named as the most engaging female portal in the Arab world with more than 494,000 Fans on Facebook and more than 17,000 followers on Twitter.

Log on to www.anaZahra.com for the daily inspiration, ideas and advice. Stay tuned for exciting rewards and surprises…the best is yet to come!

Sky News Arabia Mobile Apps

Abu Dhabi, UAE: 07 October 2012 – Sky News Arabia – 24-hour, Arabic-language rolling news channel broadcasting from Abu Dhabi – has rolled out livestreaming of its news broadcast for Apple iPhone and Android smartphone devices as it continues to develop its multi-media offering.

The livestreaming for Sky News Arabia’s iPhone and Android smartphone apps – which comes in addition to the livestreaming already available on the channel’s native iPad and Android tablet apps – is part of the channel’s efforts to remain at the cutting edge of news delivery and to meet increasing viewer demand for information on the go.
“The convergance of communications, internet and mobile technology and the rapid rise of social media are changing the broadcast industry, from the way news is gathered to how its delivered and consumed,” Nart Bouran, Head of Sky News Arabia, said.

Speaking during a discussion held at Sky News Arabia’s studios about the impact of technology on the broadcast news industry, Bouran continued: “It is no longer enough for media organizations to have the largest network of bureaus and journalists; as important – if perhaps more important – is the need to embrace technology and keep pace with the evolution of information technology in order to keep audiences interested and engaged.”

“From social media to the spread of smartphones and tablet PCs to the increasing availability of mobile internet and mobile data packages, technology is giving users the ability to access news and information anytime, anywhere from the palm of their hand. Mobile apps are a key part of this and at Sky News Arabia we see this as a tremendous opportunity to stay engaged with our audiences wherever they may be and to deliver the news in the format and via the platforms they prefer.

As an independent, 24-hour, breaking news channel, Sky News Arabia has placed multi-media at the core of its operations with the integration of broadcast, online and social media in its newsroom. Sky News Arabia’s website, www.skynewsarabia.com – launched two months prior to the channel itself – features blogs and live Twitter feeds from journalists and correspondents and allows users to engage and comment on current topics. On social media, audiences can find and share stories on Facebook, stay abreast of breaking news via Twitter or view news highlights and interviews on Sky News Arabia’s Youtube channel while at the same time engaging and interacting with the channel and its journalists. Twitter users can choose to follow the channel’s main handle @skynewsarabia for a summary of the day’s top news or follow handles specific to their interests ranging from breaking news, to tech, culture, and sports.

Thair Soukar, Head of Digital Strategy at Sky News Arabia commented:
“Sky News Arabia was launched with a core aim of providing breaking news to Arabs across the region as it happens and across multiple platforms to match their need for mobile communication. In developing our technology, we noticed a gap in the market in the availability of native, good quality Arabic news apps, particularly for Android devices. We created our applications with all mobile audiences in mind and have so far received very positive feedback from our users. We will continue to develop our apps in line with the latest technology to ensure an efficient and interactive user experience for all.”

Sky News Arabia Mobile Apps

Sky News Arabia has launched mobile apps for various operating systems, including iOS devices such as the iPad and iPhone, Android phones and tablets, Blackberry and Nokia. The applications were created as native versions rather than mobile versions of the website to ensure a better user experience and seamless integration with the user’s mobile device. The applications can be downloaded for free at each mobile platform’s respective app store (via the following links:

iPad: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sky-news-arabia-for-ipad/id521655253?mt=8

iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sky-news-arabia/id521080981?mt=8

Android smartphones: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grapplemobile.skynewsarabia&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5ncmFwcGxlbW9iaWxlLnNreW5ld3NhcmFiaWEiXQ..

Android tablets: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skynewsarabia.skynewsarabia&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5za3luZXdzYXJhYmlhLnNreW5ld3NhcmFiaWEiXQ..

Nokia: http://store.ovi.com/content/274433?clickSource=search&pos=1
Blackberry: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/108720/?lang=en

The iOS and Android apps were particularly designed to be advanced and in line with the world’s best practices. Some of the key features include an interactive map for news, 3-D photo galleries and a 48-hour timeline of top news stories as well as the ability to share stories via Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Another important feature of the mobile app is the live streaming, which has recently been added to the iPhone to match the iPad and Android applications, allowing users to watch high quality broadcast of the channel while on the go. Live streaming of the channel is also available at www.skynewsarabia.com and www.livestation.com.

“Android and Apple iOS devices make-up some 95% of the smartphone and tablet market in the Middle East. With our livestreaming for phones and tablets on both of these operating systems we have the ability to reach practically all users across the region who have access to mobile data and would want to watch Sky News Arabia while on the move,” Soukar explained.

Sky News Arabia also broadcasts free-to-air on Nilesat 201, Transponder 14; Arabsat Badr 4, Transponder 15 and Hotbird (Eutelsat 13C, ex Hotbird9), Transponder 51. The channel is also available on OSN channel 122 in HD and 123 in SD, Etisalat eLife channel 236 in HD and 234 in SD, du channel 17 in HD and channel 16 in SD, Qtel Mozaic TV channel 105 and the Abu Dhabi TV Network.

Viewers can follow the channel on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SkyNewsArabia and on Twitter at @skynewsarabia and, for breaking news, at @skynewsarabia_b.

