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In The Hot Seat – Paromita Dey

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Paromita Dey, Editor, Logistics News ME at BNC Publishing talks to TMN about her current role and what she thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

 Name: Paromita Dey

Age: 30

From: India

Current job title: Editor, Logistics News ME, BNC Publishing

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

2014

Where did you work prior?

I worked on Construction Week at ITP Media Group as a Reporter and before that, I worked with an independent real estate magazine, Gulf Property, for a year. Prior to arriving in Dubai, I worked in Oman with daily newspaper, Muscat Daily as a Senior Business Reporter and prior to that, in India with an online news portal as a Reporter.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

Although we say that ‘first impression is the last impression’, it has not been the case with my first impression of the media industry in the Middle East. Coming from a journalism background in India where media is considered to be the fifth pillar of the economy, I was definitely in for a shock since the Middle East was still way behind in terms of exposure and content production.

Has your opinion changed much?

Yes, I would say the opinion is changing at a slow pace. Slowly and steadily, the industry is opening up to a lot of global exposure, which is pretty much needed to survive in these times.

Tell us about your current role…

My current role as the Editor of the Logistics News ME entails me to write about the thriving logistics, supply chain, shipping and transportation industry in the Middle East. It also includes taking full control of the content production, design of the magazine and timely delivery of the product.

What challenges do you face?

The main challenge that I face in my job is the adherence to deadlines. Even if one person fails to stick to the mentioned deadline, we have to burn the midnight oil to put the issue to bed on time.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

With music…

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is the moment when I receive the first copy of my magazine on the first day of every month. It represents my dedication and the hard work that I had put through in getting a fabulous product out for my readers.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

At work, I prefer for people to contact me through my official email. Receiving a phone call might be a bit difficult sometimes due to work commitments.

How has digital media impacted the role of the readers in the magazine industry in the UAE?

Print and digital media fill in the gaps where the other lacks. Print has its own brand recognition and high level of engagement, whereas digital media is more suitable for video storytelling and wide exposure. Readers enjoy both depending on the available circumstances.

Is traditional media still relevant in the UAE today?

Traditional media, generally referred to as print, is still quite relevant in the UAE because it is tangible, creates a huge amount of engagement, establishes the brand and creates a feeling of legitimacy for the advertisers.

Has the region’s diverse audience posed as a limitation or advantage in producing editorial content?

It has been a mixed bag. Not knowing the local language posed limitations, but one should know the ways to work around it to produce quality editorial content. And I have had to learn to do that.

Describe yourself in five words…

Hardworking, focused, charming, punctual and friendly

What’s your most overused saying?

I will get back to you…. (Although I do make it a point to get back to each one).

What’s the most exciting thing that has happen to you in your career?

Everyday has been new and exciting with different experiences. I can’t single out any particular episode.

Five things you can’t live without?

My appointments diary, my Samsung S7 Edge, my iPod, my Guess wristwatch and L’Oreal Slim Eyeliner.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

If it wasn’t for my current role, I would be a software engineer and in addition to that, I would be a choreographer.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

It must be print because nothing still beats picking up a copy of a magazine or newspaper and reading it along with a hot cup of coffee.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE?

The media industry in the UAE is quite competitive. Three tips for a young and budding journalist in the country – be at the top of their game every time, build contacts and be original.

In The Hot Seat – Crystal Chesters

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Crystal Chesters, Group Editor for Hospitality titles at BNC Publishing tells TMN about her current role and what she thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Crystal Chesters

Age: 30

From: Scotland

Current job title: Group Editor for Hospitality titles at BNC Publishing

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

November 2013

Where did you work prior?

Prior to arriving in Dubai I worked for VisitScotland looking after stakeholder communications and producing its publications for the tourism industry. I later moved to Dubai, where I worked as Editor of Hotelier Middle East at ITP Publishing before joining BNC Publishing.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

It’s very fast-paced with small teams looking after large workloads.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not really, but now I’m used to it!

Tell us about your current role…

I oversee BNC Publishing’s hospitality portfolio, which comprises of the events, publications and digital activity of Catering News Middle East and Hotel News Middle East. I am also still the Editor of Catering News Middle East, a role I’ve been doing since January, 2016.

What challenges do you face?

I’d say the biggest challenge of my role is juggling a wide range of responsibilities – from social media to events and awards and of course the monthly magazines. In addition, dealing with a huge volume of emails with interview pitches, events, meeting requests and press releases is time consuming and can be stressful. However, this is part of my role and it’s important to be organised to stay on top of it all.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Getting to try out the latest restaurant openings and travelling to different countries on press trips.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

By email – phone calls can be intrusive, particularly during deadline week. Whatsapp is even more intrusive, unless I know the contact already and that relationship has already been established.

