Media & Advertising

Blinx launches to cater to ‘tech-savvy youth’

September 13, 2023, 2:00 PM

The Blinx headquarters in Dubai Media City includes 'extended reality' studios and VR production capabilities

Blinx is based in Dubai Media City
Focuses on millennials and Gen Z
Blends mainstream and digital media

A new digital media centre has launched in the Middle East focusing on Gen Z and millennial content creation, storytelling and reporting.

Dubai-headquartered Blinx (spelt as “blinx”) wants to capitalise on the region’s burgeoning media and entertainment industry, expected to be worth over $61 billion by 2028, according to research from Mordor Intelligence.

Blinx will be driven by content from the youth of the Middle East, connecting Gen Z and millennials across multiple screens, platforms and smart devices.

“This is a young generation that is very much globalised and hyper-connected. They are into gaming, they watch YouTube and videos, they’re on Instagram and TikTok, X etc,” said Nakhle Elhage, Blinx general manager.

“They need a trusted source of information, news and lifestyle stories, hence the launch of Blinx, which provides that and more in a way that isn’t boring to its audience.”

According to the Global System for Mobile Communications, in 2021 the number of mobile internet users in Mena exceeded 300 million.

The World Association of News Publishers estimates that people in the region spend an average of 3.5 hours a day across social media platforms.

“The youth are very much on their smart devices, mobiles phones, screens etc, and they’re getting a lot of noise and distraction from these multiple sources,” said Elhage.

Nakhle Elhage, blinx general manager — Nakhle Elhage, Blinx general manager

Fadi Radi, blinx chief creative officer — Nakhle Elhage, Blinx general manager

“Blinx will give them the best of both worlds. The accuracy, credibility, fact checking of mainstream media, yet the agility, creativity and fast-pace of social and digital.”

The 15th annual Asda’a BCW Arab Youth Survey revealed nearly half of participants hope to establish their own businesses in the next five years.

However, the Mena region has one of the highest global youth unemployment rates, at more than 26 percent. The World Bank reports that 32 percent of youth aged 15 to 24 are jobless. To address this, the UN stresses the region’s need to create 33.3 million jobs by 2030.

Blinx currently employs nearly 150 young professionals from across the Mena region, broadcasting from its headquarters in Dubai Media City.

Fadi Radi, Blinx chief creative officer, said that its featured stories “cater to tech-savvy youth, offering a blend of entertainment and insightful inspiration”.

Elhage added that its smart TV app offers exclusive long-form content such as investigations, talk shows and live broadcasts.

Blinx studio — Blinx employs almost 150 young professionals from across the Mena region

The HQ includes metaverse and extended reality studios, production facilities with VR capabilities, AI-enhanced tools and advanced data analytics.

Tareq Ahmed Al Masaood, a director and partner of Al Masaood Group and a prominent member of the Abu Dhabi business and investment community, is behind the new media venture, together with a group of UAE-based businesspeople.