About Sky News Arabia
Sky News Arabia is a 24-hour, Arabic-language rolling news channel broadcasting in HD quality from Abu Dhabi to the Arab world. A joint venture between Abu Dhabi Media Investment Corporation (ADMIC) and the UK’s BSkyB, the channel offers fresh, fast and independent news across multiple media platforms to audiences in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Sky News Arabia has 10 bureaus across the region as well as international bureaus in London and Washington. In addition, it draws upon Sky News’ global network of bureaus thus ensuring comprehensive coverage of regional and international events.

New and local hits take centre stage
Most of the 16 countries studied in this report have seen programming grids refreshed over the past season with new scripted contents. The programs launched during the 2011-2012 season performed well, among all individuals and especially young adults: they represent 36% of the best performing scripted series1, a rise of seven points compared to the previous season 2010-2011. Italy leads the way with 13 new programs in its top 15 ranking series, followed by Australia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.

Among the best performing newcomers, 86% are local productions and co-productions (75% last season), confirming the trend towards local content as a winning strategy. With virtually no imported scripted series, the US, Turkey and South Korea have achieved all their best performances with local formats. Right behind come the UK, Germany, Italy and Poland, with more than 75% of their top series produced locally.

Worldwide inspiration
An increasing number of local programs are national versions of international series and coproductions.
The growth of the scripted formats market has encouraged producers and broadcasters to look worldwide for inspiration. In the US, adaptations come from the United Kingdom with Shameless on Showtime (the second most watched series on the channel), Denmark (Forbrydelsen a.k.a The Killing on AMC), and Israel (Hatufim a.k.a Homeland on Showtime).
1 – Countries: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Quebec, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK, USA networks

If the volume of imported US series tends to decrease in the rankings – from 19% to 11%2 in 2 years – the US nevertheless feeds local creations with adaptations. For example, Cheers has been revisited in Spain and time-travelling formats continue to seduce viewers, such as Israel’s local adaptations of The Golden Girls and Married with Children, which rank in the 10 best performing series in 2012 among both all individuals and young adults.

Beyond the American influence, other inspirational foreign formats also shine. In Poland, four out of the 15 best performing series are local versions of Italian, Quebec and German series. In Sweden, the local version of the UK The Office ranks as the fourth most watched series among young adults. Meanwhile, in France, the comedy series Scènes de Ménages adapted from the Spanish Escenas de Matrimonio regularly tops the ratings of M6.

On the other hand, international opportunities are developing in the context of co-productions, enabling sharing of creative and financial resources. By diversifying their sources of inspiration, formats manage to appeal to both local and global audiences. In Italy, Maria di Nazareth (Italy / Germany) is the most watched series over the season. In Sweden, Arne Dahl Misterioso (Sweden / Germany / Finland / Denmark) took the second place in the top ranking among all individuals, as did Eva Luna (Venezuela / USA), among Venezuelans aged 18-34.

Scripted series and new viewing habits
TV viewing habits have changed and contents now have to adapt to deal with multitasking and de-linearized viewing across a variety of screens. This means becoming connected by creating significant and effective ways for audiences to engage with programs and channel brands. The USA, Canada and the UK are the most highly developed markets to date in terms of digital DNA in TV contents.
In fiction, transmedia and social TV strategies precede the season premiere in order to build anticipation. Meanwhile, branded content and online promotion (branded apps, web series, social games…) can emerge during or after a show’s season as broadcasters strive to maintain fans’ engagement with their programs. In the USA, the first season of American Horror Story on FX tripled the average market share of the channel, boosted by the parallel social network and transmedia activities.

Eurodata TV Worldwide’s Scripted Series Report – Season 3 covers September 2011-June 2012 across 16 territories: Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Québec, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the USA and Venezuela. It investigates local and international fiction programming and broadcasters’ strategies among generalist and thematic channels, the national/international performances of local productions as well as the most successful travelling formats in fiction. The report also includes an exclusive analysis on international case studies of transmedia strategies and digital extensions by Vast Media, a company specialized in tracking TV brand extensions and best practices in social TV worldwide.

2 – Countries: Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Quebec, Spain, Sweden, UK. Target: Total individuals.

Find out more about this report as well as our range of thematic studies including Kids TV Report, Entertainment, Cinema and Sport on television by contacting the Eurodata TV Worldwide team or by visiting us during the MIPCOM 2012.

Eurodata TV

About Eurodata TV Worldwide
Created by Médiamétrie, Eurodata TV Worldwide distributes programming and audience information, based on its partnership with the national institutes operating people meter systems throughout the world. Today, Eurodata TV Worldwide’s database contains more than 5500 channels in more than 100 territories and provides an exhaustive amount of daily program information including: content, production, international distribution and the audience levels for targeted programs, all data emanating directly from the relevant authorized institute based in each country around the world. These data provide a range of services which help in the decision-making process of international professionals within the audio-visual world like producers, distributors, broadcasters, copyright organisations, sponsors, etc. For more information, visit our website: www.eurodatatv.com. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/EurodataTV and Facebook: www.facebook.com/EurodataTV.

