-  Launch confirms position as the leading bilingual, one-stop-shop for everything mother baby and child   -

5 February 2012, Dubai: Following months of development, mumzworld.com announced that it is fully bilingual across all elements of its site, reaffirming its commitment to be the gold standard e-commerce site in the region. With online sales in the GCC currently growing at double the global average and estimated to reach $15 billion by 2015 according to Visa, this latest development by mumzworld.com targets an influential customer base.

Mona Ataya, CEO Mumzworld.com said: “It has always been our intention from day one to be fully bilingual.  In the three months following our launch of mumzworld.com in English, we have successfully established mumzworld.com as the definitive online marketplace for everything mother, baby and child. We are now delighted to be able to offer all our Arabic speaking customers the opportunity to browse, compare and shop in their mother language.”

Since it launched in October 2011, mumzworld.com has attracted over 160,000 unique visitors and 9,000 registered users. With over 75% of web traffic coming from the GCC , Saudi Arabia and Egypt , the decision to launch mumzworld.com in Arabic was a natural progression for the company and is an indication of the importance it places in the market.

Mona Ataya, CEO Mumzworld.com said: “We have benefitted from some excellent relationships within the industry which means that we can go straight to the producer when sourcing products. This means that we can keep our margins low so that our customers pay less. Our products range is also increasing every day which is testament to our success. The real tipping point for us was when international brands and companies started to approach us to carry their range -this was a huge win for us as it highlights our ability to reach a target audience, and represents our true value to big brands”

 Currently stocking over 40,000 products spanning across the mother, child & baby segment from over 250 global brands including Lamaze, OshKosh B’Gosh, Phillips Avent, Disney and Lego, mumzworld.com is committed to making the impossible possible.

Placing customer service at the forefront of its business, mumzworld.com has recently introduced another benefit for its customers in the region through offering free shipping to the GCC and Lebanon. This, in addition to speedy delivery times – between 1 - 3 days in the UAE, and 7 - 10 days regionally, the broadest range of competitively priced products and the implementation of world class technology, the site is fast becoming a major player in a highly buoyant industry.

Visit www.mumzworld.com today.

• • Association marks Abu Dhabi Media’s first foray into the Asian market, and the first ever international expansion for Radio Mirchi

• Bollywood star, Rani Mukherjee, launches station, bringing UAE listeners a taste of authentic Desi radio

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1st February, 2012: Abu Dhabi Media and Entertainment Network (India) Limited, a subsidiary of The Times of India Group, have spiced up the airwaves in the Emirates today with the launch of India’s largest FM brand, Radio Mirchi.

Bollywood superstar, Rani Mukherjee, known for her award-winning acting performances, was in Abu Dhabi for the launch celebration today and joined the Abu Dhabi Media and Radio Mirchi teams to push the launch button, making the station go live across the UAE.

Radio Mirchi is the first radio station of its kind in the Emirates to offer nationwide coverage, with three exclusive frequencies- 97.3FM Abu Dhabi, 88.8FM Dubai & northern emirates, and 95.6FM Al Ain- catering to the country’s extensive south Asian expat population. 

The business partnership also represents Abu Dhabi Media’s first extension into the lucrative south Asian broadcasting sector and the first ever international association for Entertainment Network (India) Ltd. and the Radio Mirchi brand.

Malcolm Wall, CEO of Abu Dhabi Media, commented: “The addition of Radio Mirchi to the Abu Dhabi Media portfolio is a significant step for the company. Through this partnership, we have introduced a new target demographic for Abu Dhabi Media that will complement our existing Arabic and English language radio brands. The south Asian community is an important audience here in the Emirates, and Radio Mirchi provides a powerful platform for brands to reach this large and rapidly growing consumer group.”

“Mirchi” is Hindi for chilli, and Radio Mirchi is renowned for being the hottest radio station in India. The brand brings the authentic taste of Desi radio to the UAE, and offers the same award winning mix of content and talent that has kept Indian listeners tuning in for years, packaged specifically to suit the diverse needs of the Emirates’ south Asian audience.

Prashant Panday, CEO of Entertainment Network (India) Limited, also commented: “In India, we are proud to have over 40 million listeners who swear by our brand. Radio Mirchi is known as the gateway to Bollywood and our UAE launch brings the best of the brand and our unique programming innovations to the people of the Emirates. From the biggest heroes, heroines and directors, to the most popular music composers, lyricists and singers- the station has it all.

