Media and Arts

Saudi, Egyptian press giants sign cooperation deal

The Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), the largest media organization in the Middle East, signed an agreement in May with Egypt's [state-owned] Al-Ahram Establishment, one of the oldest media institutions in the Arab world, for strengthening cooperation in various fields, including printing and publishing. The agreement comes at a time when the two organizations have been following the latest trends and developments in the media industry. According to the agreement, the two companies will cooperate in printing, publishing, digital publishing, media activities, distribution and organizing conferences. The accord follows a number of meetings held by officials from both companies in Cairo and Riyadh. SRMG, whose shares are exchanged on the Saudi bourse, is an integrated Middle Eastern media group. It has huge potentials and plays an important role in Saudi Arabia's publishing, advertising, distribution and printing sectors. Its publications have considerable readership in many countries around the globe. Asharq Al-Awsat, an SRMG publication, is considered the most influential Arabic newspaper in the world. Arab News, the leading English-language daily in the Middle East, Al-Eqtisadiah business daily and Arriyadiyah sports daily are the company's other popular titles. In total, the company has 16 publications in four languages. SRMG's activities are concentrated in Saudi Arabia, and it has publishing, printing and distribution centers in seven countries and eight subsidiary companies.

Bahrain: Gateway to the future

Bahrain is looking to the past to help build its future. It is seeking to train more of its citizens in the country's traditional arts and skills to both preserve the Kingdom's rich heritage and provide employment and business opportunities. On April 26th, Bahrain's newest education facility was formally opened, with the unveiling of the Heraf Al Deiar School of Handicrafts in Muharraq. A part of the Sheikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research, the school will help train students but also allow them to achieve self-empowerment, says the Heraf Al Deiar director, Aghadeer Jweihan. "The mission of the school is to provide education to enhance the skills of craftsmen so that they can apply their knowledge and abilities in a wider field," Jweihan told the local press. "Trainees at the school will receive a vocational certificate in traditional arts and handicrafts. The training covers both practical and theoretical aspects of traditional craftsmanship in a comprehensive manner." The role of the school is not just to pass on traditional skills but to also help students transfer their talents into commercial success if they so wish. Alongside the various arts-based streams, the school will also provide training in self-development skills, crafts basics, body language in marketing, the art of time management, communication skills and public relations. Combined, the education provided by the school is intended to assist students in reaching their full artistic and professional potential. "Graduates, with the artistic taste, skills and experience they have developed at the school, will have the relevant skills to produce high-quality works and be able to earn a living," said Jweihan. The school and the center were the brainchild of Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain's minister of culture and information. Speaking at the opening of the school, Sheikha Mai said productive minds sustained human culture and development, with the project allowing Bahrain's artists to enhance their skills and creativity. The project is very much in line with some of the goals of Sheikha Mai's ministry, which include the developing of an innovative, dynamic and sustainable tourism industry that aims to contribute to the country's socioeconomic development, while also protecting and promoting Bahrain's culture and heritage. (Source: OBG)

Facebook reach exceeds newspaper circulation in Middle East

A new report from Spot On Public Relations has confirmed that there are more subscribers to social media service Facebook in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) than there are copies of newspapers circulated in the region. The report, "Middle East and Africa Facebook Demographics", shows Facebook has over 15 million users in the region, while the total regional Arabic, English and French newspaper circulation stands at just under 14 million copies. "Facebook and other social media platforms are now beginning to define how people discover and share information, shape opinion and interact. Facebook doesn't write the news, but the new figures show that Facebook's reach now rivals that of the news press," said Carrington Malin, managing director of Spot On Public Relations. "The growth in Arabic language users has been very strong indeed: some 3.5 million Arabic language users began using Facebook during the past year, since the introduction of Arabic support and we can expect millions more Arabic language users to join the platform." Five country markets in MENA now account for some 70 per cent of Facebook users; Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with a gender bias towards male users that flies in the face of international figures - only 37 per cent of Facebook users in the Middle East are female compared with 56 per cent in the USA and 52 per cent in the UK. Despite the strong growth in the number of Arabic language users, the report also shows that some 50 per cent of MENA Facebook users select English as their primary language, with 25 per cent selecting French and just 23 per cent Arabic. Egypt's 3.5 million Facebook subscribers help to make North Africa the largest Facebook community in MENA accounting for 7.7 million out of a total of 15 million MENA users. Ninety-eight per cent of MENA's French language users are from North Africa. The GCC states today account for some 5 million Facebook users. The two key markets of the Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been quick to embrace Facebook - some 33 per cent of the UAE's population uses Facebook and it also now stands as the country's second most visited website after google.ae (according to websites ranked by Alexa.com).