About Médiamétrie
The industry leader in media research, Médiamétrie observes, measures and analyses audience behaviour and market trends. Created in 1985, Médiamétrie is expanding its activities in television, radio,the internet, film, mobile phones, and the cross-media sector in France and abroad. In 2011, Médiamétrie realized a turnover of 73.2 M€. For more information, visit our website: www.mediametrie.com. Follow uson Twitter: www.twitter.com/Mediametrie_TM and Facebook : www.facebook.com/mediametrie

The new appointments demonstrate OSN’s dedication in building a team of experts to help bring innovative viewing solutions and the best of premium content to the region. Both David and Frederic bring with them a wealth of experience from working in similar roles; David previously at Sky TV and Frederic at Nokia Corporation.

David Hanson has been with OSN for over seven years and was Director of OSN’s movies channels and On Demand services. He will now be responsible for heading the digital team and growing OSN’s online viewing platform, OSN Play. Frederic, who has a background in securing strategic revenue generating partnerships, joins OSN to focus on growing external partnerships and increasing its revenue opportunities.

The new appointments are in line with OSN’s strategy to expand the company’s digital platform, develop its innovative viewing solutions and new business opportunities across the region.

Emad Morcos, Vice President of Strategy, Business Development and Digital at OSN said: “I am delighted to have David and Frederic join the team. David has extensive knowledge about the brand and the industry through his years with the company and was closely involved during the launch of OSN Play in the region. Frederic on the other hand has extensive experience in the music industry rolling out partnership agreements – this makes them both ideal candidates and I am confident that together we will expand OSN’s digital offerings further making us the number 1 entertainment company in the region.”

Before moving to Dubai in 2005, David worked for Sky TV in London where he was Channel Manager. More recently he has been an important asset to the OSN team where he played a key role as head of programming for the region.

Frederic joins the OSN team following a stint at Nokia Corporation MENA where he was responsible for rolling out the music division. Prior to that he was at EMI where he was responsible for negotiating and implementing revenue sharing systems for digital partners in the MENA region.

David Hanson - Director of Digital and Frederic Copper-Royer - Business Development Director at OSN

OSN is the ultimate destination for the widest choice of brand new premium Western, Arabic and Filipino entertainment in the Middle East and Africa. OSN is the home of 100 channels filled with great value entertainment, offering viewers in the MENA region exclusive access to the latest blockbuster movies, top rated series, sports, documentaries, news, kid’s entertainment and live talk shows. The movie offering includes over a 100 uncut and uninterrupted movie premieres a month so viewers can watch them the way they were meant to be watched.

OSN boasts the most comprehensive portfolio of exclusive rights from all the major studios including Warner Brothers, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM, Universal and DreamWorks and offers access to the worlds leading television brands including Disney channel, Sky News, Discovery Network and Nat Geo.

As the leader in innovation, OSN has changed the TV viewing experience by bringing quality entertainment through 30 High Definition channels and is currently the only network offering a full HD bouquet of channels as well as 3D entertainment in the region. OSN was the first to launch the DVR, the OSN Showbox HD; the regions first online TV platform, OSN Play; the regions first 3D, HD, internet enabled satellite receiver and recorder, OSN Plus HD and the region’s first VOD service, OSN on Demand offering viewers the opportunity to watch over 1000 movies and 52 latest seasons of the top series, all available in full HD quality and Dolby Digital sound.

September 2012 saw the launch of OSN’s first rewards programme, OSN Privileges, offering subscribers money can’t buy experiences, special offers and premium prizes all year round.

The OSN platform is owned and operated by Panther Media Group Limited; a company registered in DIFC, and is owned by Mawarid Group Limited and KIPCO

Dubai–UAE: 12 September, 2012 – Advertising players in the Middle East often rely on global trends to forecast media developments. It must be understood that most of these trends are hardly relevant to the region. It is, therefore, essential that we keep specifics in mind when it comes to predicting and planning ahead, according to Nadim Samara, General Manager, OMD Dubai.

Samara added: “The single consistent factor between all advertisers is the need for accountable and effective media and communication solutions for addressing business challenges. This will remain a key influencer in shaping the media and advertising industry in the region and worldwide.”

Samara’s comments came at a panel discussion on ‘Advertising Trends in the Arab Region: The Present and the Future’ hosted by TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster. Held as part of the ‘Thought Incubator’ series, the debate centred on the rapid shift in new platforms and creative approaches.

The panel featured high profile advertising experts including Jonathan Labin, Head of Facebook MENA in Dubai, Youssef Toqan, CEO, Flip Media, Joe Marritt, General Manager, Motivate Publishing (Abu Dhabi), Sarah Messer, Director of Media, Nielsen, Steve Smith, COO, Arabian Radio Network, and Nadim Samara, General Manager, OMD Dubai and was moderated by Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director, APCO Worldwide – Arab Region.

(From Right) Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director, APCO Worldwide - Arab Region; Youssef Toqan, CEO, Flip Media, Jonathan Labin, Head of Facebook MENA in Dubai, Joe Marritt, General Manager, Motivate Publishing (Abu Dhabi), Sarah Messer, Director of Media, Nielsen, Steve Smith, COO, Arabian Radio Network, and Nadim Samara, General Manager, OMD Dubai at the panel discussion on ‘Advertising Trends in the Arab Region: The Present and the Future’ hosted by TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster.