“Our first foray overseas is a significant step in the evolution of the Radio Mirchi brand and a landmark event for the company, and we are happy to partner with such a well known and reputed company like Abu Dhabi Media,” added Panday.

With a fun and dynamic lineup of shows throughout the day, there is plenty to keep listeners entertained and engaged. With international and community news, the hottest music and unrivalled access to Bollywood- all broadcast in a mixture of Hindi and English with a unique flavor from home- Radio Mirchi is sure to inject sunshine and energy into its listeners’ days.

“Abu Dhabi Radio Network is continuously striving to serve the needs of all our communities in the UAE, and the launch of Radio Mirchi will cater to a new audience for the company,” commented Abdul Rahman Awadh Al Harthi, Director of the Abu Dhabi Radio Network. “We are thrilled to bring such a premium brand to the UAE for the first time - the addition will be a real asset to our suite of radio brands and will once again extend Abu Dhabi Radio Network’s reach across the all of the Emirates with its nationwide frequency.”

Radio Mirchi has been the pioneer of private FM radio in India since its launch in 2001, and with a presence across 14 states with 32 stations, it is the largest FM channel in the country.

The year 2011 saw female- focussed website, ExpatWoman.com, reach new heights with numbers of 1.9 million unique visitors at, 5.4 million site visits and page views of over 39 million. This has reflected an increase of 52% unique visitors compared to 2010 and a 24% increase in visits.

Effective Measure, the leading provider of digital media planning solutions in the region, latest report pegs ExpatWoman.com as being the 22nd best performing website in the UAE, 75th across the GCC and 105th across the entire MENA region. Drilling down within this information results in ExpatWoman.com being the number one performing website for advertisers aiming to reach women in households earning above 100,000 US$ whether targeting solely western women or all women.

Jane Drury, CEO and founder of ExpatWoman.com says, “2011 was a significant year for us in terms of our increased penetration and sustained exponential growth, as well as being the website’s 10 year anniversary. The Effective Measure results correlate with our own findings and further enhance the attractiveness of our offering to media planners, marketing agencies and clients. If you want to market to women in Dubai, the UAE, the GCC and MENA, ExpatWoman.com is the site to advertise on.”

2011 saw the launch of sites for Oman and Kuwait to complement the existing sites of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. There are also plans afoot to expand further into the MENA territory, with a wider range of online services through 2012, with KSA and Egypt currently under review. “We have a business model which is proven and works and wherever there are women seeking vital information for a successful expat life, ExpatWoman.com can be there for them,” adds Drury. “For advertisers this is perfect, as our 360° approach to the site and the business as whole, gives agencies and brands a direct outlet to reach an important target market through online, events and print.”

Building on expansion of both the programming and the editorial teams, 2011 saw the start of significant enhancements to site presentation and navigation, and the introduction of a suite of new online services, to be rolled out across MENA, which will continue through 2012. With a two-pronged approach to build on the already strong reader experience whilst increasing regional penetration, all signs point to another bumper growth year for Expat Web Services’ flagship site.

Nawras, Oman’s customer friendly communications provider, supported the recent Muscat Youth Summit 2011 by interacting with the delegates in a pleasingly different way. This innovative company’s presentation focused on illustrating the power and platforms of social media that young people can harness for positive results.

Raed Dawood, Nawras Department Head - Business Development and Nourhan Beyrouti, Nawras Head of Branding, pointed out that each of the participants was a ‘Digital Native’ as not one of them had grown up in a world without the internet. Together, through the Nawras workshop, they showed the students how to create a digital profile using social media accounts while applying creativity, photography and micro blogs.

At the end of the session, students posted their entries on the youth-focused Shababiah Facebook page for judging in terms of the best design, content and application. Gustavo Bomfim submitted the winning entry and was thrilled to win an iPhone 4. Arun Achuth came second, winning a Nawras goody bag and the third prize of autographed CDs went to a young Omani lady.

“This is such an energetic programme and an ideal platform for Nawras to show how technology helps to bridge differences in language, culture and experience,” said Dawood. “The power of social media and the internet in general can be harnessed for positive benefits wherever you may be. We were happy that Nawras could contribute to the rich experience these students have enjoyed. Even in a relatively short time, they have clearly seen how much is possible to attain through the power and reach of the internet.”

