From its television channels broadcasting original Arabic dramas to billions of digital views and a bustling film scene, Dubai's media industry is a regional powerhouse, as evidenced by producing over 1,500 hours of local TV content, attracting 150 international film projects, and contributing a staggering AED 25 billion to the GDP in 2023 alone.
Key Takeaways
- Dubai's television industry produced over 1,500 hours of local Arabic content in 2023, with 60% focused on drama series aired on channels like Dubai TV.
- In 2022, MBC Group, headquartered in Dubai Media City, reached 140 million viewers across the MENA region through its 15 TV channels.
- Dubai TV channels invested AED 450 million in sports broadcasting rights for 2023, including exclusive FIFA World Cup coverage.
- Dubai's radio sector had 22 licensed stations in 2023, broadcasting in 10 languages.
- Radio listenership in Dubai averaged 2.5 hours per day per capita in 2022, with music stations at 60% share.
- Virgin Radio Dubai reached 1.2 million weekly listeners in 2023.
- Circulation of Gulf News, Dubai's leading English daily, reached 120,000 print copies daily in 2023.
- Khaleej Times printed 85,000 copies per day on average in Dubai in 2022.
- Dubai's Arabic newspapers like Al Bayan had 60,000 daily circulation in 2023.
- Digital news websites in Dubai attracted 25 million monthly unique visitors in 2023.
- Gulf News online pageviews exceeded 100 million monthly in Dubai market 2023.
- 85% of Dubai internet users accessed news via mobile apps in 2023.
- Dubai Film Festival showcased 250 films from 60 countries in 2023 edition.
- Dubai's film production incentives attracted 150 international projects worth AED 2 billion in 2023.
- 45 studios in Dubai Media City produced 300 hours of feature films in 2023.
Dubai's media industry is a robust and growing economic powerhouse with widespread influence.
Digital Media
- Digital news websites in Dubai attracted 25 million monthly unique visitors in 2023.
- Gulf News online pageviews exceeded 100 million monthly in Dubai market 2023.
- 85% of Dubai internet users accessed news via mobile apps in 2023.
- Dubai Media Inc's digital platforms published 50,000 articles in 2023.
- Online video consumption for news in Dubai averaged 45 minutes daily per user 2023.
- Social media ad spend for Dubai media outlets reached AED 1.8 billion in 2023.
- 120 digital-only media startups in Dubai Media City by 2023.
- YouTube channels from Dubai media garnered 5 billion views in 2023.
- 70% of Dubai's digital ad revenue came from programmatic buying in 2023.
- Timeout Dubai website had 8 million monthly sessions in 2023.
- Influencer marketing via digital platforms in Dubai grew 30% to AED 900 million 2023.
- 92% internet penetration in Dubai drove digital media growth to 25% YoY in 2023.
- Arabic digital content consumption in Dubai rose 40% in 2023.
- E-commerce affiliate content from Dubai sites generated AED 500 million in 2023.
- 15 million podcast downloads from Dubai-based media in 2023.
- Dubai's OTT platforms like Shahid had 10 million UAE users in 2023.
Digital Media Interpretation
Dubai's digital news scene is a content-hungry beast, fed by billions of mobile views and billions in ad spend, proving the emirate's population would rather scroll than stroll for their information.
Film and Entertainment
- Dubai Film Festival showcased 250 films from 60 countries in 2023 edition.
- Dubai's film production incentives attracted 150 international projects worth AED 2 billion in 2023.
- 45 studios in Dubai Media City produced 300 hours of feature films in 2023.
- Image Nation Abu Dhabi, with Dubai ops, invested AED 300 million in films in 2023.
- Dubai International Film Festival attendance hit 85,000 in 2023.
- VFX spending in Dubai film industry reached AED 150 million in 2023.
- 2,500 film professionals employed in Dubai in 2023.
- Dubai co-produced 12 films with Hollywood studios in 2023.
- Cinema screens in Dubai totaled 650 with 85% occupancy during Eid 2023.
- Advertising film production in Dubai generated AED 1.1 billion revenue 2023.
- 70 music videos shot in Dubai for global artists in 2023.
- Animation studios in Dubai exported content worth AED 80 million in 2023.
- Dubai's event filming for 500+ conferences captured 10,000 hours in 2023.
- 25% growth in AR/VR content production for entertainment in Dubai 2023.
- Red Sea International Film Festival partnered with Dubai for 10 projects in 2023.
- Total media industry GDP contribution in Dubai was AED 25 billion in 2023.
- Overall media ad market in Dubai valued at AED 6.5 billion in 2023.
- Dubai hosted 1,200 media events including advertising awards in 2023.
Film and Entertainment Interpretation
While the world's film industries often chase fleeting trends, Dubai is methodically pouring the concrete and wiring the soundstages to build a permanent global media capital right in the desert.