Mohammed Abdullah, Managing Director of TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, said: “We acknowledge the role of advertising in the development of the media industry. However, it is also essential to recognize that providing content that draws higher audience interest will inevitably surge advertising revenues. Additionally, both platforms require a creative approach and world-class technology. In order to enhance the media sector as a whole, dialogue is essential. TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster is committed to providing the industry with platforms such as the Thought Incubator series to discuss challenges and identify solutions.”

The print industry worldwide is currently facing challenges such as the reduction in overall advertising spend, as well as the migration of some of the major print companies to online platforms. Interestingly and in context to the region, magazines continue to enjoy robust pan-Arab circulation despite their relatively small contribution to the total print advertising spend.

According to a Dubai Press Club report titled ‘Arab Media Outlook 2011-2015’, advertising expenditure, the backbone of the media sector, dropped by 30 per cent in Egypt, 45 per cent in Bahrain and 45 per cent in Libya.

The report, however, predicted that spending on advertising will continue to grow by an average annual rate of 5.9 per cent until 2015 as a result of an anticipated economic recovery in Egypt and the growth of advertising over digital and mobile platforms.

Examining future challenges, Joe Marritt, General Manager, Motivate Publishing (Abu Dhabi), said: “As consumers of media within the Arab world become increasingly sophisticated, the challenge for all content and advertising solutions providers is to keep pace with these changing levels of aspiration and modes of consumption. The MENA region is home to more than 300 million people, and presents unique opportunities for our industry to grow and progress.”

Yousef Tuqan, CEO – Flip Media, shared: “Although the Middle East’s media landscape has been slow to evolve until now, the reality today is that no one in the media industry is immune to the changes sweeping the globe. Advertisers are becoming more demanding and consumers are becoming more fickle, and the challenge is upon everyone to evolve their offering, find new ways to grow our industry and deliver value to advertisers.”

(From Right) Jonathan Labin, Head of Facebook MENA in Dubai, Youssef Toqan, CEO, Flip Media, Joe Marritt, General Manager, Motivate Publishing (Abu Dhabi), Sarah Messer, Director of Media, Nielsen, Steve Smith, COO, Arabian Radio Network, and Nadim Samara, General Manager, OMD Dubai at the panel discussion on ‘Advertising Trends in the Arab Region: The Present and the Future’ hosted by TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster.

The ‘Arab Media Outlook 2011-2015’ report also explained how the digital platform will witness the highest growth in the coming years as a sizeable population of well-informed and socially engaged young people drive consumption of media on the internet and mobile platforms.
Experts headlining the event, however, concurred that the region still faces a mismatch between the share of digital advertising in total advertising spend with regards to the relative importance of the platform from a media consumption angle. A correction of this distortion could, therefore, be the need of the hour, the panellists pointed out.

Jonathan Labin, Head of Operations, Facebook MENA, commented: “These past few years have been difficult for media organisations and advertisers. Faced with rapid change, it is understandable that some chose to wait and see how the dust would settle. However, fortune favours the bold, and those that made the leap and engaged with new mediums such as Facebook are now reaping the benefits. They understand what works and what doesn’t, how to interact with consumers, and the role that social media plays in the broader sales and marketing mix. Fortunately it is never too late to get on board, and through our presence in the Middle East, Facebook is working directly with clients to share those lessons and explore new creative opportunities.”

For the Arab television industry, audience and advertising revenues remain concentrated, more than ever, around a small number of pan-Arab free-to-air channels while the penetration of pay TV across the Arab region remains low. Conversely, ‘out-of-home’ advertising, which includes cinema advertising, remains the most stable part of the market.

According to Nielsen’s quarterly Global Ad View Pulse report, advertising spend is on the rise around the globe and across media types. Media vehicles such as TV, newspapers, radio, outdoor, internet, and cinema saw an increase in spending at the beginning of 2012 compared to last year.
Though TV continues to attract the majority of advertising dollars, internet advertising saw the biggest increases, with advertisers spending 12.1 per cent more in Q1 2012 than one year prior. During that time, ad spends overall increased 3.1 per cent globally.

Sarah Messer, Director of Media, Nielsen, said: “The Arab Spring is not the only thing changing politically and economically in front of our very eyes; the media landscape is evolving rapidly too. This is bringing with it new platforms that are converging in different ways, new channels, growing and fragmenting audiences and a deeper hunger for more content.

“However, these changes come against the backdrop of a galvanised, younger audience who want to interact with the media and have avenues to voice their opinions. All of this creates new challenges for media owners, media agencies and advertisers in staying ahead of audience mind-sets and behaviours, and in continuing to innovate and measure across this multi-format landscape in a cost effective way.”

Steve Smith, COO, Arabian Radio Network said: “Radio is no longer about what is just coming out of an FM radio receiver. Being successful in this industry is about creating great content that can be delivered across multiple platforms.”

About Dubai Media City
Strategically located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Dubai Media City, a member of TECOM Investments, is rapidly emerging as the region’s media hub.  The City provides an advanced infrastructure for media-related businesses to operate globally out of Dubai.  Dubai Media City is the place where activities Publishing, Music, Film, New Media, Leisure & Entertainment, Broadcasting, Media & Marketing Services, and Information Agencies will thrive. The facility offers an environment that allows companies and individuals to operate with collective synergy and freedom.

