Dubai: Gulf News is the most read newspaper in the country, according to the fourth Arab Media Outlook (2011-2015) launched on Monday by the Dubai Press Club.
With a share of 48 per cent, Gulf News exceeded the Arabic leading daily Al Khaleej, which came second with 39.3 per cent and Emarat Al Youm, 31.9 per cent, while Gulf News.com came on top of the most visited news websites in the UAE with a share of 19 per cent, beating such brands as Times of India, Al Jazeera and Google News and Yahoo Maktoob.
Launching the report, Maryam Bin Fahad, Executive Director of Dubai Press Club, said recent events in the Arab world have generated a relatively positive impact on the regional media, raising the bar on the quality of news reporting, accelerating the engagement with digital platforms and firmly placing the region on the strategic map of global media houses.
Bin Fahad added: "In several markets directly affected by the political uprisings, the structure of the media industry is virtually being overhauled with a significant break from the past. However, the pace of media reform in these markets is likely to be gradual with the pressing economic and political issues being taken up as immediate priorities."
Themed "Arab Media: Exposure and Transition", the report highlights the changing media landscape, shifts in consumption patterns, and revenue forecasts from the advertising, print copy circulation, online and Pay TV segments up to 2015.
More than 140 stakeholders associated with the print, television, online, radio, and cinema platforms, in addition to advertising agencies from across 17 markets in the Arab world, have shared their perspectives in the current AMO report.
The study also expands the geographic coverage of the previous editions to include two new markets, Iraq and Libya, both of which have seen dynamic shifts in the media industry over the past year. International and regional case studies substantiate the facts presented in the report, providing insights into the trends shaping the industry and bench marking the sector's evolution in the Arab world against mature markets.