Print Media
- Circulation of Gulf News, Dubai's leading English daily, reached 120,000 print copies daily in 2023.
- Khaleej Times printed 85,000 copies per day on average in Dubai in 2022.
- Dubai's Arabic newspapers like Al Bayan had 60,000 daily circulation in 2023.
- 15 major magazines published in Dubai Media City, with total monthly circulation of 500,000 in 2023.
- Print media ad revenue in Dubai declined 12% to AED 400 million in 2023.
- 45% of Dubai print media shifted to hybrid print-digital models by 2023.
- Emirates Woman magazine distributed 40,000 copies quarterly in Dubai in 2023.
- Dubai's newspaper recycling rate reached 92% in 2023, processing 10,000 tons annually.
- 28 new magazine titles launched in Dubai from 2020-2023.
- Average print newsstand sales in Dubai dropped to 20,000 per title daily in 2023.
- Forbes Middle East, based in Dubai, printed 75,000 copies per issue in 2023.
- Print media workforce in Dubai totaled 2,500 journalists in 2023.
- 60% of Dubai print ads were full-page in lifestyle magazines in 2023.
- Al Emarat Al Youm newspaper pages averaged 80 per daily edition in 2023.
- Dubai's business dailies like The National had 50,000 subscribers in 2023.
- Print production costs in Dubai rose 15% due to paper imports in 2023.
- 35% of print media content in Dubai focused on real estate ads in 2023.
- Harper's Bazaar Arabia circulated 30,000 copies monthly in Dubai 2023.
Print Media Interpretation
Despite gilded stacks of print still gracing Dubai, their pages now whisper of a digital pivot, with the industry stubbornly inking its evolution rather than its obituary.
Radio
- Dubai's radio sector had 22 licensed stations in 2023, broadcasting in 10 languages.
- Radio listenership in Dubai averaged 2.5 hours per day per capita in 2022, with music stations at 60% share.
- Virgin Radio Dubai reached 1.2 million weekly listeners in 2023.
- 45% of Dubai drivers tune into radio during commute, totaling 15 million hours annually in 2023.
- Dubai 92, the leading FM station, aired 1,800 hours of talk shows in 2023.
- Digital radio (DAB+) penetration in Dubai reached 12% of households by 2023.
- Radio advertising revenue in Dubai grew 8% to AED 250 million in 2023.
- 30% of radio content in Dubai is podcast-style on-demand in 2023.
- Arabic radio stations in Dubai captured 55% market share in 2022.
- Dubai Eye 103.8 FM hosted 450 live events broadcasts in 2023.
- Female listenership to radio in Dubai rose to 48% in 2023 from 42% in 2020.
- 18 new radio programs launched in Dubai during Expo 2020, continuing into 2023.
- Radio streaming apps usage in Dubai hit 1.5 million monthly active users in 2023.
- 65% of Dubai radio ad spend focused on automotive sector in 2023.
- Sunrise FM, Dubai's Hindi station, grew listeners by 22% to 800,000 in 2023.
- Public radio funding in Dubai totaled AED 50 million in 2023 for content development.
- 120 radio presenters employed full-time in Dubai stations in 2023.
- Peak radio listening time in Dubai is 7-9 AM, with 70% traffic updates.
- Cross-platform radio campaigns in Dubai achieved 25% higher ROI in 2023.
- Dubai FM 94.5 aired 2,000 hours of music programming in 2023.
Radio Interpretation
While steering through traffic for 15 million hours a year, nearly half of Dubai’s drivers keep the city's 22 radio stations, broadcasting in 10 languages, as their constant companions, proving that in a digital age the FM dial remains a surprisingly vibrant and lucrative public square.
Television
- Dubai's television industry produced over 1,500 hours of local Arabic content in 2023, with 60% focused on drama series aired on channels like Dubai TV.
- In 2022, MBC Group, headquartered in Dubai Media City, reached 140 million viewers across the MENA region through its 15 TV channels.
- Dubai TV channels invested AED 450 million in sports broadcasting rights for 2023, including exclusive FIFA World Cup coverage.
- The number of free-to-air TV channels operating from Dubai increased by 25% from 2019 to 2023, totaling 45 channels.
- 72% of Dubai households subscribed to pay-TV services like OSN in 2023, up from 65% in 2020.
- Dubai One channel broadcast 350 hours of English-language programming in 2023, targeting expats with 40% lifestyle content.
- Local TV news production in Dubai averaged 120 hours per week across major channels in 2022.
- 55% of prime-time TV viewership in Dubai in 2023 was dominated by Egyptian drama imports aired on Dubai channels.
- Dubai Media Incorporated launched 12 new TV shows in Ramadan 2023, achieving 28% audience share.
- IPTV services in Dubai grew by 18% in subscribers to 2.1 million in 2023.
