Publishing conference highlights wealth of Middle East opportunities

The industry can tap a vast market of about 300 million people living in 22 Arab countries, Ahmad Bin Byat, director-general of the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, told an audience of more than 300 people drawn from publishing houses and media organisations across the world.

'Add to this the population of nearly two billion people - including the sub-continent and Iran - and you have a market with a GDP of nearly $ 1.8 trillion,' he said.

'A large percentage of the region's population are youth and this will constantly expand the market for published material. Besides, the quality of education is witnessing major improvements in a number of Arab countries, necessitating the need for more educational material - another huge opportunity.'

Bin Byat said Middle East publishing had reached a stage of maturity, having grown by 42 per cent in the UAE alone over the past two years. To develop further, he highlighted the need for countries in the region to establish the right balance between cultural sensitivity, freedom of expression and business growth, and to correct the lack of authenticated facts and figures on the industry.

'We need to improve media research to ensure accurate circulation figures and readership levels that can be qualified and confirmed by independent third parties. Credible information on circulation figures and target demographics for specific publications is an urgent need,' he said.

'Without this information, advertisers cannot make informed decisions when planning their media buying strategy.'

He stressed how Dubai has been at the forefront of creating the necessary conditions and infrastructure for the expansion of the publishing industry, with future growth predicted at between 15-30 per cent.

Bin Byat's sentiments were echoed by Ahmed Al Mansoori, president of the Dubai Consultancy, Research & Media Centre, who questioned why Arab publishing is so remote from the Western world where newspapers and magazines have a direct effect on people's lives and affect them politically, economically and socially.

'We can't go further by denying our weaknesses and blaming the Arab reader by saying that he doesn't read,' he said.

'The time is past, or about to vanish, when the publishing industry's job was to serve countries and governments, leaving the way for the emergence of an industry based on trust - the trust of the reader and the trust of the advertiser.'

Al Mansoori said that one of the most important priorities emerging from the opening day of the conference was the agreement in principle to form a professional body to represent Middle East publishing.

He invited chief executives and editors to join in the initiative which would create a significant boost for professional standards in the region.

The Middle East Publishing Conference (MEPC) is being held under the patronage of HH General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Minister of Defence and Crown Prince of Dubai, on January 17-18 by the Dubai Consultancy, Research & Media Centre.

It is being staged at Knowledge Village in conjunction with the International Media Production Zone in Dubai (iMPZ) and Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), through its Al-Bayan daily.

Experts from five continents are teaming up with Middle East counterparts to share their vision and experience and run workshops under the banner 'Discuss, Educate, Interact'.

They are conducting in-depth analyses of newspaper and magazine markets, and present global best practices to help the development of Middle East publishing.

Key topics under review include:


• Impact and opportunities of new media and technology

• Middle East publishers and the Internet

• Media research - the basis for a profitable business

• Establishing media credibility

• Challenges and opportunities in developing markets

• Effective distribution systems

• Editorial responsibility

• Cultural sensitivities