Towards a supranational analysis of arab media: The role of cities

Abstract

During the past 20 years, Arab media industries underwent a period of tumultuous and unparalleled change. A cocktail of closely interwoven changes - ranging from the introduction of satellite receivers to web TV, the digitization of information to the development of multiplatform networks, dramatic increases in mainstream media outlets and the emergence of social media to the growth of large media conglomerates - are combining to change the regional media. In this chapter, I consider one rather unique aspect of Arab media as revealed in the emergence of designated economic free zones dedicated to the financing, development, production and distribution of media, commonly referred to as media cities. Instead of simply limiting the definition of media cities to this rather new definition, I use the term to reflect on the relationship between Arab media and place, since even before the emergence of these economic free zones, Arab media were developed in cities like Cairo, Beirut, London and Rome.