2004
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Media, wind of change in 2005
The regional media is feeling a wind of change which will accelerate in 2005 with a greater willingness on the part of authorities to accept critical reporting, senior media men told AME Info. This is also allied to a greater openness by companies and individuals and a stronger role for public relations, they added.
GCC newspapers plan union
A Gulf press union bringing English and Arabic language newspapers under one umbrella is to be established next April, Bahraini official Sheikh Khalifa bin Abdullah told Gulf News. The Gulf press has become an effective medium regionally and internationally and the time has come to coordinate their efforts, he said.
Inaugural Mideast publishing event
The inaugural Middle East Publishing Conference from January 17-18 in Dubai expects to bring together 300 delegates to help promote global best practice to the region. A full cast of international speakers is promised for this Dubai Government supported event.
Nakheel sponsors golf event
Nakheel is to co-sponsor the Belle Mare Plage Challenge Cup 2004-2005, currently in its third year. The challenge began with tee off at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai on December 24; the challenge is open to all amateur golfers. Four gentlemen and two ladies who emerge overall winners will be accorded the honour of travelling to and competing at the Mauritius Open Pro-Am tournament in 2005.
Gulf Air, new TV ad campaign
Gulf Air has launched a major new advertising campaign, led by a television commercial featuring 30 Gulf Air employees selected from more than 500 applicants, and developed and produced by Fortune Promoseven in Bahrain. It reinforces Gulf Air's brand values: the cultural richness of the region as well as genuine Arabian hospitality and an international image.
Bahrain mulls new press law
A new draft press law is being examined by the Bahraini Cabinet, said an official statement. Officials told Gulf News that the law would take press freedom to a new level and aimed to protect journalists and grant them unhindered access to information.
11 Global Village 2005 sponsors
The Global Village has named its 11 sponsors for the 2005 Dubai Shopping Festival: Pepsi, Aquafina, Axiom Telecom, Nelson's Americana, Celucom, Damac, Al Ghurair Group, Spinneys, Emirates Post and Dutco Balfour Beatty. Forty-six countries will be represented, up from 38 last year.
Injured BBC man to return
BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner, who was badly injured in a shootout in Riyadh six months ago hopes to be back on air next March after more surgery this month. He spoke in an interview with BBC World over the weekend. Gardner has many friends in the Arab media.
Mercedes signs Lebanese singer
Mercedes-Benz has signed Lebanese star singer Ragheb Alama to promote the new Mercedes-Benz CLS four-door coupe in a video for his latest single. Ragheb has the kind of fan base that perfectly represents our CLS target audience, said Marketing Director Johannes Fritz. The video was shot on 35mm film in Milan during a fashion week in September.
Saatchi name rights row
The ownership of the name M and C Saatchi in the Middle East is likely to end in the courts, local officials told Gulf News. Its London headquarters has said that from January 1 it is terminating its affiliation with RSVP Marketing and Communications and Mohammed Abdul Hadi, adding that no business or office in the Middle East will have the right to use the name.
Old news not good news
Regional newspaper readers have been annoyed by the re-printing of old news stories over the Western Christmas holiday period. Editors seem to think that we will not notice if a story has appeared two weeks' earlier and then appears again, said an irrate reader, this should stop, old news is not good news.
Channel One replaces Channel 33
Dubai Television is to replace its English language Channel 33 with Channel One TV from tomorrow. Channel One will not broadcast news bulletins but will offer five recently released films per day, alongside a mixture of US soaps and popular UK shows like the Naked Chef.
The Property Channel launches
A new Arab satellite TV channel for the GCC's booming real estate market has been launched in the UAE. Al Aqariya, or The Property Channel, which broadcasts in English and Arabic, expects to cash in on a regional boom in advertising spending by real estate and tourism companies, although presently these companies hardly need to advertise because sales are so strong.
Beirut cable TV drops TV5
About 50 private cable TV operators in Beirut have dropped the French channel TV5 in protest at the banning of Al Manar, the Hezbollah TV channel, reported AFP. However, cable operators in some neighbourhoods said they would not drop TV5 as they would loose most of their audience.
Speak Up magazine from Asda'a
Leading Dubai PR agency Asda'a has published a magazine for the local communications industry. Speak Up will welcome contributions from other PR agencies and is not just an in-house publication, said MD Sunil John who wants to raise the whole profile of PR in the region.
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