HQ facilities include metaverse studios, extended-reality production facilities, and AI-enhanced control rooms for live production.
Arab journalist Nakhle Elhage has announced the launch of Blinx, which describes itself as the first digital hub for native storytelling in the Middle East and North Africa region, to produce news and short-form content targeting Gen Z and millennials in the Middle East and beyond.
Headquartered in Dubai Media City, Blinx will soon launch on multiple platforms, with an aim to deliver “more story, less noise” through content created by and for the youth.
As the General Manager of Blinx, Elhage, a media professional with 16 years of experience as director of news and current affairs at Al Arabiya, will bring his expertise to the first digital native storytelling hub in MENA, aiming to inspire and engage the Youth through honest, and genuine storytelling.
Blinx will reportedly be equipped with the MENA region’s first Metaverse / extended reality studios and production facilities, with visual effects that transport viewers and users to places that surpass reality. Control rooms are equipped with the latest live production tools, including AI-enhanced tools that analyse videos and data.
Speaking about the launch, Nakhle Elhage said: “Our purpose is to inspire the youth through honest, genuine, and spectacular storytelling. By providing news, entertainment and infotainment powered by the best tech and people available, we help build a better tomorrow. Engaging the region’s talented, bold, and brave storytellers, our new digital hub aims to be the go-to destination for stories that connect young people in MENA to the world and like-minded communities.”
Nakhle Elhage concluded: “Throughout history, storytelling has always been embedded in our culture. The fine art of engaging an audience, and captivating it with masterful storytelling, is in our DNA. By being innovative and breaking the mould of traditional infotainment, Blinx will harness the collective power of resources, tech, and expertise, so that storytelling feels fresh, exciting, and relevant to today’s Youth.”
Apart from being on social media platforms and having its online portal, Blinx will soon unveil its digital apps, bringing the live production experience into multiple smart devices and screens; offering personalised, edgy user experiences; creating a holistic On-Demand Social Ecosystem where Youth can find culturally relevant content at their fingertips.
Blinx will bring forward the full force of AI to the world of digital and social media, armed with state-of-the-art production capabilities within its studios in Dubai Media City.
It also plans to “gamify,” in other words add elements more usually associated with game playing, to its content to encourage engagement.