Companies based in Dubai Media City have the unique edge of commercial benefits derived from our free zone status including 100 % business ownership and exemption from personal income and corporate taxes. Since its official opening in January 2001, Dubai Media City has grown to become a thriving media community of over 1400 companies and hundreds of freelance media professionals. Several global media giants and promising entrepreneurial ventures have joined this unique community.

About Dubai Studio City
Launched in Feb, 2005, Dubai Studio City (DSC), a member of TECOM Investments, offers a complete technical and community infrastructure catering to the film, TV, radio production and broadcast industries. Being built on an area of more than 20 million square feet . DSC aims to attract production and broadcast companies, as well as a wide range of support services, including providers for animation, dubbing, makeup, costume design, set design and construction, casting, telnet agencies, telecine, and laboratory facilities. DSC will feature pre-built studios, sound stages, workshops, backlots and stage areas, post-production studios, and satellite communication services. The cluster will also house film & television academies, commercial offices, entertainment & retail spaces, and hotels & residential facilities to accommodate crews and cast. DSC’s Location Approval Services (LAS) provides a single window for applying for shooting permits.

About International Media Production Zone
Dubai’s International Media Production Zone (IMPZ), a member of TECOM Investments, seeks to create a unique cluster environment for media production companies from across the industry value chain, and from across the world, to interact and collaborate effectively. IMPZ will be exclusively catering to the graphic arts, printing, publishing and packaging activities. As a master developer, IMPZ will provide an environment of growth by building key facilities, investing in infrastructure, and forming a unique free zone that incorporates industrial, commercial, residential and community service projects under its mantle. The vast complex will be housed on a territory of over 43 million square feet of land, in the heart of commercial Dubai.

The IMPZ initiative is part of Dubai’s vision to develop itself into a global media hub. It will provide a pro-business environment, sophisticated technology and community infrastructure to support and foster the growth of media production. www.impz.ae

The invitation was an attempt by Sky News to reach out to active bloggers and tweeps in the country, following the tour that was led by Nart Bouran, Head of Sky News Arabia, an open debat kicked off with different team members of the station, who were keen to listen to what can be the best digital practices that can help the Sky News Arabia to stand out.

Nart Bouran, Head of Sky News Arabia in a studio tour

Attention to tension
The Arab world is very rich in Oil, but it’s also very rich in news, even before the Arab Spring, a fact that enticed a lot of local and international players to venture into uncharted waters, with hidden agendas, or obvious ones. Countries like USA, England, China, France, Russia and Iran are present in the region through their own Arabic channels, but compared to their local rivals, Al-Jazeera (Qatar) and Al-Arabiya (Saudi Arabia), they are not that significant.

Al Jazeera is by far the strongest news channel in the region, perhaps the timing and the open financial support played an important role in their success, but personally I think the tone used by the Doha-based network boosted its image, Al-Jazeera managed to build an Anti-West, Pro-Arab image, although I believe they are not, they just tailor their news to suit the mentality of the vast majority. Al-Arabiya on the other hand managed to gain some momentum through its more-neutral attitude, the Saudi-owned Dubai-based station was launched 7 years after Al-Jazeera and doesn’t enjoy the same financial support as its Qatari rival but it seems to be catching up.

I’m not a fan of both Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya but I think Al-Jazeera is more professional, Al-Arabiya made few uncalled-for mistakes, and I’m not talking about core news, mistakes such as the “Microsoft launching Google Wave” statement to the news about the Dubai resident who paid AED1.1 Million to secure the first piece of the new iPad to the Gillette unbelievable baseball catch viral video that was aired on Al-Arabiya as if it was for real.

Sky News Arabia is the only news channel that was launched after the beginning of the revolutions in the region, soon it will be joined by Al-Arab channel, which is owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, Fox News partner in the region. Such difficult times could be so risky to start a news channel but it can an opportunity as well, a new horizon brings new challenges.

Social Media Presence
Sky News Arabia has a long way to catch up with Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, social media is one of the key tools to do so, being active on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube is needed but it takes time to expand your followers base. Below is a comparison between social media channels owned by these stations:

FACEBOOK: (only the official pages of the main brand, not including other pages like sports, economy.. etc.)
Sky News Arabia has more than 155 thousand fans compared to 2.1 million fans of Al-Arabiya and 3.5 million fans of Al-Jazeera (2.4M on Arabic page, 1.1M on the English)

TWITTER: (only the official accounts of the main brand, not including other accounts like sports, economy.. etc.)
Sky News Arabia has more than 40 thousands followers, compared to 1.28 million followers of Al-Arabiya and 3 million followers of Al-Jazeera (1.7m on the Arabic account, 1.3m on the English)

Both Sky News and Al-Arabiya use hashtags extensively, which is very important, unlike Al-Jazeera, which only uses them in English.

YOUTUBE: (only the official channel of the main brand, not including other channels like sports, economy.. etc.)
Sky News has more than 3,300 subscribers compared to more than 95,000 for Al-Arabiya and more than 467,000 for Al-Jazeera (267k for the English, 200k for the Arabic).

Sky News YouTube channel has generated close to 2.8 million views compared to almost 87 million for Al-Arabiya and close to 598 million for Al-Jazeera (395m for the English, 202m for the Arabic). Seems like English content is working for Al-Jazeera more than the Arabic.

