theibcdaily
Executive Summary 05
How flexible can Dubai be when Hollywood, Bollywood and others are themselves sometimes struggling to match audience expectations? Dubai has developed into a leading media hub and production destination, and the government has made the development of a sustainable, vibrant media ecosystem a focal point of its vision for the future. The Emirate has experienced significant growth within its media industry and has become a real media ecosystem, and particular focus has been placed on making Dubai a home to big projects and names. Dubai has created cutting- edge infrastructure and facilities to cater to media companies as well as adapt to changes in the market, and has welcomed Hollywood and Bollywood films alike and a number of regional and local productions. Dubai offers flexible entry and exit to media companies and with
have accommodated large productions for extended periods of time, providing support, infrastructure etc. including MasterChef Arabiaand The Cube. We have facilitated over 7,000 shooting applications since inception. Last year we welcomed 233 new business partners from across the media value chain into our portfolio.
IBC will bring IBC Content Everywhere to Dubai in January 2015. How important is it that local people get to see the latest in technology? I think that it is great to give local people the opportunity to see the latest trends in technology and media from around the world in their own countries, and to create and sustain the spark of creativity. Dubai is the region’s leading events hub, with several events throughout the year dedicated to the media and technology industries, but international conferences such
“Seeing the latest trends in technology and media can spark creativity in Dubai”
Emirate
some of the top names and media professionals residing in Dubai, the Emirate is always ahead of the curve and able to stay on top of this thriving industry.
with a vision
Mohammad Abdullah Managing Director, TECOM Media Cluster
Region: UAE Interviewed by: Chris Forrester
What are your clients asking for in terms of their next stage of development? We provide our clients with cutting-edge infrastructure and facilities to support their development, including fibre links to teleport facilities across Dubai Studio City and Dubai Media City, which are fully SD and HD. We also have a teleport facility in Jebel Ali, through which we uplink several TV channels on radio satellites, and we have the fibres to support UHDTV.
There has been criticism of Dubai’s costs for labour, support hotels, etc., (when compared with Cairo, Amman or Beirut). How do you respond? And who have you welcomed to Dubai recently from the industry?
Ultimately it is about flexibility, and we will always do our best to accommodate companies of all sizes. We provide a one-stop shop for companies from across the media value chain, and we have facilitated large media productions, including film crews, cameramen and so on, and assess soft incentives on a case-by-case basis. Recently we
as IBC are valuable in bringing together the world’s top media and technology professionals. It is good for residents to have the chance to access industry expertise and ideas, as well as an insight into the latest trends from around the world, whatever the event or platform.
What is happening in the mobile video world, from your clients?
The UAE has one of the highest rates of smartphone penetration in the MENA region. This has had a real effect on mobile video, with more and more people consuming content on their smartphones, and more categories, including video, being created within the mobile segment. App developers within our community of free zone business parks are pioneering the creation of technology in Dubai, and YouTube and other online video providers are creating an increasing volume of video content for smartphones. With the usage of smartphones continuing to grow, the industry is thriving. Content is now created with the question ‘how will that look on a mobile device’ at front of mind, which has created a significant growth opportunity; according to a study from the retailer Plug-Ins Electronix, smartphone purchases have helped to push up the average household spending on electronics in the UAE to $1,330 in 2013.
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