Reactions to story from The New York Times

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  Iraq Is So Yesterday; Everyone's Doin' The Abu Dhabi! [Media]

  http://gawker.com/5062528/iraq-is-so-yesterday-everyones-doi...
  50 days ago in Gawker, Manhattan Media News and Gossip · Authority: 9,368

  Everybody, quick, open an office in Abu Dhabi! The oil-rich desert metropolis is opening a new "media hub" consisting of bizarre, bubble-like office buildings, and major news outlets are rushing in. CNN is opening a whole new bureau there! And
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  Morning Brief: Obama's race to lose?

  http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/node/10018
  50 days ago in FP Passport | blogging on global news, politics, economics, and ideas · Authority: 1,082

  Morning Brief: Obama's race to lose? Mon, 10/13/2008 - 8:04am Top Story Jeff Fusco/Getty Images With just three weeks remaining before the big day, Barack Obama leads John McCain by 10 points in the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll of likely voters.
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  Abu Dhabi’s Media Ambitions.

  http://shehabhamad.com/blog/2008/11/27/abu-dhabis-media-ambi...
  5 days ago in MBAs, Media & the Middle East. · Authority: 1

  The night I got back from Beijing this summer, I crashed an editors’ dinner hosted by Monocle at the Park Hyatt in Dubai (thank you Rami for the tip off)- not my usual style but there was no way I was going to pass up the chance to meet Tyler Brule (huge influence), and the Monocle team were incredibly gracious in making room for me (even rummaging around to find an extra goodie tote-bag at the end). There was only one actual editor at the dinner (Ahmad Shabib of Brownbook) but Burhan Wazir of Abu Dhabi’s excellent (for the region) English-language newspaper The National was there and it was fascinating to hear just how much the Abu Dhabi Media Co had put into setting the paper up. They launched with a staff of about 250 (and were recruiting heavily for the launch of their Saturday - our Sunday equivalent- title). Monocle on the other hand run a very tight outfit, with a dozen full time staff in London. All of this of course was particularly interesting in the global newspaper industry context of doom and gloom and nonstop layoffs. ADMC expected The National to break even five years (if I remember correctly) after the launch. Deputy editor Hassan Fattah, a former reporter for the New York Times and Associated Press plays down the exceptional timing going againdt the grain of theto be investing so heavily in a globally : “It’s just a newspaper that’s funded properly,” he says in an LA Times article (In Emirates, newspapers still a growth industry). It turns out the National was only the opening shot in Abu Dhabi’s media moves. In October 2007, the government signed a deal worth $1 billion to woo Hollywood’s biggest film studio, Warner Bros, into a partnership (The Economist) and more recently the company announced it would spend $1 billion to start a film financing offshoot that will invest in Hollywood-style movies for English-speaking audiences. In October, a spate of companies announced that they were setting up shop in twofour54 Abu Dhabi (formerly known as the Abu Dhabi Media Zone). The companies include global names like CNN, HarperCollins and Random House, the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Financial Times and the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Meanwhile the global media industry’s funk continues. The unavoidable reformatting of business models will happen even faster in the current economic outlook. The FT’s Lex recently commented on the UK Newspaper industry: Forced to choose between a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, Thomas Jefferson said that he would not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. As they survey the troubled state of newspapers heading into what promises to be another difficult year, UK competition authorities would do well to keep that advice in mind. Newspaper revenues are set to fall sharply next year as advertisers cut back on spending. Some have enjoyed a credit crunch spike in interest in matters financial, but circulation, generally, is down. Redundancies, though, are up. It is likely that not all the UK’s 20-odd national papers will see out 2009. Regional papers, hit by online classifieds competitors, are in even worse shape. Consolidation appears inevitable. The question is whether it proceeds in an orderly way, with stronger groups buying the best assets of weaker ones, or whether the weakest are simply left to fail. Facing a dwindling list of potential “trophy buyers”, newspaper groups across the world are starting to think creatively about their plight. Talk of publishers like Daily Mail & General Trust and Independent News & Media combining back office functions mirrors murmurs of a similar tie-up between the New York Post and the Daily News, two bitter US rivals. I wander how far fetched a big foreign, dare I say - trophy acquisition by ADMC is? Although there would be plenty of political potholes in the way of a foreign (and non-democratic Arab to boot) government purchase. Or perhaps ADMC will just continue hiring away talent from the venerable UK institutions. It is too early to tell how hands off the Abu Dhabi government will continue to be with The National’s editorial policies, but the early signs have been promising. I can see The National quickly becoming the Gulf region’s most influential newspaper. Personally I think more thought and innovation should have gone into ADMC’s digital strategies. The focus has primarily been on recreating existing business models (newsprint, film, tv etc) which are in terminal decline in their traditional forms. The exception is Getmo Arabia: GETMO Arabia will be a 50:50 joint venture firm between Arvato Middle East Sales & Abu Dhabi Media Company. It is based in Abu Dhabi and will set new benchmarks for digital entertainment in the region by leveraging the significant local content archive of Abu Dhabi Media Company. The announcement of the formation of GETMO Arabia at MECOM comes after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Abu Dhabi Media Company and the Bertelsmann Group. Too early to tell how that will play out but it’s a promising move in the right direction. Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are all making some serious media moves and in usual Abu Dhabi form, it’s the last to the party but with the best and most ambitious plans. I am betting all three cities will succeed, carving out and cornering different segments of the industry. Oh and when ADMC get round to entering the music industry, give me a call! AbuDhabi v Dubai v Doha Related articles by Zemanta Martin Newland’s Abu Dhabi newspaper ready for launch Are papers in freefall? Not if they innovate A bridge over the journalistic gulf in the Emirates [IMG Reblog this post [with Zemanta]]
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  Middle East News - Thais to barter rice for oil with Iran

