The success of political revolutions in the MENA region not only heralded a change in government, but the end of a time-honored institution in authoritarian countries -- state-owned media, reports Zoe Holman for Juneau Empire.

Holman notes that the ability of governments to blocks citizens’ access to information has been greatly affected by the proliferation of satellite TV channels and the advent of social media networks. “There is no future for Arab state media,” said Faisal Abbas, a blogger for The Huffington Post.

Al-Jazeera Cairo correspondent Ayman Moyheldin wholeheartedly agrees that the revolutions were powered by an unprecedented access to information. “I don’t support the notion that it was purely Facebook or Twitter, but it was a mixture of media, and the Internet was crucial,” he argued.

Moyheldin also believed that state-run media will eventually fail, despite any efforts to continue in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. “If competition doesn’t take out state-owned newspapers and channels, dictators will dismantle them themselves, because they no longer serve any use,” he said.

Hugh Miles, the author of Al-Jazeera: How Arab TV News Challenged the World, also argued that the very events of the uprisings completely discredit state television and newspapers. “They’ve been trailing behind for years and now need to be competitive with funding and creating a political environment that promotes freedom of speech,” he remarked.

As privately-funded media sources continue to flourish in the region, government support may no longer be the issue. Journalists will have to compete to provide the Arab public with access to a wealth of factual information. The aim of new media will be to maintain editorial integrity and capture the attentions of a technologically-advanced audience.

“Editorial integrity must be proven, not promised,” pointed out Faisal Abbas. “Let everybody have their say, and the best voice will win.” Arabs looking forward to the future continue to aspire to shaping a political, economical and technological world that truly captures the spirit of its residents.

At The Saudi Gazette, Shahid Ali Khan reports that Arabs in the Gulf are suspicious towards the lack of Arabic digital content available on the Internet. Ertiqua made its debut at the 21st Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Ertiqa is a comprehensive digital library for Arabic content, intended to complement the efforts of The King Abdullah Initiative for Arabic Content in Saudi Arabia and the UAE's twofour54.

“Ertiqa creates new and exciting possibilities to further enrich digital Arabic content through a wide range of exclusive features and functionalities. The digital library is exceptionally user-friendly, secure and can be accessed anywhere, making it a very effective tool for Arabic content developers and publishers to reach out to different types of Arabic content seekers around the world,” explained Badr Ward, Ertiqa CEO. The user-friendly platform will be accessible through various products from Apple, BlackBerry and Android.

According to Khan, Ward also noted that demand for digital Arabic content has been on the rise, especially as governments in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have given their open support for the development of high-quality Arabic digital content. Saudi Arabia has taken a prominent role in the endeavor, as the King Abdullah Initiative for Arabic Content's bold vision outlines the ability to share the country's Arabic and Islamic identity and heritage, provide its society easy access to digital information, and “promote a Pan-Arab partnership in digital content development.”

With continued support for Arabic content on the internet, developers continue to forge ahead and create tools to benefit users, publishers, and writers alike.

The citizens living in the Gulf are also carefully observing the events occurring throughout the Arab world, reports Mustafa Zeidan at Zawya. Islam Lufti Shalabi, an activist who participated in the Egypt uprising, commented on the future of Arab identity and the region as a whole.

Buthaina Kazim, a blogger from the UAE, commented that while such drastic revolutions were not always necessary, citizens should continue to pursue political reform. “My concern now is to activate the role of civil society, the new media and the role of young people,” she remarked.

As Arabs take to the streets and demand their rights, political reform could transform nations and provide the foundation for Arab unity. Tunisian Conference for the Republic president Moncef Al-Marzouki expressed confidence that the uprisings could precede a reincarnation of the Arab nation.

“This revolution by the public - in the Arab region - will give birth to a nation where the people will unite, and the Arab Union is approaching day by day,” he predicted.