What do you think of publications in the region?

I’d say overall the quality is lower than in more established markets like the United States and Europe. If you look at the teams on international titles here they are far smaller than the teams you’d find in London or New York and with the current economic climate, resources continue to be stretched and this, of course, has an impact on quality. That said, the Middle East is a very young and developing market when it comes to publishing and there are some great titles doing well in the region.

How has print media managed to stay relevant in today’s digital community?

I think it’s currently still relevant, particularly when it comes to B2B magazines. That said, publishing companies are being forced to diversify and move quickly into the digital age to keep up. I think challenging times lie ahead but there will always be a need for quality journalism.

What do you think of media ethics in the region?

I think it’s challenging. You’ve got to be careful when talking about anything culturally sensitive and the defamation laws are very different to what we’re used to in the UK. Working for trade magazines, it’s not a huge issue, but for those journalists working on newspapers I imagine it can be challenging.

What role has digital media played when it comes to reader engagement in the magazine industry?

It’s really important, you’ve got to push content on social media as a lot of your web traffic will come from this. All of our magazines have digital editions and every feature gets published online and in our newsletters, which go out to a large database.

Describe yourself in five words…

Adventurous, kind, open-minded, tenacious and forgetful.

What’s the most exciting thing to happen to you in your career?

Going on a press trip to New York. It was my first time there and I went to see the new Element brand from Starwood.

What’s your most overused saying?

At the end of the day…

Five things you can’t live without?

At the moment, my daily flat white from Costa, The Salad Jar, Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge, Kerastase shampoo and Bojack Horseman.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I’d be a painter if someone would pay me to do that.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

Does Netflix count?

How do you see the media industry changing in the Middle East in the coming years?

I think it will get harder for the newspaper industry in particular and we could see more closures and redundancies across the region. I think both newspapers and magazines will continue to diversify into digital and video.

In The Hot Seat – Naomi Chadderton

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Team TMN catch up with Naomi Chadderton, Editorial Manager at Action Global Communications, who talks about transitioning from journalism to PR and what she thinks about the media industry in the Middle East… 

Name: Naomi Chadderton

Age: 30

From: United Kingdom

Current job title: Editorial Manager, Action Global Communications

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

I arrived in Dubai fresh out of university back in 2008, which seems like a lifetime ago now.

Where did you work prior?

I originally started my journalism career as an intern for Grazia Middle East, where I continued to work for three and a half years as Junior Fashion and Beauty Editor. I then moved over to The Dubai Mall Magazine before returning to the UK and working in London for a year. I was also Fashion and Beauty Editor for Ahlan! Magazine right before I joined Action.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I was a young pup when I first started working in magazines, so of course I was dazzled by the glitz and glamour of it. It didn’t take long for me to figure out how much hard work, dedication and long hours it takes to forge a successful career out of it though – not that I’m complaining!

Has your opinion changed much?

The industry has definitely changed with the times and the declining economic climate, and it’s obvious that everyone is feeling the pinch. The foundations stay the same, but it’s becoming a tougher industry to be in.

Tell us about your current role…

I’ve only been in my current role for three weeks so I’m still learning! But the backbone of my job is to create content across our consumer and lifestyle portfolio to get the client’s messages out to the media clearly and concisely. One day this may be writing press releases, but mostly I will be going back to my creative roots and compiling longer features which can then be pitched to time-poor journalists in need of a story. Other days I’ll be helping pitch to new clients, creating social media plans and brainstorming ideas for events – no day is the same.

What challenges do you face?

While it’s not so much a challenge, it’s been interesting making the transition from journalism to PR and seeing how the other side works and thinks. I just need to make sure I’m now always thinking from the other side’s point of view. This gives me an advantage though, as I know exactly how journalists and influencers work and think and what they are looking for from an PR agency.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

Go for a walk, have a Diet Coke break and try again. If not, sleep on it. Writer’s block definitely kicks in for me later in the day, so I try to prioritise any longer jobs earlier on.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

As a Journalist I would have said email every time, but in my new role I’m open to all forms of communication.

How has content marketing shaped the relationship between journalists and PR professionals in the UAE?

With smaller teams and more focus on money, journalists are definitely under a lot more pressure these days to simply bang out copy in much smaller time frames. I’ve experienced this first hand, so in my new role, I think having quality copy that can be pitched directly to journalists is extremely influential in strengthening the relationship.

Describe yourself in five words…

Creative, loyal, sociable, active and Northern!

What’s your most overused saying?

Y’alright?

Five things you can’t live without?

My iPhone, credit card, friends, family and food.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Anything that would allow me to travel the world for the rest of my life would be fine by me.

