Media & Advertising Saudi Arabia launches $234m fund for emerging film sector Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund (CDF) has launched a SAR 879 million ($233.9 million) film sector financing program to support local content and promote filmmaking. The programme is open to local and international companies in the kingdom’s emerging film sector. It will further encourage a sustainable and thriving film industry by empowering small and medium […] March 20, 2023
Media & Advertising Twitter to hike Blue pricing to $11 for iPhone app users Twitter Inc plans to change the pricing of its Twitter Blue subscription product to $11, from $7.99, if paid for through its iPhone app and to $7 if paid for on the website, the Information reported on Wednesday, citing a person briefed on the plans. The move was likely a pushback against Apple Inc’s 30 […] December 8, 2022
Media & Advertising Twitter CEO Elon Musk says user signups at all-time high Twitter Inc chief executive Elon Musk says new user signups to the social media platform are at an “all-time high”, as he struggles with a mass exodus of advertisers and users fleeing to other platforms over concerns about verification and hate speech. Signups were averaging over two million per day in the last seven days […] November 27, 2022
Qatar reviews London investments after transport advert ban Qatar has launched a review of its investments in London after the city’s transport authority this week banned the Gulf state’s tourism advertisements on the capital’s buses, taxis and Underground train system, Saturday’s Financial Times reported. The paper said the move by Transport for London (TfL) was triggered by concerns over the soccer World Cup […] November 27, 2022
Player 2 has entered the game – Mena eyes $5bn e-sports prize Sunday was a big day for sports fans in the Middle East. With the eyes of the media trained on the World Cup opener in Qatar and the final race of the Formula One season in Abu Dhabi, it was easy to overlook the e-sports grand final taking place in Dubai. It would be wise […] November 22, 2022
Media & Advertising Elon Musk says he will find a new leader for Twitter Elon Musk said on Wednesday he expected to reduce his time at Twitter and eventually find a new leader to run the social media company, adding that he hoped to complete an organisational restructuring this week. Musk made the remarks while testifying in a Delaware court to defend against claims that his $56 billion pay […] November 17, 2022
Media & Advertising Elon Musk warns of Twitter bankruptcy and ends remote work Twitter Inc’s new owner Elon Musk on Thursday raised the possibility of the social media platform going bankrupt, capping a chaotic day that included a warning from a US privacy regulator and the exit of the company’s trust and safety leader. The billionaire on his first mass call with employees said that he could not […] November 11, 2022
Analysis Media & Advertising Dubai’s influencers will weather the blue tick Twitter storm Twitter is going through an historic overhaul: thousands of staff members fired, a new senior leadership team in place, and a new CEO at the helm – Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Among Musk’s flagship plans for the platform, perhaps the most eye-catching is an overhaul of the verification system — Twitter’s blue ticks. […] November 8, 2022
Opinion Media & Advertising Nine ways to grow your network (without spamming) How to make friends and influence people: avoid spamming and follow these tips to grow your network authentically and organically November 7, 2022
Media & Advertising Twitter updates app to start charging $8 for blue checkmark Twitter on Saturday updated its app in Apple’s app store to begin charging $8 for sought-after blue check verification marks, in Elon Musk’s first major revision of the social media platform. The change comes a week after Musk took over the social media company in a $44 billion deal. The billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of […] November 7, 2022
Media & Advertising Erdogan may discuss charge for Twitter blue check with Elon Musk Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he may negotiate with Twitter’s new boss Elon Musk to avoid paying the monthly $8 charge for the “verified” badge. After buying Twitter for $44 billion last week, Musk said the company will charge $8 a month for its Blue service, which includes the sought-after blue check mark. In an […] November 4, 2022
Media & Advertising More Twitter officials leave after Elon Musk’s $44bn takeover In an expanding exodus of Twitter’s top management, officials including its advertising and marketing chiefs left the company in the past few days, according to statements and a person with direct knowledge of the matter. The departures come after billionaire Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover of the company last week, followed by his firing of […] November 2, 2022
Media & Advertising Elon Musk says Twitter will revise how it verifies users Twitter will revise its user verification process, Elon Musk said in a tweet on Sunday, just days after he took over one of the world’s most influential social media platforms. “Whole verification process is being revamped right now”, Musk said in his tweet without giving more details. Twitter is considering charging for the coveted blue […] October 31, 2022
Media & Advertising Musk’s Twitter ownership starts with firing of top executives Elon Musk became Twitter Inc’s owner on Thursday, firing top executives and providing little clarity over how he will achieve the lofty ambitions he has outlined for the influential social media platform. “The bird is freed,” he tweeted, referencing Twitter’s bird logo in an apparent nod to his desire to see the company have fewer […] October 28, 2022
Media & Advertising Saudi MBC Group signs deals with Turkish production companies Saudi-owned MBC Group, the Middle East’s largest broadcaster, said on Wednesday it had signed a five-year partnership with two Turkish production houses, signalling an end to an unofficial boycott imposed on Turkey by Saudi Arabia as the two countries work to improve ties. MBC, which in March 2018 scrapped Turkish programmes including soap operas popular […] October 20, 2022
Media & Advertising Rupert Murdoch starts process to reunite Fox and News Corp Rupert Murdoch has started a process that could reunite his media empire, News Corp and Fox Corp disclosed on Friday, saying they would consider combining at his behest, nearly a decade after the companies split. Both have formed special committees to review proposals of a potential combination, they said. If a deal goes through, the […] October 16, 2022
Energy OPEC+ cuts: the media’s verdict Major stock markets in the Gulf rose in early trading on Thursday, joining the rise in oil prices following the announcement late on Wednesday October 5 that the oil alliance OPEC+ had agreed to cut production by about two million barrels per day, the largest reduction since 2020. OPEC+ agrees deep oil production cuts, Biden […] October 6, 2022
Media & Advertising Elon Musk reverses course, ready to buy Twitter for $44bn Billionaire Elon Musk is proposing to proceed with his original $44 billion bid to take Twitter Inc private, security filings showed on Tuesday, calling for an end to a lawsuit by the social media company that could have forced him to pay up, whether he wanted to or not. An agreement would put the world’s […] October 5, 2022
Opinion Media & Advertising Axing BBC Arabic will weaken UK’s soft power in the Gulf Corporation's decision to axe radio output will affect millions who rely on it as a trusted source of world news October 4, 2022
Media & Advertising Apple, Amazon pass on media rights to Saudi-backed LIV Golf Amazon.com Inc. and Apple Inc have both passed on the media rights to the LIV Golf tournament, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Critics have said that LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, amounts to “sportswashing” by a nation trying to improve its reputation in […] September 16, 2022
Media & Advertising Gulf states demand Netflix pull content deemed offensive Gulf Arab states have demanded that US streaming giant Netflix remove content deemed offensive to “Islamic and societal values” in the region, Saudi Arabia’s media regulator said on Tuesday. It did not specify the content, but mentioned that it included content aimed at children. Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya TV, in a programme discussing the issue, […] September 7, 2022
Media & Advertising Former Twitter employee is convicted in Saudi spy case A former Twitter Inc manager accused of spying for Saudi Arabia was convicted on Tuesday on six criminal counts, including acting as an agent for the country and trying to disguise a payment from an official tied to Saudi’s royal family. Ahmad Abouammo, a dual US-Lebanese citizen who at Twitter helped oversee relationships with journalists […] August 10, 2022