All in all, I think Sky News Arabia has a good digital presence through a neat website and a collection of mobile apps, I also like their font both on-screen and on the website, I think it’s very nice and much more beautiful than the ones used by Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya.

To end my post, I think Sky News Arabia is gaining some ground, but only time can tell how successful and independent they are, both Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya image was slightly damaged during the Arab Spring, which was and still a real test for the transparency of  news stations in the region.

Dubai – United Arab Emirates, August 14th 2012: These days, Arabic media content can be displayed in many shapes and colors and presented through different TV, Radio, Print Media, Internet channels, in addition to social networks. The number of individuals using the internet as a media source in the Arab World, especially youth is vast, still many individuals use TV as a source of entertainment and news. Latest research in this field shows that there are more than 538 free TV channels broadcasting 24/7 however, the percentage of viewers varies according to the content provided by the channel itself.

As a result of these numerous Arabic TV channels in the market and the long airing time, most TV channels started to fill the time with imported English programs and soaps which in time became very popular. Some think that English content with its excellent production dominated the Arabic channels and left no room for creative local talents to blossom and denied them the right to show their talents and capabilities. Moreover, creative Arabic content has become exclusive only during the Holy month of Ramadan, where competition starts between TV channels on who can obtain the largest number of viewers. The question remains, why do production houses and TV stations limit their good production during the Holy month of Ramadan and not throughout the year?

Mr. Jawad Abbassi, General Manager of the Arab Advisors Group, the research partner for The Big Entertainment Show said: “the Holy month of Ramadan is classified as the most active month for TV Channels in the Arab world as it is usually full of intensive drama productions, TV series and programs that are rich in content and has a unique presentation. Producers during Ramadan compete to present the best of the best TV drama and programs seeking viewer’s satisfaction. Competition exists also between TV channels while some of them seek to own the exclusivity right for certain programs. Moreover, Ramadan introduces a high demand on certain commodities which means more competition on TV Ads, and that in one way or another creates a huge demand for new and excellent TV programs during Ramadan.”

“Ramadan has its special rituals, lots of family and friends gather in the evening plus there are less working hours during the day, that’s why people have more time to watch TV than usual. This fact motivates producers to continuously present their very best. However, that doesn’t mean that the Arabic media content exists only in Ramadan and vanishes throughout the year, there are indeed many excellent Arabic productions, but Ramadan has its own flavor.”

Competition between Arabic and English content in the Middle East region still exists despite that most industry experts reassure that the Arabic content is moving forward, though slowly. Others may say that Arabic content is way much better than English content, for example Mr. Abbassi said that “dubbing and licensing English content is still popular in the Arab world and it becomes more intensive when it comes to reality TV programs; however we can’t overlook the number of excellent Arabic programs that are quite a success.

Mr. Jawad Abbassi also said: “there are non Arabs who live in the Arab countries, we must not forget that! Therefore, we find that a good number of TV stations broadcast English programs, in addition, those programs have Arab viewers too!”

English programs are not the only competitor in the market, Turkish drama now has a good share in the Arab TV broadcasting programs. It is not a secret anymore that Turkish drama owned a very special place within Arab viewers in a very short period and it has now the lion share of viewers in the region and some believe that Turkish drama has become vital in the Arabic drama industry.

High production budgets, attention to details and the unlimited number of episodes and seasons – compared to an Arabic series that consists of a maximum of 30 series and not more than one season, are some of the many reasons that stood behind the unprecedented success achieved by Turkish drama.

Content is King! The creation of a vibrant local content production industry is key to the growth of the TV industry in the Arab world and has shown development over the past two years. Geographic hubs for TV series production are expanding across the region, with some of the Gulf States making the most of the recent unrest in traditional markets for content production such as Egypt and Syria. As the number of markets producing content increases, so will the breadth of content available for viewers and the ensuing competition can only be a positive development for creativity in the industry.

Animation in particular is finding a new home in the Arab world, nevertheless, this industry is experiencing slow growth and the reason being the fear that large production companies has for implementing local animation projects that require big effort and high budgets, in addition to the lack of supporters for this business. Experts say that the volume of the animation filmmaking in the United States is estimated at $40 billion and the market value has reached $400 Billion.

Cartoon and animation industry in the region have witnessed a huge development during the past couple of years. Some production houses have bought the license of foreign TV channels and introduced them to the Arabic audience with 100% Arabic content. Nevertheless the question remains, what is the volume of the Arabic Cartoon Production.

Ms. Natalie Habib, General Manager and Executive Producer at Blinks Studios said: “It is very difficult to equate an accurate regional share of production that is dedicated solely to animation. There is definitely a surge in animation productions targeting the Ramadan season. Broadcasters tend to be searching for new and creative animated concepts to air as Ramadan entertainment and are very ready to invest into their production, otherwise, long form productions for big screens, TV and online still have room for major growth. Investments into this type of production is haphazard and not a priority for broadcasters, producers and general investors since most prefer to buy “off-the-shelf” ready made content that they are happy to dub into Arabic.”

Ms. Habib also said: “ As for the very few  original animated productions that found fame in the last 5 years, they were pretty much supported on criteria that is not standard to the international market. Most of those animation concepts are chosen on cultural preference rather than simply assessing whether they truly deliver on great entertainment and high returns.”

