Video length: 0:57 AGBI AI EVENT Tech AI ‘not just a problem-solving tool’ for journalists Journalists must embrace artificial intelligence technologies in their day-to-day work, according to a panel of leading experts during a session hosted by AGBI at the Global Media Congress. “AI is not just a tool for problem-solving or generating the next stories but it also allows the development of new creative skill sets,” said Professor Neil […] November 23, 2023
Media & Advertising UK regulator likely to review Telegraph bid Lucy Frazer, UK secretary of state for culture media and sport, has written to an Abu Dhabi-backed consortium warning that that she is likely to subject its bid for a leading British newspaper group to a public interest test. RedBird IMI, led by Jeff Zucker, a former president of CNN, has submitted a bid for […] November 23, 2023
Media & Advertising Saudi media company MBC Group to float 10% in IPO Saudi media major MBC Group plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on the Saudi Exchange (Tadawul). The announcement comes after the Capital Market Authority (CMA) approved the company’s plan to offer 33.25 million ordinary shares, representing 10 percent of its share capital. The offering price will be determined at the end of the […] November 22, 2023
Media & Advertising OSN+ and Anghami merge in $50m streaming service deal Middle East streaming service OSN is set to invest $50 million in music streamer Anghami as part of a deal to merge the two companies. Kuwait’s Kipco-Panther Media Group, which operates as OSN, will combine its streaming service OSN+ with Anghami’s music and entertainment business to create one of the Middle East’s largest streaming platforms. […] November 21, 2023
Opinion Media & Advertising The cringeworthy vocabulary of Biznese How words are over-used and abused in corporate communications November 17, 2023
Opinion Media & Advertising Ad agency mergers show industry model in flux Merging brands is seen as the way to service clients in an era of digital specialisation November 7, 2023
Media & Advertising Saudi advertising major in $270m pursuit of rival The Saudi advertising giant Arabian Contracting Services is pursuing the acquisition of its Riyadh-based rival Faden Media, in a deal worth more than SAR1 billion ($270 million). The company, also known as Al Arabia, said in a filing to the Saudi Stock Exchange that it is now working to complete the takeover within six months, […] November 1, 2023
Video length: 07:09 Video Media & Advertising AGBI gets seen and heard on Dubai Eye AGBI made its debut on Dubai Eye radio where Editor-in-Chief James Drummond talked about Saudi Arabia’s civil nuclear ambitions. This is the first in a regular slot on the Business Breakfast show where we examine the top stories. Watch our first show now. October 12, 2023
Opinion Media & Advertising Advertisers, don’t forget the Gen X factor Gen X is responsible for 27% of global spending and its earnings are growing October 10, 2023
People & Lifestyle Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan collects $16m at UAE box office Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan’s latest action-packed movie “Jawan” has become the first Indian film to cross the $16 million collection in the Middle East, the movie makers said in a post on social media. The film was produced by Yash Raj Films, a film production and distribution company in India, The movie, released worldwide on September […] October 8, 2023
Opinion Media & Advertising Daily Telegraph bidders line up at the ‘Gulf ATM’ It would be a brave man to predict with any degree of certainty who will win the Torygraph September 29, 2023
Analysis Tourism Lights, camera, action: RAK seeks leading role in film tourism The UAE is no stranger to the silver screen, whether it be Tom Cruise dangling perilously from Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in Mission Impossible blockbuster Ghost Protocol, or Vin Diesel powering his $3 million supercar from one Etihad Tower in Abu Dhabi to the next in the seventh iteration of the Fast and Furious franchise. Ras […] September 24, 2023
Analysis Media & Advertising Middle East to be world’s fastest-growing ad market The Middle East’s advertising market is on track to be the world’s fastest growing over the next two years, driven by Saudi Arabia’s ongoing transformation. The regional market, worth $5.9 billion last year, is forecast to grow 10 percent in 2023 and a further 6.2 percent in 2024, when its value will reach $6.9 billion. […] September 19, 2023
Media & Advertising Blinx launches to cater to ‘tech-savvy youth’ A new digital media centre has launched in the Middle East focusing on Gen Z and millennial content creation, storytelling and reporting. Dubai-headquartered Blinx (spelt as “blinx”) wants to capitalise on the region’s burgeoning media and entertainment industry, expected to be worth over $61 billion by 2028, according to research from Mordor Intelligence. Blinx will […] September 13, 2023
Opinion Media & Advertising Mena brands see green values as good business The advertising industry is taking its clients’ climate concerns seriously September 12, 2023
Opinion People & Lifestyle Dubai expats winning the struggle to be taken seriously It is exasperating that the same tired old stories get re-hashed every year by the western press September 8, 2023
Media & Advertising UAE’s Multiply plans IPO after $61m ad agency deal Abu Dhabi investment holding company Multiply Group is planning an IPO for its media and communications business Multiply Media after buying a stake in Dubai outdoor advertising agency Media 247. The plan was announced after Multiply completed a deal to buy a 55 percent majority stake in Media 247 for AED225 million ($61.3 million). Media […] September 6, 2023
Tech Dubai tech company buys Virgin Mobile Latin America A Dubai technology investment company has bought Virgin Mobile Latin America, a mobile virtual network operator with operations in Mexico and Colombia. The acquisition by Beyond One follows its buyout in February of Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa, which serves Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Kuwait. A mobile virtual network operator is a provider […] August 23, 2023
Video length: 5:59 VIDEO Media & Advertising UAE streamer Starzplay is ‘not chasing Netflix’ Video-on-demand service Starzplay is capitalising on its sports and Arabic content offering to attract subscribers and increase revenues. The UAE-based platform was acquired by e& subsidiary E-vision and Abu Dhabi holding company ADQ last year. It has 2.9 million subscribers across 19 countries in the Mena region and Pakistan. Competitors such as Netflix and Dubai-based […] August 23, 2023
People & Lifestyle SRMG’s venture capital arm invests $5m in Anghami SRMG Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Saudi media company behind brands such as Asharq Business and Arab News, has invested $5 million in streaming platform Anghami. Anghami launched in 2012 and has 120 million registered users, up from 75 million users in 2021, and a catalogue comprising over 100 million songs. The first […] August 22, 2023
Opinion Retail Brands will jump on the social commerce bandwagon in Mena Hurdles remain but e-commerce in the region must evolve August 15, 2023
People & Lifestyle Daily Mail seeks Middle East investors for Telegraph bid The Daily Mail and General Trust has registered its interest with British bank Lloyds for a potential bid for The Telegraph, a spokesperson told Reuters on Saturday. However, while it has been engaging with several parties, DMGT does not yet have any formal plans and there is no consortium, the spokesperson added. Sky News earlier […] August 13, 2023