- 40% of Dubai's TV ad spend in 2022, amounting to AED 1.2 billion, was allocated to Ramadan campaigns.
- Choueiri Group, based in Dubai, handled 35% of TV advertising sales for UAE channels in 2023.
- Dubai channels aired 200 hours of live cultural events coverage in 2023, including Expo 2020 wrap-up.
- 65% of UAE nationals in Dubai prefer local TV channels for news, watching average 3.2 hours daily in 2023.
- Digital terrestrial TV coverage in Dubai reached 99.8% of population by end of 2022.
- Dubai TV's children's programming block aired 500 episodes in 2023, with 70% original content.
- Revenue from TV production studios in Dubai Media City hit AED 800 million in 2023.
- 28 new TV series were filmed in Dubai studios in 2022, employing 5,000 crew members.
- Dubai channels' social media engagement for TV shows reached 50 million interactions in 2023.
- 15% growth in 4K content production for Dubai TV channels in 2023.
Television Interpretation
Dubai’s media industry, having invested heavily in sports rights and local Arabic dramas, now watches as its prime-time audience remains captivated by Egyptian imports—proving that even in a city built on grand ambition, sometimes the most popular stories are the ones brought in from next door.
Sources & References
- Reference 1DUBAIMEDIAdubaimedia.aeVisit source
- Reference 2MBCMmbcm.netVisit source
- Reference 3TRAtra.gov.aeVisit source
- Reference 4Uu.aeVisit source
- Reference 5STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 6DUBAITVdubaitv.aeVisit source
- Reference 7NMCnmc.gov.aeVisit source
- Reference 8PWCpwc.comVisit source
- Reference 9MEDIAOFFICEmediaoffice.aeVisit source
- Reference 10IABUAEiabuae.comVisit source
- Reference 11CHOUEIRILOGISTICSchoueirilogistics.comVisit source
- Reference 12DUBAIdubai.gov.aeVisit source
- Reference 13IPSOSipsos.comVisit source
- Reference 14TDRAtdra.gov.aeVisit source
- Reference 15DMCdmc.aeVisit source
- Reference 16FILMFREETOURfilmfreetour.comVisit source
- Reference 17SOCIALBAKERSsocialbakers.comVisit source
- Reference 18EBUebu.chVisit source
- Reference 19RAJARrajar.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 20VIRGINRADIOvirginradio.aeVisit source
- Reference 21DUBAI92dubai92.fmVisit source
- Reference 22WORLDDABworlddab.orgVisit source
- Reference 23DUBAIEYE1038dubaieye1038.comVisit source
- Reference 24GWIgwi.comVisit source
- Reference 25SENSOR-TOWERsensor-tower.comVisit source
- Reference 26SUNRISEFMsunrisefm.netVisit source
- Reference 27NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 28FM945fm945.comVisit source
- Reference 29GULFNEWSgulfnews.comVisit source
- Reference 30KHALEEJTIMESkhaleejtimes.comVisit source
- Reference 31ALBAYANalbayan.aeVisit source
- Reference 32WAN-IFRAwan-ifra.orgVisit source
- Reference 33EMIRATESWOMANemirateswoman.comVisit source
- Reference 34FORBESMIDDLEEASTforbesmiddleeast.comVisit source
- Reference 35ALEMARATalemarat.aeVisit source
- Reference 36THENATIONALNEWSthenationalnews.comVisit source
- Reference 37HARPERSBAZAARARABIAharpersbazaararabia.comVisit source
- Reference 38SIMILARWEBsimilarweb.comVisit source
- Reference 39DMIdmi.aeVisit source
- Reference 40THINKWITHGOOGLEthinkwithgoogle.comVisit source
- Reference 41TIMEOUTDUBAItimeoutdubai.comVisit source
- Reference 42INFLUENCERMARKETINGHUBinfluencermarketinghub.comVisit source
- Reference 43AFFILIATEUAEaffiliateuae.comVisit source
- Reference 44CHARTABLEchartable.comVisit source
- Reference 45SHAHIDshahid.netVisit source
- Reference 46DUBAIFILMFESTdubaifilmfest.comVisit source
- Reference 47DUBAIFILMMEDIAdubaifilmmedia.tvVisit source
- Reference 48IMAGENATIONABUDHABIimagenationabudhabi.comVisit source
- Reference 49DIFFdiff.aeVisit source
- Reference 50REELCINEMASreelcinemas.aeVisit source
- Reference 51DUBAIFILMMARKETdubaifilmmarket.comVisit source
- Reference 52ANIMATIONUAEanimationuae.comVisit source
- Reference 53DWTCdwtc.comVisit source
- Reference 54REDSEAFILMFESTredseafilmfest.comVisit source
- Reference 55DUBAIMEDIACITYdubaimediacity.comVisit source
- Reference 56GROUPMgroupm.comVisit source