Media & Entertainment: The Changing Landscape in the Middle East

We live in remarkable times still. The media and entertainment industries in the Middle East have changed significantly since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The world is looking as though it is thinking about heading back to normal but clearly there are huge differences across the world and from region to region. What “normal” is going to be is also an interesting question. 

Mark Hill joined the Media Law International Annual General Conference in May 2022 to share a few thoughts relating to the changing landscape in the media and entertainment markets in the Middle East. In his session, Mark explored the current environment for these industries and some of the key themes arising including, Covid-19 – is it over?, the important changes being seen in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the growth of digital content and the demands of the younger generations, opportunities for film and related production activities, the continuing growth of cinema, major events in the region (in particular sporting events) and the impact these are having, the shift to digital advertising, the developing world of sponsorship and some crystal ball gazing at what the future of this industry in the region is set to look like.