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Ascot inks deal with Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Britain's Ascot Racecourse has signed a partnership deal with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which includes branding around the course at this week's royal meeting, including on the starting stalls, as well as sponsorship of the £150,000 Abu Dhabi International Handicap on King George day, when the Emirates Equestrian Federation is backing a £50,000 race for pure bred Arabian horses. 'We identified the opportunity with Ascot racecourse as a singular platform to maximum destination awareness,' said ADTA deputy general Ahmed Hussein.
Iran shuts down Al Arabiya
A statement by MBC has said that Iranian authorities have closed down Al Arabiya's Tehran bureau, amid heightened tensions and a series of riots following the results of the presidential elections. The office has been closed for a week, although no official explanation has been given. A number of foreign journalists were also asked to leave the country on Saturday.
Mindshare wins Nissan account
Nissan Middle East has appointed Mindshare to handle the accounts for Nissan's passenger cars, sport utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles range, in addition to the luxury Infiniti brand, across the Middle East and North African region. 'Nissan Middle East is confident that Mindshare would add value in communicating our 'shift the way you move' message to the Middle East audience,' said Monal Zeidan, General Manager Marketing and Corporate Communications at Nissan Middle East. Nissan's media budget for the fiscal year is estimated at $25m, according to MediaWeek.
Free To Air channels hit 474
Arab Advisors Group research has found that the number of Free to Air (FTA) Satellite TV channels in the Arab World has grown by 28.1% between August 2007 and March 2009 to 474 channels broadcasting on Arabsat, Nilesat and/or Noorsat. Just over 46.5% of the fully launched and operational FTA channels are headquartered in the Gulf region, while the African and Levant regions follow with 22.9% and 19.9%, respectively, according to the report. A total of 72.4% of private satellite channels are privately owned while 26.6% are government owned, said Issa Goussous, Arab Advisors Senior research analyst.
'Brand Dubai' media office launched
HH Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has established the Dubai Media Affairs Office 'Brand Dubai' and has appointed Mona Ganem Al Merri as the new entity's Chief Executive Officer, Gulf News has reported. The new office was created to coordinate Dubai's strategic media affairs regionally and internationally. Al Merri said the new office is meant to, 'facilitate greater communication and coordination among different organisations that are directly or non-directly responsible for Dubai's image.'
AME Info audit tops 1.6m unique users
AME Info has posted a 28% rise in monthly audience numbers, according to the latest figures from independent auditors ABCe. The site now has an audited audience of 1,642,723 unique visitors a month, up from 1,185,188 for the same period in 2008. The number also represents an increase of 10% in readership since AME Info's last audit, conducted in October 2008.
E-Vision launches C-Span
Etisalat-owned cable television provider E-Vision has launched Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-span), which will available as part the A La Carte option to subscribers on a monthly basis. The channel will show live coverage of US House and Senate proceedings, Government hearings, proceedings of the Canadian and British Parliament and live coverage of worldwide major events.
Media Council inks Sharjah MoU
The UAE's National Media Council (NMC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sharjah International Airport Free Zone which calls for the laying down of a regulatory framework for media activities in a way that boosts the UAE's capacity to attract world media companies and personalities to the zone, news agency WAM has said. The MoU is similar to that agreed between the NMC and other Free Zones in the country.
Top editor at The National is replaced
Abu Dhabi Media Company, owner of The National, said Monday that the newspaper's editor-in-chief Martin Newland will be replaced by his deputy Hassan Fattah. Newland will remain with the newspaper in a new role as editorial director, where he will focus on expanding the company's reach into broadcast and digital formats.
UAE media spend to drop 40%
Media spend in the UAE will fall up to 40% in 2009 compared to last year, reported Media Week. The sharpest declines will occur after a relatively modest drop in the first quarter, said Avi Bhojani, group chief executive of BPG, told MediaWeek. Experts say the drop will be mainly seen in the print and outdoor sectors.
Mediaquest launches Arabic business site
Dubai-based publisher Mediaquest Corporation has launched an Arabic business news portal that looks at the failures and successes of corporations, governments and national economies, and the social effects. 'We have created a platform that is user-friendly, with direct, accessible and entertaining editorial content,' said Yazan Neme, managing editor. The site offers interactive settings, allowing users to create profiles and launch discussions. Kazdar.com also provides the latest celebrity news from the region, and the rest of the world, Neme added.
Satellite free TV soars in Middle East
As the boom in the supply of free satellite TV channels in the Arab region continues, terrestrial TV seems to have remained static, according to a report by the Arab Advisors Group. These results were highlighted during the Arab Advisors sixth annual media and telecoms convergence conference held in Amman. Terrestrial TV channels in the region still have a relatively large audience although much reduced from before the satellite TV era and majority of the 19 Arab countries surveyed shows full government ownership of the operational terrestrial TV channels.
CNN to set up GCC hub
CNN is preparing to set up a GCC hub. The Abu Dhabi-based office will feature a daily live television broadcast as well as handling regional advertising sales, and will be set up in the twofour54 media zone. The move will create news channel's fourth global hub after Atlanta, London and Hong Kong. The group is to have 30 staff in the Gulf office.
Gulf Air inks London taxi ad deal
Gulf Air will soon display advertising on the side of London taxi cabs to promote the airline's flights from London Heathrow to Bahrain and beyond. Under the two-year marketing deal the airline's Golden Falcon will be emblazoned on the side of 50 Hackney Carriages.
Concept and Ströer end partnership
Concept Outdoor, part of the Concept Group - provider of out-of-home advertising and branding options - has parted ways with Germany's Ströer Group. Concept said it has bought back its shares it had given to Ströer when the two joined forces to pitch for the Dubai Metro advertising and branding contract. Concept said the partnership no longer served any purpose after having lost the bid for the metro, reported Emirates Buiness.
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