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LBC Saudi Arabia shut following sex interview
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and Information has closed the offices of Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) in Jeddah, officially for operating without a licence. However, the Saudi offices of the TV station were threatened with closure after broadcasting an interview with a Saudi man who boasted about his sexual conquests. The offices also served Rotana TV and Al-Resalah, an Islamic broadcasting channel, both owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who also owns a majority stake in LBC.
Momentum PR wins KidsCo TV
Dubai-based public relations agency Momentum has announced it has been appointed by KidsCo TV Ltd to develop and execute a Middle East focused public relations program to create awareness and excitement around KidsCo TV, its website and its programmes. KidsCo is available on the Showtime TV network.
ADMC taps online gaming
Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) has recently announced its plans with Gazillion Entertainment to create a Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) Studio, a purpose-built facility based in Abu Dhabi. The project is part of its 50:50 JV agreement with the U.S. based Gazillion Entertainment. The first game from the new studio in Abu Dhabi is the development of an Arabic language MMOG, based on the popular character 'Majid'.
Qtel adds Sharjah TV to Mozaic package
Sharjah TV has been added to Qtel's Mozaic TV+ package in Qatar. It was one of the most requested channels requested by subscribers, Qtel said. Sharjah TV is available as part of the Prime Arabia package, on Channel 295, and customers who have subscribed to the package will receive the channel for free, Qtel said.
Jordan endorses law on media advertising
Jordan's Lower House has endorsed a controversial amendment to the Culture Law as referred by the Senate, which stipulates a 1% tax on media advertising revenues to support the cultural sector, The Jordan Times has reported. In June, the Jordanian government introduced an amendment to the Culture Law in response to a petition signed by 58 MPs calling on the government to annul a 5% tax on media advertising revenues.
Mepra launches industry awards
The Middle East Public Relations Association (Mepra) has launched an awards programme for professionals working in the industry in this region. There are 15 awards in total - 10 for best practice, three individual awards and two for best in class. Companies can enter until October 8, with the winners being announced on November 24.
Saudi Arabia may shut 'sex talk' station's TV offices
The Saudi offices of Lebanon's LBC satellite station could face closure over a talk show featuring a Saudi man who boasted about his sexual exploits, AFP has reported. The Beirut-based broadcaster's local offices, which are controlled by Saudi tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, could be shut down due to the "offensive nature" of the programme, Abdullah al-Othaim, a senior district judge in Jeddah was quoted as saying.
UAE advertising spend expected to grow this year
A study by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI) has said that advertising spending in the UAE will grow by 8% this year to reach a total of Dh8bn, despite the impact of the global financial crisis on budgets. Advertising spending in Abu Dhabi is expected to reach Dh3.6bn this year and Dh4.18bn in 2010. The annual growth rate is expected to remain at the same level until 2011, resulting in spends of Dh9.28bn in 2010 and Dh10bn in 2011, ADCCI has said.
Saudi Media Show to take place in October
The 2nd Saudi Media Show 2009 will be held in Riyadh from October 27-29, the Saudi Gazette has reported. The organizer, Batola Company for Organization of Local and International Exhibitions, said that various international companies will take part in the show, specializing in marketing, media, advertising and public relations.
MBC, Du to set up global IP network
Middle East Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has signed an agreement with Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co. (Du) and PCCW Global Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based PCCW Limited, to set up a single converged resilient IP network spanning the Middle East, Europe, Africa and North America. MBC will use the network to provide secure and reliable connectivity between the group's Dubai head office and its global branch offices for the transfer of data and video. MBC also intends to extend its reach by utilizing the network to aid the global distribution of its Arabic content.
Egypt cracks down on illegal drug ads
The Egyptian health ministry said it will crack down on media outlets which promote medical or beauty products not certified by the ministry, Daily News Egypt has reported. Media companies found guilty of trading these products will face criminal and legal proceedings. The move is in response to a rise in TV ads for counterfeit products that could endanger human life and mislead consumers, and applies to independent, private and local media outlets.
Qatar Villaggio to open 13 cinemas
Qatar's Villaggio Mall is opening 13 cinemas, including an IMAX 3D theatre, later this month, The Peninsula has reported. According to Qatar Bahrain Cinema, the company that will manage the cinemas, most of the cinemas will have between 125 and150 seats, while the IMAX 3D theatre will have around 380.
Word of mouth is most trusted in UAE-Nielsen survey
According to the recently conducted Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey, in the UAE, 95% of Internet consumers trust recommendations from people they know, making word of mouth the most trusted medium. From over 25,000 Internet consumers surveyed from 50 countries, results showed that recommendations by personal acquaintances and opinions posted by consumers online have been voted as the most trusted forms of advertising globally. Nine in every 10 Internet consumers worldwide (90%) trust recommendations from people they know, whilst seven in every 10 (70%) trust consumer opinions posted online, the survey revealed.
Jordanian Internet firm launches TV station
ShooFeeTV, a Jordanian Internet start-up, has launched its own television channel, months after receiving backing from Intel Capital, the venture fund owned by Intel, The National has reported. 'What we want the TV channel to do is drive interest in the service and increase visits to our website,' Amjad Tadros, founder of ShooFeeTV has said. The new ShooFeeTV channel is being broadcast via the Arabsat Badr-4 satellite and will show a rolling ticker of television times, as well as clips and trailers for upcoming shows and movies, as well as original entertainment news related content developed by ShooFeeTV.
ADMC to lauch HDTV channel
Abu Dhabi Media Company announced today that it will launch its high-definition cable television channel in October. The channel, called Abu Dhabi HD, will feature English Premier League football matches, documentaries from National Geographic Abu Dhabi, and movies. It will be available to viewers in the UAE through E-Vision, Etisalat's cable television provider, which launched the Middle East's first commercial high-definition cable service earlier this month.
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