The Layalina Review
VOL. V NO. 4, January 30-February 12, 2009 The Dubai Press Club released Arab Media Outlook 2008-2012, the second edition of the "ground-breaking report" on the current state of Arab media, notes Business 24-7. Based on extensive research on media in twelve Arab countries, the report focuses on "a number of significant developments that impacted substantially on the media sector." According to AME Info, "developments in digital media and the emergence of broadband access and TV delivered directly to mobile devices present exciting growth opportunities for media companies across the Arabic speaking world." The "most promising opportunity," adds AME Info, is the delivery of digital content to mobile internet-connected devices. Because of the lack of affordable and high-quality broadband access in most of the region's markets, mobile technology will play an "important role…with mobile phones rapidly emerging as a rival means of broadband access to internet content." Another article from Business 24-7 points out that mobile phones enjoy "very high market penetration" in the region, "particularly in the higher income GCC countries." The popularity of mobile devices has fostered the emergence of user-generated content – another focus of the Arab Media Outlook. User-generated content, particularly citizen journalism, has taken off in the region, according to the report. "The growth in mobile technology has seen the emergence of news and current affairs websites that rely on input from citizen journalists who directly upload information from their mobile cameraphones," explains AME Info. |
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