This was the second year for Nawras to proudly support this exciting initiative. Muscat Youth Summit 2011 was a four-day event for more than 200 young people aged between 15 and 24. Students from Oman were joined by others from 15 other countries including United States of America, United Kingdom, Sweden, Pakistan and Australia.

Speakers at the event also included Ahmad Al Harthy, Oman’s top racing driver and brand ambassador for Nawras.

Throughout the year, Nawras supports many different community activities. Most recently these have included a variety of sporting events from football, cricket and petanque to tennis and a dive challenge for less able participants.

Dubai-UAE: 26 December, 2011 – APCO Worldwide announced today the opening of a new office in Abu Dhabi, another step in the firm’s regional growth following their acquisition of Dubai-based JiWin Public Relations in November 2010.

The opening of the Abu Dhabi office cements the UAE’s position at the heart of APCO’s Arab-region operations and strengthens the communication consultancy’s links with the capital, where it already serves a number of clients.

“Our investment in the UAE reflects our belief that local and regional businesses are seeking more than simple public relations support,” said Brad Staples, President, International. “In these difficult economic times, there is growing demand for corporate advisory and strategic communication services to help companies navigate an increasingly complex business landscape.

“Our understanding of the regulatory, political and commercial issues that exist in the Arab region, combined with our global footprint and recognized reputation for delivering high-quality work, means we are strongly positioned to advise clients on how best to communicate to stakeholders to ensure a maximum return on investment.”

APCO has supported its international client portfolio with a presence in the Arab region since 2007. The Abu Dhabi office, which is located in Abu Dhabi’s media free zone TwoFour54, will be led by Wael Kanakri, who has 17 years of Abu Dhabi-based communication and media experience.

“Abu Dhabi plays an increasingly important role, not only for local and regional economies, but also for the global economy,” said Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director, Arab Region. “We are already experiencing a high level of interest in our multidisciplinary approach to strategic communication, and we are looking forward to strengthening existing relationships with clients while building new partnerships.”

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO is an award-winning, independently owned, global communications consultancy with 31 offices in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Earlier this year, APCO was named Large Firm of the Year by PR News and developed a new brand-positioning model called Champion Brand, which helps companies align stakeholder expectations with business priorities into one cohesive narrative. APCO also recently launched Global Political StrategiesSM, an executive service designed to support businesses, governments and NGOs on geopolitics, global economics and new market opportunities.

Mo Elzubeir: “The main reason why GCC publishers are not investing in digital media is the small size of GCC readership”
 
Dubai, UAE, 26th December, 2011: Mo Elzubeir, Founder and Managing Director of Mediastow, the leading media intelligence company in the Middle East, says there is a severe shortage of online news content in the Arab world.  Though almost every print newspaper has web presence, the Arab world is nowhere near the required volume of content to make people shift to digital media.

Commenting on a recent Booz & Co report titled “The Advent of Digital News in the GCC – Newspaper Publishers’ Path to Winning” which predicted that the inflection point at which digital consumption of news will overtake print will occur in two years’ time; Elzubeir said this projection was unrealistic.

“It is true digital news will overtake print. That is as real as climate change and I don’t see how it would go any other direction. However, the pace at which we are approaching the so-called inflection point is nowhere near the timeline of two years,” Elzubeir added.

Elzubeir added: “The report goes on to point out some of the most striking barriers to this inflection point. It says media analysts continue to predict the death of print media as internet penetration levels increase; however, that does not appear to have panned out. In fact, internet penetration in the GCC is comparable with that in the West, where inflection point has already been met.”

He emphasized: “There is a long way for digital news business to win the battle against print media despite the deep broadband penetration in key markets in the Gulf. The print media business in these markets has been able to withstand the threat of digital migration.”

Newspaper publishers in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE sold an aggregate 3.23 billion copies in 2010 alone.

The UAE’s mobile broadband penetration is on par with South Korea which tops both the US and UK, a clear proof that migrating to digital platforms is not just about advancement in technology, according to Elzubeir.

Elzubeir added: “The report missed a very important part of the equation, which is that one of the key influencers of speeding up the migration to digital, which is the size of readership.”

He pointed out: “I would argue that the collective size of the GCC market is not large enough to accommodate all the publishers available today.”

