Fnjan podcast featuring Yasser Al Hazimi Becomes Most Watched Podcast Episode on YouTube Globally
Saudi podcast Fnjan has amassed over 100m views in just over a year on its episode featuring relationship and communication skills trainer, Yasser Al Hazimi. Surpassing all expectations, this episode has become the most-watched podcast episode on YouTube globally to date, surpassing the global viewership of the Joe Rogan and Elon Musk episode, which garnered 69m views over the past five years.
The three-hour episode delved into the intricacies of human relationships and achieving balance, exploring topics such as self-love versus vanity, among others. Remarkably, 74% of the viewers hail from outside Saudi Arabia, with the largest viewer demographic falling within the 25-34 age group. Furthermore, 21% of the audience watched the episode with English subtitles, highlighting its widespread international appeal. Many viewers attribute the episode’s success to Al Hazimi’s presentation style and society’s growing interest in understanding the dynamics of social relations, particularly in the face of contemporary life’s challenges.
Al-Hazimi expressed his surprise at the overwhelming success of this episode, following a 23-year journey in media appearances. He emphasised the paramount importance of the episode’s potential positive impact, even if it affects just one listener. This focus on catalysing positive change through media underscores the profound influence and responsibility that accompanies such a large audience.
Fnjan, which translates to “a small Arabic coffee cup” in Arabic, stands as Thmanyah’s flagship podcast. Hosted by the founder and CEO, Abdelrahman Abumalih, it is the major Arabic language podcast regionally. The show invites influential Arab personalities to engage in warm and intimate conversations, delving into a wide array of topics including media, culture, religion, and history. With over 329 episodes produced, each boasting over 1m views, the show is renowned for its extensive yet profound discussions. It has garnered a loyal listenership across the Arabian Gulf market and is steadily gaining traction in the North African market.
Thmanyah, meaning “eight” in Arabic, was established in 2016. Earlier this year, it announced its transition from a media-only entity to a technology-powered business, embarking on a mission to revolutionise the landscape of online content creation regionally and globally.
With an estimated 10m podcast listeners in the MENA region, and research conducted by Censuswide revealing that 15% of the adult population in Saudi Arabia are podcast listeners, with the highest proportion being ‘heavy’ podcast listeners, the podcast industry in the region is poised for exponential growth.