Ms. Natalie added: “Unfortunately, the regional budgets allocated to media productions most rarely classify animation as one of the main genres to be sourced, developed and produced. There is also a huge gap in the regional market for well trained animation talents. That does not only fall in the category of “animator” as a role. The region suffers from the lack of the core talent to developing great concepts, in better words, writers.”

“Writers are few and far to find. Concepts that start off with great premises are most of the time compromised by weak and under developed scripts. We at Blinks Studios pride ourselves for housing most, if not all, of our talents from the Arab world, and we hope that other regional animation studios can find the right formula to do the same and slowly disregard the solution of sourcing talent from outside the Arab region.” Continued Ms. Natalie

Industry leaders in Dubai have embraced the precious value of the TV Production and entertainment industry in the Middle East and North Africa. In 2009, Dubai hosted the first editions of the “Dubai World Game Expo, Character Dubai and MYCONTENT” now known as the “Big Entertainment Show”. The event has become the largest show in the Middle East Region specialized in Media and TV content, Character and Brand Licensing Game Developing and publishing, in addition to all trading companies working in the export and import business. This unique event attracts TV Broadcasters, game developers, investors and licensors from all parts of the world to the Middle East Market, which is considered one of the biggest importing markets for this industry.

The Big Entertainment Show is scheduled from the 27th – 28th of November this year at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event will highlight the importance of this promising market and the need to develop proper Arabic content, learn from the foreign experiences and the success stories during the event’s summit educational sessions.

Dubai-UAE: 03 July, 2012 – Dubai Media City, a member of TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, in conjunction with Dubai Press Club (DPC), today hosted a panel discussion on ‘Local Content and Migration to Digital Platforms’. The event focused on the growing importance of digital platforms, their impact on the global print media industry, and the penetration of digital media in the GCC countries.

The initiative comes as part of a series of discussions organized by DPC to highlight the key outcomes of the fourth edition of Arab Media Outlook 2011-2015. Examining latest trends in the media sector across 17 Arab countries, the report particularly studies the media consumption pattern in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco.

The panel discussion featured Santino Saguto, Partner and Consultant, Deloitte; Shadi Al Hasan, Managing Director and Founder, Flagship Projects; Bilal Hijjawi, Managing Editor, Fortune Arabia, and Mohammed Burhan, CEO, CNBC – Arabia. The session was moderated by Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director, APCO Worldwide – Arab Region.

Shadi Al Hasan said: “Unlike other sectors, local content primarily relies on topics relevant to local communities. Such content cannot be imported from the overseas media. Therefore it is imperative for media decision makers and content providers to work together to create quality and distinctive local content. In response to the growing demand for such programming, the industry is witnessing a steady increase in the output of regional media organizations, as well as investments from foreign broadcasters.

“Tracking some early results on the commercial returns of local content, we believe that the success achieved to date can be widened in scope and shared with international markets. A good example of this is Rufoof, the first mobile platform for Arabic e-books.”

Bilal Hijjawi said: “We cannot separate content from language as each relies on the other for successful indigenous local programming. In order to distinguish themselves from the competition, several countries and media companies are in the process of developing a distinct presence on the internet: an essential move given the phenomenal reach of digital content. The trend has opened doors for active economic and investment opportunities and contributes to enriching the region’s information and knowledge economies.”

(From Right) Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director, APCO Worldwide - Arab Region; Santino Saguto, Partner and Consultant, Deloitte; Shadi Al Hasan, Managing Director and Founder, Flagship projects; Bilal Hijjawi, Managing Editor, Fortune Arabia and Mohammed Burhan, CEO, CNBC Arabia at the panel discussion on ‘Local Content and Migration to Digital Platforms’organised by Dubai Media City, a member of TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, in conjunction with Dubai Press Club (DPC).

Santino Saguto commented: “The report encompasses a thorough examination of the Arab media scene, providing valuable insights into sector trends that exist in this region. Deloitte’s role has been to gather and analyze, from multiple sources and stakeholders, a broad range of region-specific quantitative and qualitative data, to be able to give the Arab reader significant results. The industry has greatly benefitted from this report, particularly the accurate results that it offers. Transition to digital platforms is analyzed in detail with total advertising spend in the region estimated to grow from 4 per cent in 2011 to 10 per cent in 2015.”

Examining the strategies deployed by the media in the UAE and the region to deal with content, Mohammed Burhan said: “Local content has witnessed a growing interest from domestic players represented by media institutions in the Arab world. This is obvious from the increasing number of joint projects that are being implemented by regional broadcasters in conjunction with international media groups. Moreover, the investment strategies of some global players are increasingly focused on specialized sectors of the market, which currently suffers from a lack of local content.”

In a departure from earlier editions, the fourth Arab Media Outlook included the youth market in its research study, alongside the organizational sector. This inclusion results from recent correlations established between youth and the media industry. In an effort to identify the main challenges currently faced by the media industry, numerous surveys covering a broad range of topics were conducted. Additionally, 140 senior representatives from prominent media organisations across the Arab world were interviewed in order to build as accurate a picture as possible, and to ensure expert viewpoints were incorporated in the research results.