Elzubeir added: “The Booz & Co report goes on to talk about how publishers put their investments in other parts of their portfolio that bring quicker profits, unlike the long-term investment required to become a full-fledged digital news provider. It claims that investments are diverted away from online publishing because it’s simply not attractive.”

He added: “Another issue that is perhaps overlooked is that news alone is not going to make people consume content online. When you look at other models, whether you look West or East, online content covers everything from news to books to movies to others. We have none of it. In fact, we are not even able to consume English content from Amazon, Netflix, etc. due to strange restrictions that are created by the companies themselves and not content owners.”

Once the big players in the world, such as Bloomberg, Reuters, CNN and others localize their content, uptake of digital content will spike. The only problem with this is that localization of content from those major players is unlikely to happen in the short-term. The same obstacles that are preventing local players from investing in digital news still stand – lack of scale emphasized Elzubeir.

Elzubeir added: “In my view, the only way such an inflection point can be reached in the next 3-5 years is if online-only news providers appear and challenge the status quo. As it stands, I don’t see digital news overtaking print in the next 10 years.”

Sharjah-UAE:  –Sharjah Media Centre (SMC), the communication arm of the Government of Sharjah, in collaboration with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority(SCTDA),today receiveda 16-member international media delegation comprising representatives from Germany, Russia, China, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The media delegation is in Sharjah as special invitees tothe 10-day Sharjah Water Festival that is currently underway and will run until 25 December.

Osama Samra, Director of Sharjah Media Centre,welcomed the delegation tothecentre and briefed the visitors on its mission, vision and goals that contribute to the development of the media landscape in Sharjah.

Samra said: “We are pleased to receive media delegations from around the world and familiarise them with Sharjah and itsrapidly evolving media sector.Our initiative to invite journalists to the centre comes out of our objectivetofacilitatethe media to generate a comprehensive and accurate reportage on Sharjah.

“We leveraged the visit of the international delegation to the centre to highlightits role and resources. It also gave us the opportunity to outline our recently unveiled membership programme thatprovidesmedia-persons and aspiring journalists with access toauthentic information and cutting-edge technology for the effective dissemination of news.”

Sharjah Media Centre offers three categories of memberships: honorary, active and academic.

Individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the media sector, Sharjah Media Centre or to public welfare could qualify for the honorary membership. These members are selected by the centre’s board of directors.

The active membership is open to residents living in the UAE and employed as reporters, editors, photographers, librarians, programmers, producers, publishers or graphic artists at radio stations, television stations, on-line news services, as well as daily, weekly and monthly news publications or news services and bureaus located or based in the Sharjah area.

The third category of membership – academic - is open to journalism students and faculty members in Sharjah and the wider UAE. Full-time faculty members of journalism at the university, college or high school level are also eligible to apply for membership.

600,000 Arabic books on the Net, 2 % of which can be read on iPads and smart phones, reveals Rufoof study

Dubai, UAE, 12th December, 2011: Arab content on the internet is only 4 percent of the global content, and Arabic e-books constitute a small portion of it. There are just 600,000 Arabic books on the internet, of which only 2 percent can be read on iPads and smart phones, according to a recent study unveiled at the official launch of Rufoof company, a revolutionary bookstore application developed by Flagship Projects.

The new company was launched at an event sponsored by TECOM in CNN Building in Dubai Media City.

Shadi Hasan, Managing Director, Rufoof said at the launch: “I thank Tecom for supporting this launch event. Also, I am also grateful for Forbes Arabia, ABM, a franchisee of Apple in the Arab world and Author Diala Areslan for attending the event.”

He added: “Today marks a turning point in the world of publishing in the Arab world.  Today, we are protecting the legacy of Arabic content from loss by having it in this amazing digital application. $13 million was the ebook market in the USA in the third quarter of 2008 and it reached $120 million in the third quarter of 2010.  It is expected to reach $201 million in 2011.”

The retail industry of e-books reached $930 million in 2010 and it is expected to reach $3 billion in five years time in USA alone, according to Forrester.

Talking about the negative aspect of printed books, Hasan added that the annual production of books in the USA requires cutting off 30 million trees.

Rufoof, which started to be developed in mid 2010, has 4500 ebooks, of which 80 percent are free to be downloaded. Rufoof has signed contracts with 21 publishing houses with a subscriber base of 74,000 all over the world.