  http://globalnewsblog.com/blog/?p=7020
  30 days ago in Global News Blog Headlines · Authority: 24

  Thais to barter rice for oil with Iran Bangkok’s decision to barter rice for oil with Iran in the clearest example to date of how the triple financial, fuel and food crisis is reshaping global trade as countries struggle with high commodity prices and a lack of credit Floods in Yemen kill 41 Floods killed 41 people and around 31 are missing in Yemen after torrential rain left swathes of the impoverished country under water, President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Reaching for a Higher Profile, Abu Dhabi Opens a Hub for Western Media CNN, The Financial Times and other media companies are setting up shop in the island city that is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Rejection of Oil Law and Move to Create Tribal Councils Add to Tensions With Kurds At issue are fundamental questions of territorial rights: redrawing the borders of the Kurdish region and the region s right to develop its own oil resources. Fractures in Iraq City as Kurds and Baghdad Vie American commanders worry that the Shiite-led government s push to squeeze Kurdish units out of the Iraqi Army in Mosul could lead to confrontation. Report on Iraq Security Lists 310 Contractors The extensive list contains some familiar American companies like Blackwater and DynCorp, but also many obscure firms from places as far-flung as Uganda. Advocates for Gaza Challenge Blockade A boatload of international campaigners challenged the Israeli blockade of Hamas-run Gaza and sailed into a small port there, the third such landing in two months. World Briefing | Middle East: Syria: Prominent Dissidents Sentenced A Syrian court sentenced 12 prominent dissidents to two and a half years each in prison on for calling for democratic reforms and an end to the Baath Party s monopoly on power. Analysis: Iraqi premier tries to massage security deal to sell it to Iran (The Kansas City Star) BAGHDAD | Iraq’s prime minister is pushing the idea that the U.S. departure is in sight in a bid to sell the security deal with Washington to Iran. Gulf Bank chief quits as Kuwait crisis deepens The crisis in Kuwait’s banking sector deepened as the chairman of Gulf Bank resigned over derivatives losses and Moody’s warned it could downgrade the bank, the country’s second biggest lender Iraqi leader seeks security changes (Baltimore Sun) Pullout date seen needed to mollify Iranian, Iraqi critics Iraq’s prime minister is pushing the idea that the U.S. departure is in sight in a bid to sell the security deal with Washington to Iran. Armored Against Turmoil, Lebanon Lures Investors Lebanon, chronically battered by war, turns out to have a banking sector that has so far been a beacon of stability and growth.
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  Middle East News - Splits behind Gaza medics strike

  http://globalnewsblog.com/blog/?p=6765
  39 days ago in Global News Blog Headlines · Authority: 24

