Fact of the Month

Nearly two-thirds of the 41 million residents living in the Persian Gulf states are under 30 years old, making the area a prime target for the entertainment industry.

Source: The Economist

Feature of the Month: Entertainment and Media in the Middle East

The Persian Gulf states within the Middle East are primed to become a “Hollywood in the Desert.” Western media companies are coming in droves to a region in which, ironically, many of the countries lack free speech. Why? Opportunity, opportunity, opportunity! The Gulf States boast a number of attractive factors for prospective media companies. Let’s take a look at one of them.

The Middle East is ripe for all kinds of media, especially family programming. Over 50% of the population in Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco and Egypt is estimated to be less than 25 years old. In Yemen, for example, 46 percent of its population is between the ages of 0 and 14. Family entertainment companies are taking advantage: Rotana Group, the Arab world's largest entertainment company, recently signed a multi-year output deal with Disney/Pixar worth more than $26.7 million. This will serve as a medium to expose young Middle Easterners to Pixar's highly-successful animated films, which will in turn spur growth in the region's film industry.

The Oreo Family Movie club recently took a survey of families across Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and found that 61 percent said that family movie fare brings them together. Another benefit of family-oriented programming is that it rarely contains content which violates the strict censorship laws in place in many Middle-Eastern countries. Nickelodeon Arabia has already had big success porting across many of their popular shows, such as Spongebob Squarepants. MTV Arabia has also had a successful foray into the Arab market, and are currently catering to a growing group of Arab teens and young adults who are interested in Western culture.

The ultimate goal, however, is for there to be programming developed uniquely for the Arab audience. The younger generation is more apt to be drawn towards the latest media and technology than the older generation, and with one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations by region, the Gulf States seem like quite a hungry market.
 

From the globalEDGE Blog

Media in the Middle East is in the process of becoming revolutionized. There are currently around 487 free-to-air satellite channels broadcasting throughout the Middle East, and 620 in total. As such, many companies and cities throughout the region are vying for media dominance. Could Abu Dhabi emerge as the frontrunner for becoming the Middle East’s primary media hub?

• Read more on the globalEDGE Blog!

Featured Resources

Arabian Business and Cultural Guide
A series of excerpts from the book of the same title, this website gives some insights into the business culture of the Arabian countries. It includes information on Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Yemen.
Category: Culture

Stratfor
Launched in 1999 by an intelligence consulting firm, this site seeks to keep people informed about why something is happening instead of what is happening. The site uses this motif throughout and seeks to answer questions on the occurrence of international events. It also includes detailed forecasts for a number of time periods and some country and regional data. (Fee-based registration required)
Category: Global News

• For a more comprehensive list of resources, check out globalEDGE's Resource Desk!

Featured Academy

gE Course Module: Global Marketing
The Global Marketing module, formerly the Multinational Marketing module, provides one with information on topics including: an introduction to international marketing; issues that face international marketers; some factors that determine whether or not a company should attempt a global strategy; and the issues related to product, placement, promotion, and pricing decisions in a global environment. A case study on Gillette’s use of international marketing strategies when it launched the Mach 3 razor is also included.
Category: Online Course Modules

iThenticate
iThenticate is an educational and corporate Internet tool that protects intellectual property, especially compositions in the areas of publishers, news agencies, companies, legal matters, and non-profits.
Category: Plagiarism

• For more links to academy resources, check out our Academy Page on globalEDGE!

globalEDGE Business Review

"MSU’s Broad School to Offer Free International Business Assistance"
By: Tomas Hult

Pro bono work has long been a staple of professions such as law. Now the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University is getting involved. The Broad School's International Business Center has developed a program to help predominantly U.S. owned small- and medium-sized organizations go international. The research assistance comes from small teams, in 10 hour increments, over a month period. This article describes the Center and the globalEDGE Business Team pro bono program as an innovative case study that can increase the international competitiveness of U.S. firms.

• If you wish to share your expertise on an issue in international business, visit our gBR Homepage to see how and where to submit your entry.

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