Last year, if the CEOs called for collaboration to survive external forces that come to the region with money and marketing muscle, this year, Sam Barnett began the CEO panel discussion by announcing that MBC had joined forces with Fox.
Our vision when we launched BroadcastPro Middle East was not just to be a leading magazine in the MENA region. We wanted to be perceived as an industry insider, who created a platform that would connect various sectors within the TV and film industry and be the place where conversations began, where deals were signed and where companies wanted to debut their prized solutions.
That day has come. Last year, if the CEOs called for collaboration to survive external forces that come to the region with money and marketing muscle, this year, Sam Barnett began the CEO panel discussion by announcing that MBC had joined forces with Fox. There are other deals we are privy to but not at liberty to disclose yet but my heart soared when we saw an open testimony that our platform has indeed become the place where conversations begin.
We were equally pleased that Strategy& chose the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit to announce some of their exclusive MENA findings about the Media and Entertainment market.
While there were a lot of key takeaways from each of the panel discussions and we have outlined them in great detail in this edition, one talking point that has stayed with us is regulation. There was a concern that regulators have received international media powerhouses with open arms while being more stringent with local players, and how that has had serious repercussions on the local broadcast industry.
It has become increasingly clear that regulators need to be part of these discussions to bring about positive change. How can we do this effectively? We welcome all suggestions.
This issue of the magazine also celebrates the winners and innovators of the MENA TV industry. We also reveal little-known but hugely inspiring journeys around our winning entries.
We hope you enjoy our year end edition. See you in the New Year.
