This document outlines key driving forces shaping the future of Arab media, including increased media consumption, fragmentation of channels, participation and personalization. It discusses how crowds can contribute to media through reporting, investigation, content filtering and more. Revenue models for media are evolving from advertising to new approaches. Arab media is being transformed by rising connectivity, urbanization and the growth of social networks. Leadership and experimentation will be needed to navigate these changes.

1. Creating
the Future
of Arab Media
 Futurist
 Strategy advisor
 Author
@rossdawson

2. rossdawson.com
 Futurist
 Keynote speaker
 Strategy advisor
NOTE: These slides were created to support a keynote presentation by
Ross Dawson at Arab Media Forum in Dubai. They were not designed
to stand alone, but may still be of interest to those who did not attend
the keynote.
For more content from Ross Dawson go to www.rossdawson.com.

3. Media is at the heart of our future

4. Driving Forces
Value
Crowds
Channels
Arab World
Leadership

5. Driving Forces

6. Seven driving forces of media
Increased media consumption
Fragmentation
Participation
Personalization
Evolved revenue models
Generational change
Increasing bandwidth

7. Increased media consumption
Source: Carat

8. Fragmentation
Source: UK Ofcom

9. Participation

10. Personalization

11. Generational change

12. Increased bandwidth
Source: Cisco Visual Networking Index Mobile 2014

13. Value

14. The implications of the ‘long tail’

18. The flow of news

20. Providing perspective

22. Visual insights into news and data

24. Community filtered news

25. Journalist reputation

27. Social filtering

28. Human and algorithmic filtering

30. Crowds

32. News applications of crowds
Application Description
Reporting On-the-spot reporting and information, often as news happens.
Investigation Gathering information relating to specific questions and issues.
Data gathering Collecting information on the ground.
Data sifting Going through large data releases to identify newsworthy issues.
Story selection Selecting the most interesting, relevant, and appropriate content.
Fact checking Checking facts in articles before or after publication
Story compilation Weaving a story through selection of quotes and content.
Writing Contribution of completed articles.
Video Contribution of live or recorded video, usually of news events.
Copyediting Correcting and improving written grammar and language.
Metadata Identifying relevant tags or descriptive data to content
Funding Crowdfunding journalistic initiatives.

33. Reporting

34. Investigation

35. Data gathering

36. Data sifting

37. Story selection

38. Fact checking

39. Story/ content compilation

40. Writing

41. Metadata

42. Funding

43. Filtering content

44. Types of crowds for content
Crowd type Key characteristics
Professional Closed community
Experienced
Significant rewards
Aspiring
professional
Talented
Less experienced
Profile is highest reward
Amateur Invite-only or open
Aimed at diversity
Often rewarded

45. Channels

49. Revenue slides
Source: Newspaper Association of America
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
U.S. Newspaper advertising revenue ($ million)
New revenue
Digital advertising
Classifieds
Retail advertising
National advertising

51. Arab World

52. Rising connectivity
Source: International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Individual Internet access
Qatar
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
United States
Kuwait
Oman
Morocco
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Tunisia
Jordan
Syria
Sudan
Yemen
Algeria
Libya
Iraq

53. Over-subscribed
Source: International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
0
50
100
150
200
250
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Mobile phone subscriptions per capita Saudi Arabia
Bahrain
Oman
Kuwait
Libya
United Arab Emirates
Jordan
Qatar
Morocco
Egypt
Tunisia
Algeria
United States
Iraq
Lebanon
Zambia
Sudan
Syria
Yemen

54. Mobile connectivity
Source: Statista, Google
Smartphone penetration

55. Economic diversity
Source: World Bank
Gross National Income per capita (Purchasing Power Parity)

56. More people in cities
Source: World Bank
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Urbanization %
Qatar
Kuwait
Bahrain
Lebanon
United Arab Emirates
Jordan
United States
Saudi Arabia
Libya
Oman
Tunisia
Iraq
Morocco
Arab World
Syrian Arab Republic
Egypt, Arab Rep.
Sudan
Yemen, Rep.

57. Here and there
Source: Northwestern University in Qatar

58. Finding news
Source: Northwestern University in Qatar

59. Connecting with others
Source: Northwestern University in Qatar

60. Source: United Nations

61. Leading in social media

62. Social networks rise
Source: Dubai School of Government
Facebook penetration

63. High mobile internet usage
Facebook penetration

64. Perspectives on Arab media

65. Leadership

66. Shifting channels
Flickr credit: NS Newsflash

67. Local vs global strategies

68. Investment
Flickr credit: Stu

69. Community and crowds
Flickr credit: Stu

70. Aggregation

71. Experimentation

72. Driving Forces
Value
Crowds
Channels
Arab World
Leadership

73. rossdawson.com
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