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Sunday, February 26, 2012

TECOM Media Cluster to Host Thought Incubator Series at CABSAT MENA 2012


Industry Experts to Offer Perspectives on Role of Technology in Media and Need for Audience Measurement Systems

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Sunday, February 26th 2012 [ME NewsWire]

Dubai Studio City, a member of TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, will mark its eighth consecutive participation at CABSAT MENA 2012, the Middle East’s largest digital media and satellite gathering and the world’s third biggest industry event.

To be held from 28 February - 1 March at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, CABSAT MENA 2012 will showcase the latest cable and satellite transmission and broadcasting technologies in the Middle East.

TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster is set to host two expert-led panel discussions under the ‘Thought Incubator’ series. Titled ‘Impact of technology in shaping the media landscape’, and ‘Need for audience measurement systems in the region’, the sessions will be held on the opening day of the event between 2:00pm-4.30pm.

Speakers for the session on ‘Impact of technology in shaping the media landscape’ include Rashed Majed Alabbar, Vice-President-Home Product Marketing, Etisalat; Awad Mousa, Head of Content Creation Marketing, Sony Productions; Said Bacho, Vice-President Middle East and South Asia, Harris Corporation, and Nick Barratt, Senior Broadcast Manager, MBC Group. The session will be moderated by Hassan Ghoul, Managing Director, MediaNet FZ-LLC.

The panel for the session on ‘Need for audience measurement systems in the region’ will include Christopher O'Hearn, General Manager, Emirates Media Measurement Company; Hossein Jalali, Head of Online, Al Aan TV, and Jeff Youssef, Associated Partner, Oliver Wyman. The session will be moderated by Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director, Arab Region, APCO Worldwide.

Mohammad Abdullah, Managing Director, TECOM Media Cluster, said: “The media landscape in the region has undergone a paradigm shift in the last decade driven by digital solutions and changing attitudes to how media, whether broadcast or citizen journalism, is produced and consumed. A scientific measurement of how many people are actually consuming content in the region is, therefore, highly relevant, to further an understanding of rapidly emerging industry patterns. The sessions under preview at the ‘Thought Incubator’ series offer opportunity for dialogue on these key concerns.”

Hassan Ghoul, Managing Director, MediaNet FZ-LLC, said: “The Thought Incubator series is a great platform for us to tackle the fast-changing dynamics of our industry, from the ever-expanding range of different media platforms to finding out how content can be shared with audiences in the region.”

“Measuring audience numbers is of paramount importance to content generators. The insights can serve as key reference points for seeking further funding support, and also mean that media must be managed and broadcast in a more responsive and dynamic way,” said Christopher O'Hearn, General Manager, Emirates Media Measurement Company.

Dubai Studio City will leverage its participation at CABSAT 2012 to highlight its role in shaping the region’s broadcast industry. Dubai Studio City, the dedicated film and broadcast production free zone under the TECOM Investments’ Media Cluster, is home to 184 production companies and 225 international partner businesses that span the entire media eco-system.

Karim Daoud, CEO of Intigral, who moved their offices to Dubai Studio City in October 2010, said: “It has been widely noted that the Middle East multimedia audience is set to experience a huge rise in audience viewership over the next three years. The trend is further strengthened by the hunger for locally-produced content across multiple screens, which presents ideal opportunities for global technology service and content aggregators like us. As the Middle East joins the rapidly growing field of digital media, our role in bridging the gap between telecom operators and content providers, both regionally and internationally, is becoming more vital than ever.”

The 16th edition of CABSAT MENA is expected to attract hundreds of exhibitors and trade visitors from the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The Satellite MENA Exhibition, which will be held concurrently, will facilitate trade participants to explore business opportunities, formulate strategies and create partnerships for video, voice, data and IP communications over satellite. The CABSAT MENA 2012 Broadcasting Conference will address key issues including ways to provide higher value in the market and meet the growing needs of the audience, both from within the MENA and other parts of the world. The conference will serve as a platform for broadcasters and allied industry players to share experiences on HD and now increasingly 3D services.

TECOM Investments’ media entities – Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City and International Media Production Zone – provide a complete value chain of specialised offerings that have created an established community hub for the media and content creation industries in the region.

-Ends-

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 1400companies 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. 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.

International Media Production Zone

Dubai's International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) 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

Contacts

Zeba Ahmad

APCO Worldwide

(JiWin Public Relations)

+9714 361 3590 (direct)

+9714 361 3333 (switchboard)

E-mail:   zahmad@apcoworldwide.com

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