Bahrain Toughens Penalties For Insulting King

Offenders will face a jail sentence of up to seven years and a fine of up to $26,500.

Online Video Key To Monetising News Content

Brightcove CMO suggests online video is the solution for media companies looking to monetise their online offering.

Egypt To Put Al Jazeera Journalists On Trial

In a statement, the prosecutor said the four had published “lies” that harmed the national interest.

97% Of UAE’s HNWIs Use Social Media

A study shows 73 per cent of them prefer LinkedIn over Facebook or Twitter.

4DX Cinema Launches In The UAE

VOX Cinemas has launched 4DX enabled sensory cinemas at Mirdif City Centre and Deira City Centre.

Dubai’s Ruler Ranks 7 Among World Leaders Using Twitter

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has over 2.4 million followers on Twitter.

Al Jazeera Says Four Journalists Held In Egypt After Hotel Broadcast

Al Jazeera’s offices in Cairo have been closed since July 3

American Jailed In UAE For YouTube Parody Video

Shezanne Cassim, 29, has been detained since April after publishing the 20-minute “mockumentary” film.

Top 10 Most Viewed Articles In 2013

Gulf Business looks back on the articles that attracted most reader attention on our website this year.

UAE Plans To Hike Emiratisation In The Media Sector

Currently emiratisation in the UAE’s media industry stands at just a little over 25 per cent.

Top 10 Google Search Terms In The UAE

Ramadan 2013, Gangnam Style and smartphones’ search queries top Google 2013 trending list for the UAE.

Al Jazeera Weighs Bid For $1bn Turkish Pay-TV Firm Digiturk

Al Jazeera’s interest in Digiturk stems from the pay-TV operator’s access to football rights in the country, sources said.

Expo 2020 Allegations By Gulf News “Baseless”, Says Pakistan

The newspaper defends its decision to publish the editorial, which accuses Pakistan of betraying the UAE by not supporting Dubai during the Expo 2020 vote.

OMD Wins Media Network of the Year 2013

With 100 per cent client retention and growth nudging 10 per cent, OMD wins top award from Campaign magazine.

Al Jazeera Denies Report Its Cairo Office Was Raided

Reports claimed Al Jazeera’s office in the Egyptian capital had been raided and security forces arrested 11 Qatari citizens.

Dubai Has Strong Potential To Be Global Media Hub

Dubai has the required production infrastructure and services to become a global media hub, says study.

Egyptian Forces Arrest Qataris At Al Jazeera’s Cairo Office

Four Qatari police officers were among those arrested, according to a state newspaper.

Grand Cinemas Appoints New CEO Ahead Of Expansion

The Middle East’s largest cinema group has aggressive plans to expand into Qatar and Bahrain in the coming year.

Middle East Ad Revenues To Grow By 6.3% in 2014

After remaining flat throughout 2013, Middle East ad revenues are expected to rebound in the coming year.

Top 10 Social Media Tips For Businesses

Ahmed Dawood, founder of social media marketing firm for corporates and small businesses Phenomena, shares his top ten tips for companies on social media.

UAE Pay-TV Network OSN Secures Five-Year $200m Facility

The proceeds of the facility will be used to further grow and strengthen its core business, said OSN.

OSN Valued At $4.3bn Ahead Of Planned IPO

Private equity firms in the region are considering IPOs in overseas markets such as London as a potential exit route.

How To Create Your Own Podcast

A recording application and a good quality microphone are essential tools says James Reynolds, founder of veravo.com and host of The Traffic Jam Podcast.

Dubai Lynx 2014 Jury Presidents Revealed

The announcement included a new award for students and unveiled the theme for next year’s festival.

Young Saudis Getting Creative On YouTube

With a population of 28.3 million, Saudi Arabia is now the biggest user of YouTube per capita in the world.

MENA Ad Industry At A Crossroads

It’s about time we all grew up, writes Reda Raad, COO, TBWA\RAAD.

Sky News Arabia Has Lost Contact With Crew In Syria

At least 39 journalists were killed and 21 kidnapped in Syria last year by both rebels and government forces.

New MBC Bollywood Channel To Launch In October

The channel will feature series and movies from India’s movie hub.

Sheikh Mohammed’s New Book Highlights Leadership Strategies

Sheikh Mohammed’s latest book, Flashes of Thought, talks about time management, positive thinking and creativity.

Saudi Sees Strong Growth In Digital Arabic Content

The Kingdom accounts for more than half of the region’s active users on Twitter with 90 per cent preferring to tweet in Arabic.