He added: “The huge advancement in the world of reading thanks to iPhone, iPad and other smart phone devices is still not fully exploited in the Arab region. Rufoof provides an amazing reading experience for Arabic content. It is a world-class mobile application that adds value to mobile phone end users in the Arab world.”

Rufoof is a platform for publishing houses and content driven organisations in the Middle East so they can buy space for their Arabic and English content. They could buy a premium package to publish their books and articles in a special section on Rufoof or just simply post their books individually.

Users of Rufoof store can go to the application and view a wide range of book titles in different categories including articles and e-journals as well as download a sample to have the content available even when the device is offline. Another feature of the application is reading through bookmark pages, search and change the font size as well as change the colour of the shelves.

At the event, Flagship unveiled its innovative iPublishing service which provides power to authors in publishing their own book directly and easily on Rufoof.

The benefits of this service are the international reach, promoting the books without incurring any publishing expenses and presenting an ideal opportunity to authors to generate more revenues.

Through Rufoof, Flagship, the application developer, is showcasing its best expertise and the ability to develop creative professional content for the local and regional market.

Hasan added: “Rufoof provides a user friendly experience adopting the latest platforms at most cost effective price.”

List announced during the “Global Summit on Entrepreneurship” in Istanbul, Turkey

Mr. Mohammed Johmani Founder and CEO of O2 Network receiving the award

Dubai, December 7th, 2011: O2 Network, the conglomerate of marketing communications, public relations, branding and interactive firms, was recently named among the “Arabia Fast Growth 500” list which is announced by “AllWorld Network”. The list was announced during the “Global Summit on Entrepreneurship” that took place in Istanbul, Turkey in the presence of leading business, political and social figures including USA’s Vice President, Joe Biden.

O2 Network was recognized for this award as a result of the vast growth in sales and operations it witnessed between 2008 and 2010, crossing 25%. Mohammed Johmani, Founder and CEO of the O2 Network received the award and expressed his gratitude to the organizers and to the Network’s employees and executive staff.

“It is a privilege for O2 Network to be selected among the Arabia growth 500 list and this is a true testament for the efforts of the employees and their endless ambition to generate further growth every year,” said Johmani. “We have seen a growth in marketing consultancy, public relations, branding, and social media services in the markets we are active in and we expect even more growth in 2012.”

The list included companies from UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain in addition to companies from Turkey and Pakistan. The companies represent a range of industries from tourism to transportation, film to finance, education to ecommerce.  The majority of the applicant companies are approximately five years old, and the majority of the entrepreneurs plan to establish another company in the next two years.

“AllWorld” Network was established in 2007 by Deirdre Coyle, Anne Habiby and Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, after many years of promoting entrepreneurship in the developed and developing worlds. “AllWorld” is a for-profit organization with a mission to find and scale all the growth entrepreneurs of the emerging world, creating the largest information system and network of growth entrepreneurs.  

Dubai, UAE – 3 December 2011: BBC Arabic was awarded the Best News Channel for the first time at the Hot Bird TV Awards 2011, announced in Venice, Italy, last week. The HOT BIRD™ TV Awards is the unique international event distinguishing quality of content creation and innovation by thematic satellite television channels, were presented on November 25 at a gala ceremony in Venice in the company of 250 international broadcasting executives. Winning public and private channels from eight countries reflected the vitality of the satellite broadcasting market and its capacity to innovate.

“The winners at this year’s HOT BIRD™ TV Awards showcase global excellence in programming and a capacity for creative inspiration and quality,” said Michel de Rosen, Eutelsat CEO. “The strength of the winners in each of the categories demonstrates a wealth of talent and our congratulations go out to them and all the nominees.”

Founded in 1998, the Awards comprise 10 thematic categories. The HOT BIRD™ TV Awards Jury includes experts from leading publications and TV associations.

Commenting on the award, Mr Faris Couri, editor in chief of BBC Arabic, who also accepted the HOT BIRD TV award on behalf of BBC Arabic, said:

Faris Couri, Editor in Chief of BBC Arabic said: “The past year has been an eventful one for those of us who cover the Arab World. It is very much an honour to receive this award as it is in recognition of our work by our colleagues and our industry.”

Red carpet highlights, clips of the nominated programmes and all the latest images from the night’s events are at: www.hotbirdtvawards.com