About Dubai Media City
Strategically located at the crossroads of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Dubai Media City, a member of TECOM Investments, is rapidly emerging as the region’s media hub.  The City provides an advanced infrastructure for media-related businesses to operate globally out of Dubai.  Dubai Media City is the place where activities Publishing, Music, Film, New Media, Leisure & Entertainment, Broadcasting, Media & Marketing Services, and Information Agencies will thrive. The facility offers an environment that allows companies and individuals to operate with collective synergy and freedom.

Companies based in Dubai Media City have the unique edge of commercial benefits derived from our free zone status including 100 % business ownership and exemption from personal income and corporate taxes. Since its official opening in January 2001, Dubai Media City has grown to become a thriving media community of over 1400 companies and hundreds of freelance media professionals. Several global media giants and promising entrepreneurial ventures have joined this unique community.

Premier SMB Partners meet Google’s highest standards of excellence, which include in-depth AdWords expertise, full-service campaign management capabilities, one-on-one customer support, and extensive Google product and account management training.

To reach this elite status, “Waseet” met Google’s highest standards for qualification, transparency, and demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional service to SMBs.

“We arevery excited to be one of the chosen few worldwide who have what it takes to be a Google AdWords Premier SMB Partner. This strategic alliance is designed to build on Waseet’s existing relationships with small and medium sized businesses, and encourages them to use online advertising as a cost-effective way to find and target new customers, whether they are just around the corner or across the globe.

Through its network of 35 operations in 9 countries, Waseet is known for the unparalleled high reach it provides for its advertisers. This partnership,will offer Waseet’s SMBs a new set of opportunities enabling them to expand their business in ways they never thought possible.

As a Premier SMB Partner, Waseet’s sales force is equipped to help local businesses efficiently tap into the power and reach of the Google AdWords online advertising platform. The inclusion of the PSP program reinforces Waseet’s position as the Premier provider of offline & online advertising solutions for SMBs in the region”says John Fawaz, CCMO, AWI.

“Our strategic alliance with Waseet will allow us to have a big impact on small businesses. Google AdWords is a highly effective advertising tool for businesses of all sizes. Waseet will offer a “fully managed” AdWords service to small businesses that will allow them to reach new customers online,” says Ari Kesisoglou Director of Google Middle East and North Africa.

“Our participation in the Google AdWords Premier SMB Partner, Google’s most prestigious partner affiliation, serves as recognition of how we continue to provide the results and quality service that SMBs expect from Waseet. In a market where Internet penetration and online advertising are experiencing exponential growth, SMBs still have limited or no online presence. In an effort to help SMBs in MENA, Waseet is currently offering innovative online solutions to thousands of Waseet’s SMB advertisers to establish their online presence. Our partnership with Google will play a significant role in spreading the awareness of the importance of online advertising for SMBs. This initiative will offer Waseet’s customers the opportunity to tap into new market segments and to maximize their local and regional reach.”

Google AdWords Premier SMB Partner Program gives us an added endorsement of quality, reliability, and high-level expertise in SMB business market” saysImad Lahad, Group Director, Marketing & Corporate Communication, AWI.

“Waseet has been an obvious candidate for us to partner with in the MENA region. They have strong relationships with thousands of SMBs in the region and a long tradition in helping SMBs advertise in traditional and new media,” says Jed Christiansen, Head of Google Channel Sales for Emerging SEEMEA.

John Fawaz, CCMO, AWI

Peak average advertising rate -of 38 FTA satellite TV channels in the Arab World- reached $3,299 for a 30-second TV commercial.

The average advertising rate for a particular time segment represents the mean advertising rate for a standard 30-second TV commercial spot (known as a TVC) in that time segment throughout the week.

Arab Advisors research and analysis revealed that News and Current Affairs channels have the highest average advertising rates amongst FTA satellite TV channels in the Arab World. The peak average advertising rates of these channels reaches $5,460 between 21:00 – 22:00 KSA.

A new report, “Satellite TV Advertising Rates in the Arab World 2012″, was released by the Arab Advisors Group on May 1, 2012 to the Strategic Research Service Media subscribers. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for only $1,200.

The 60-page report, which has 56 detailed exhibits, provides detailed analysis of satellite TV advertising rates across 38 FTA satellite TV channels chosen as a representative sample of the total market.

The choice was also partially based on our survey findings with respect to viewership, where the list includes very popular channels as well as much less popular ones.

The categories in which the analyzed channels fall under are as follows: Children and Youth channels, General channels, Movies and Series channels, Music channels, News and Current Affairs channels, Religious channels and Sports channels.

“Of the 38 analyzed FTA satellite TV channels, MBC Group’s Arabic language General channel – MBC1 – has the highest average advertising rate. Whereas, the three Music channels: Mazzika, Melody Hits and Zoom, which have identical ad rates, have the lowest average advertising rates,” Ms. Noura Abdulhadi, Arab Advisors Project Manager, commented. “FTA satellite TV peak average ad rate increased from $3,125 in 2011 to $3,299 in 2012, a growth of 5.6%.”

The Arab Advisors Group’s team of analysts in the region has produced 2,975 reports on the Arab World’s communications and media markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group’s Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom).

To date, Arab Advisors Group has served 665 global and regional companies by providing reliable research analysis and forecasts of Arab communications markets to these clients.