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"MYCONTENT Supports Local Producers to Penetrate the Market"
Dubai - INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions - member of INDEX Holding announced today the schedule and agenda of the 6th edition of MYCONTENT and 8th Dubai International Brand Licensing Fair, part of The Big Entertainment Show (BES), which will be running from the 3rd to the 4th of November, 2015 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The announcement came at a press conference held today at the Grand Hyatt Hotel which was presided by Eng. Anas Al Madani, Vice - Chairman and CEO of INDEX Holding, Youssef El Husseini, Consultant for MYCONTENT and Helen Fielding, Commercial Director at East West Licensing.
Eng. Anas Al Madani welcomed the attendees and expressed his gratitude for all the supporters for the BES 2015. He indicated the significant role that The Big Entertainment Show plays as the first event of its kind in the MENA region dedicated to the Games, Brand Licensing and TV content market. He also mentioned that this market holds great growth opportunities for entertainment content professionals around the world.
Eng. Anas Al Madani said:"There is no doubt that the creation of a vibrant local content production industry is key to the growth of the TV industry in the Arab world and it has shown considerable development over the past years. According to a report by the Arab States Broadcasting Union, there is 1294 satellite TV channels operating in the Arab world, all in search for new content providers or to sell their own content."
Eng. Al Madani continued on saying: "As the number of markets producing content increases, so will the breadth of content available for viewers and the ensuing competition can only be a positive development for creativity in the industry.It is evident that Arab viewers are becoming more eager nowadays for quality local content, competition is on the rise, and high quality production has become the most important mean of differentiation among pan-Arab broadcasters.For this reason, MTCONTENT comes yearly as a leading entertainment content and media marketplace in the MENA region supporting local producers and talents to enter the market."
Eng. Al Madani concluded: "We are expecting this year more than 4,000 specialists and experts form the industry to attend the show and present their services to a high-level audience of service providers."
From his side,Youssef El Husseini, Consultant for MYCONTENT said:"MYCONTENT market this year is focusing on promoting video content across Arabic speaking countries in the MENA region, for multiple platforms. Original video content, locally created shows and dramas, adapted non-scripted and scripted formats and series, movies and documentaries, as well as international Arabic dubbed and original series and documentaries, will be showcased at the exhibition."
Youssef El Husseini added: "What is special about MYCONTENT 2015 is that it will emphasize on the Arabic producer and production companies and the link between content owners and broadcasters."
The event's agenda features a number of activities including the Entertainment Content Summit and the Licensing Seminar. A huge number of local and international speakers will present their latest theories and research in those fields. The summits will bring forth recommendations to tackle challenges in this growing industry. The sessions will also create a great platform for businessmen, investors, and leaders of this industry to discuss the latest updates and productions at a time where the worldwide market for entertainment content is growing at a considerably fast pace, including the Middle East Market.
MYCONTENT's agenda features this year also a number of new activities such as: Format Pitching Competition, Hosted Buyers Program, B2B Matchmaking services, and several workshops and seminars aiming at supporting local talents to succeed in this field.
Local producers will have the ultimate chance to enter the market through the Format Pitching Competition, in which they will be given the opportunity to pitch their formats to a judging jury consisting of a group of leading local and international broadcasters, and gain USD 10,000 to help them produce a pilot for their proposed program. In addition to that, local producers can be part of the Independent Producers Pavilion to showcase and sell their programs and dramas to distributors and broadcasters.
MYCONTENT this year is also implementing the Hosted Buyers Program where key buyers from the MENA region will be invited to be part of the show to support networking and deal closing of major TV programs between them and the exhibiters.
Besides that, MYCONTENT will also host The Entertainment Content Summit which will cover the key market challenges and trends such as: Content Production in the Arab World, How to Produce, Promote and Monetize on Online Video Platforms, Content Acquisition and Distribution, and Challenges in TV Piracy.
The press conference has also touched upon the agenda of the Dubai International Brand Licensing Fair (Licensing Dubai) that will be heldin conjunction with MYCONTENT. Licensing Dubai is considered the leading brand licensing event the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region featuring a vast collection of properties and brands covering categories such as animation, art & design, stationery, school supplies, toy & games, TV & film and many more.
The retail industry in the GCC region is witnessing a boom at a steady pace due to a positive mix of economic, social, and demographic factors. A growing young population with high disposable income levels, strong GDP growth and rising purchasing power have led to a rise in investor confidence, luring retail players into the region, according to the GCC Retail Industry report by Alpen Capital.
Eng. Anas Al Madani commented on this industry by saying: "Proving the strength of the retail industry in the Gulf Region, the Global Retail Development Index (GDRI 2015) has placed UAE, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in its list of the most attractive retail destinations worldwide. Licensing is a global and huge industry with revenues worth billions of dollars pioneered by the likes of Disney and Marvel."
Eng. Anas Al Madani continued on saying: "As global brands are expanding their presence in the Middle East, the regional companies are striving to secure a share of this booming industry. Therefore, local and regional retailers are looking forward to be part of the upcoming edition of the Dubai International Brand Licensing Fair."
The agenda of the 8th Dubai International Brand Licensing Fair will include the Hosted Buyers Program that will allow key retailers, distributors and manufacturers from the MENA region to network with the exhibiters in the show and close major licensing deals.
On another scope, The Licensing Seminar held parallel to the exhibition will discuss key topics such as Licensing Law and Copyright Protection, Negotiating Licensing Agreements, and Brand Owners Challenges with Counterfeits and Solutions
Helen Fielding, Commercial Director at East West Licensing said: "Events like Licensing Dubai are contributing to the licensing industry by driving awareness and exposing the MENA region to the rest of world. The exposure these events generate not only helps in bringing more brands and investment to the region but also inspires more local brand creation. You only have to see the growth in size and interest in Licensing Dubai to see what phenomenal potential there is for the licensing industry in this region."
The Big Entertainment Show is organized yearly by INDEX Conferences & Exhibitions, a member of INDEX Holding, and it is supported by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Dubai Festivals & Retail Establishment (DFRE) the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association (LIMA), Arab Asian Entertainment Content &Licensing Alliance and the National Media Council.
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© Press Release 2015