  Splits behind Gaza medics strike The factional fighting in the Palestinian Territories may have died down, but a new political battleground has emerged - the hospitals of the Gaza Strip. Quick guide: Hezbollah Hezbollah - or Party of God - is a powerful political and military organisation of Shia Muslims allied to Syria. Optimism drives Bush peace push Matthew Price sees a change in George Bush’s approach as the US president completes a long Middle East tour. Embargo eased? Hamas-Israel truce brings little relief in Gaza ‘Hundreds join’ settler violence Hundreds of settlers are engaged in violence against Palestinians and soldiers, a senior Israeli commander says. Symbol of Peace Stands at Divide Between Troubled Jerusalem s East and West A monument to tolerance was erected recently, seeming to encapsulate both the promise and the fragility of peace in a city increasingly on edge. Olive harvest attacks anger Abbas Attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian olive harvesters are a “dangerous escalation”, the Palestinian leader says. Bomber Kills 11 in Attack on Iraqi Official A suicide car bomber drove into a government minister s convoy in the Baghdad morning rush hour, killing 11 people and wounding 22. Jerusalem The BBC’s Martin Asser looks at issues which divide Palestinians and Israelis. Sderot children feel relief Heather Sharp reports from Sderot, as children in the rocket-hit southern Israeli town return to school ten weeks into the Hamas-Israel truce. Reaching for a Higher Profile, Abu Dhabi Opens a Hub for Western Media CNN, The Financial Times and other media companies are setting up shop in the island city that is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Cleric in Iran issues fatwa against US-Iraqi pact (AP via Yahoo! News) An influential Iraqi cleric living in Iran on Wednesday issued a fatwa condemning a U.S.-Iraqi security pact that would keep American troops in Iraq for three more years and warned Iraqi leaders not to back the deal. Focus on the Gaza Strip Profile of the strip, including population centres, refugee camps and border crossings. Monday 29 Sept BBC’s Tim Franks updates his Jersualem diary Israelis kill Palestinian youth Israeli troops shoot dead a Palestinian in the West Bank who, they say, was going to attack settlers. Freeze of Iran Group s Funds Rejected The People s Mujahedeen, regarded as potentially the most important force in the Iranian resistance, will remains on a European terror list. Saudis Charge 991 With Terrorism Saudi authorities have indicted 991 people on charges of participating in terrorist attacks carried out over the past five years, the interior minister said. Pilgrimage to Roots of Faith and Strife At Joseph s Tomb, a site in a Palestinian city that is sacred to religious Jews, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is boiled down to its very essence.
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  Middle East News - Gulf forecast to escape worst of the turmoil

  http://globalnewsblog.com/blog/?p=6685
  42 days ago in Global News Blog Headlines · Authority: 24

  Gulf forecast to escape worst of the turmoil The International Monetary Fund expects growth in the Middle East to tail off slightly next year due to lower oil prices, but says the region should be largely resilient to the global crisis Gulf stocks follow global markets down Gulf equities have followed other world markets down - with the most precipitous falls in Dubai and Oman as large government interventions failed to break an emerging correlation with global stock markets Algeria hints at 2m b/d cut in Opec output The president of the producers cartel says that due to high levels of inventory in the oil market, Opec is likely to reduce production in order to ensure price stability Iraqi militias training in Iran, documents say (International Herald Tribune) Newly declassified intelligence documents offer the most comprehensive account to date to support American claims about Iranian efforts to build a proxy force in Iraq. World Briefing | Middle East: Dubai: Two Britons Sentenced to Prison for Their Public Display of Affection Two British citizens were found guilty of having sex in public and were sentenced to three months in prison to be followed by deportation. US combat troops could exit Iraq by 2012 The US and Iraq have reached agreement on a draft security accord that would pave the way for US combat troops to leave Iraq by the end of 2011, officials said Syria and Lebanon Set Up Formal Ties Syria formally established diplomatic relations with Lebanon on Tuesday, for the first time since both nations gained independence from France in the 1940s. Twenty years after the end of the Iran-Iraq war, tens of thousands of combatants still unaccounted for (Payvand Iran News) On 16 October the governments of Iran and Iraq, together with the International Committee of the Red Cross, signed a memorandum of understanding that represents an important step towards easing the heavy burden of tens of thousands of bereaved Iraqi and Iranian families. Hizbollah basks in its authority But is Lebanon’s militant opposition over-estimating its importance? The FT talks to Mohammed Fneish, a senior party official, and to Fouad Siniora, the Lebanese prime minister G.O.P. Donor Is Accused of Overcharging Pentagon A House committee is investigating whether a contracting firm run by Harry Sargeant III vastly overcharged for deliveries of fuel to American air bases. Saudi Arabia injects cash into banks Saudi Arabia, the biggest economy of the Gulf and the world’s largest supplier of oil, has deposited $2bn-$3bn in local banks to meet a shortfall of dollar funding in the domestic banking sector Reaching for a Higher Profile, Abu Dhabi Opens a Hub for Western Media CNN, The Financial Times and other media companies are setting up shop in the island city that is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Public Stage for Iran s Ex-President Fuels Talk of Political Return Mohammad Khatami, a political moderate, has hinted that he may run for president in elections next year. Iran: Meddling Less in Iraq, Afghanistan. But Why? (Newsweek) For reasons that remain unclear to the Bush administration and its allies, the level of violence attributable to Iranian-backed insurgents in both Iraq and Afghanistan is falling. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell says the trend dates back to an Iraqi-government assault last spring on militants in the Basra region of southern Iraq. After the crackdown, Iranian-supported insurgents (known to …
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  Winter Hibernation

