The development of digital media production within the media industry in Middle East has generated both challenges and opportunities. Radical changes have occurred in the media industry and consumption patterns, particularly in light of digital media integration, and the opportunities provided by artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, there are obstacles within Middle Eastern media organizations that are impeding the advancement of digital content production. These obstacles include a lack of investment in technology tools, a strong reliance on traditional forms of digital content distribution on social media platforms such as Facebook and X, inadequate training on the latest technological advances in the media sector, including skills such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality techniques, virtual reality in newsrooms, and digital tools for verifying information. Moreover, several financial challenges exist as well. However, available data indicates that the future of the digital media industry in the Middle East is optimistic. Positive signals include news organizations’ increasing reliance on mobile journalism and a trend toward digital content. This outlook is supported by an expectation of an increasing number of digital users, as the results of analyses conducted by McKinsey have indicated. Indeed, the number of digital users in the Middle East is expected to reach 160 million by 2025. This presentation discusses the opportunities and challenges of digital content production in Middle Eastern media organizations, while proposing strategies to address challenges and capitalize on the opportunities presented by digital advancements.

Authors:
Wael Nel, Carlos III University of Madrid, Spain

About the Presenter(s)
Wael Nel, is a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication and Media Studies at Carlos III University of Madrid

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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