  http://filmbrigade.com/uncategorized/213/
  48 days ago in Chicago Short Film Brigade · Art · Entertainment · Brevity · Authority: 3

  Winter Hibernation October 15, 2008 by Xan NEWS: We have carefully decided to put the show into hibernation until Spring. The October shows have been canceled, no Film Brigade shows at Hideout or Experimental Station til Spring. Huge thanks to everyone who has submitted a film! Filmmakers: Please note we’re still working to view many of the 370+ films submitted since July 1. WAB status of films will be updated monthly. Do you know about Film Brigade’s amazing board of directors? It’s been thrilling to work with such an incredible bunch of people actively involved in community and culture. After a wickedly exciting year in each of our respective careers, we’re each facing a rigorous and promising winter… The Native American groups Vanessa works with (including the National Indian Child Welfare Association) are gearing up for major fundraising and program development. Andrew has a gorgeous new album called Noble Beast coming out on January 27. Jason is in Abu Dhabi, working with media content facilities twofour54 to build out their production studios, media academy, and creative labs there. In addition to a new photo book he’s working on, Aaron is in high demand as editor with Steve James (Hoop Dreams), Bill Siegel (The Weather Underground), and Chicago’s David Wilcox & Arthur Jones. Earlier this year, the beautiful PBS and festival-bound documentary I’m Associate Producer of was completed and is off like a rocket. I’m working to promote the film until July. This little break from Film Brigade shows will allow me to kick off pre-production on a new documentary I will direct. See you in the Spring- Xan Aranda Founder & Executive Director
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  Abu Dhabi Launches International Media Center

  http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/blogs/thebrinktank/2008/10/abu...
  48 days ago in The Brink Tank · Authority: 14

  The city of Abu Dhabi--capital city of the United Arab Emirates--is opening a 200,000 square-meter campus called the Abu Dhabi Media Zone, built by the government to house foreign media companies, local officials announced Sunday. CNN, HarperCollins, Random House, the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Financial Times and the Thomson Reuters Foundation--the charity arm of financial news corporation Thomson Retuers--will join the Abu Dhabi Media Zone, according to the New York Times. CNN will move nearly 30 staff members to Abu Dhabi, and will begin broadcasting a prime-time news show from the city on CNN International. London, Hong Kong and Mexico City are the only three other international cities from which CNN has the capability to produce studio broadcasts. The strong sales growth of English-language books in the Middle East attracted HarperCollins and Random House to the area. Abu Dhabi, which recently hosted the Middle East International Film Festival, is also known for its interest in films and in film education. Flush with wealth from oil money, Abu Dhabi has plenty of money to invest in the arts. The Abu Dhabi Media Company recently announced a plan to spend $1 billion to start a film financing branch to invest in Hollywood-style, English-language movies. Last year, the company agreed to a $1 billion deal with Warner Brothers to make video games and movies. The creation of this campus puts Abu Dhabi one step closer to reaching its goal of becoming a cultural and media center for the Middle East. The Abu Dhabi Media Zone will offer training for the region's journalists and filmmakers as well as provide a base for Western companies to conduct business. The first ever U.A.E. Press Freedom Day was held in Abu Dhabi last month, with the goal of encouraging the government to be more open and to make information more accessible. Source: New York Times

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