It’s not the boogieman, it’s self-censorship

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Michael Jabri-Pickett, former Head of Digital Operations at The National, talks to TMN about self-censorship in the media industry and how it can effectively be tackled in the UAE…

“Censorship may come in many forms, but what disappoints most people when the subject is discussed is that there is no grim-faced man walking around the newsroom with a red pen reading over reporters’ shoulders pointing nervously at computer screens or gesticulating at an editor’s page proof demanding a story be cut or killed. What happens is much more subtle. What happens is self-censorship.”

The first question I was invariably asked when anyone learnt I was a Journalist at a newspaper in the UAE was a simple one, “How do you deal with all the censorship?” my response was straightforward, “there is no censorship, or at least none we would think of as what traditional censorship – whatever that looks like – might entail.” Anyone who has read any UAE-based news website for more than a few weeks will laugh at my denial, but truth is – as Lord Byron wrote, “stranger than fiction.”

Censorship may come in many forms, but what disappoints most people when the subject is discussed is that there is no grim-faced man walking around the newsroom with a red pen reading over reporters’ shoulders pointing nervously at computer screens or gesticulating at an editor’s page proof demanding a story be cut or killed. What happens is much more subtle. What happens is self-censorship.

Decades ago, my journalism world was black and white, but I failed to understand the desperately needed nuanced approach essential to survive in a newsroom. Papers are closing, financial resources are evaporating and staff layoffs are constantly happening. If you are a journalist in 2017, finding a way to keep the job you love is an increasingly difficult challenge.

All of which means there are reasons why self-censorship exists. It is not that the boogieman is hiding in plain sight – it is the nervous, gentle soul holding out hope that the profession he has cared so much for will somehow improve. You may believe self-censorship is never right, but you must concede there are legitimate reasons why it exists. The editing process at a newspaper is without mystery, I think. Once a reporter has written his story, it will be edited and edited again and proofread and proofread again. There are several pairs of eyes that look critically at a story before it is published.

Imagine this, a veteran journalist with eight years reporting experience in Dubai puts together a story. He has ten points he wants to include in his article. The reporter knows before he writes a word that two of his points will never be allowed to remain, so he doesn’t even include them. Then the first editor to see the copy takes out another two, the next editor removes one, a proofreader drops one more point because he just isn’t sure and doesn’t want to ask anyone and the next pair of eyes in the chain nixes another one simply because he wants to do his job with a certain amount of zeal. A great story with ten points is published with three. Not a proud moment, but a regular occurrence.

Some might claim I have failed to point out that the reporter and the editors in this hypothetical scenario are simply using their knowledge gained from years of experience in the region. This unfortunately is the standard response intended to silence critics. I will acknowledge that on some occasions certain stories should not be published, but I came across too few colleagues who were willing to discuss the issues.

Newspaper journalists in the UAE know their industry is dying. Many senior newspaper journalists in the UAE know this is quite possibly their last chance to do a job they love in a country that is safe and prosperous. No one wants to leave, so the temptation is to protect what they see as the interests of the UAE. As a result, a newspaper journalist will remove from a story anything that he thinks might not help the country. He will act on his own.

It is human nature to protect your job and self-censorship may be self-preservation. What goes against the fibres in a journalist’s being, however, is the absence of a debate. Discussion leads to ideas and thoughts inspire change. This is how we avoid self-censorship, and I believe this is how we move forward.

In The Hot Seat – James Gaubert

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James Gaubert, CEO at Bruce Clay Middle East tells TMN about his current role and what he thinks about the marketing industry in the Middle East…

Name: James Gaubert

Age: 37 I think, I tend to lose count!

From: London, United Kingdom

Current job title: CEO, Bruce Clay Middle East.

When did you first arrive in Dubai? 2010

Where did you work prior?

Since living in Dubai I have primarily worked for digital agencies. I previously worked with LBi and most recently with MRM//McCANN. Now I’m heading up Bruce Clay Middle East.

What were your first impressions of the marketing industry in the Middle East?

To be honest, not great. When I first listened to radio advertisements, watched advertisements on television and saw some of the websites large companies have in place, I was shocked. It was like stepping back in time – thankfully that has changed.

Has your opinion changed much?

Yes, massively. The Middle East has turbo-charged its marketing efforts, particularly on a digital front. I think this is largely due to influence from overseas, particularly if I look at some of the talent we have here now, the adoption curve for things like mobile and social media in this part of the world is incredible. We as a region should truly embrace technology!

Tell us about your current role…

I currently head up a digital marketing agency, Bruce Clay, and I love it! We work with some amazing clients and employ a great bunch of people who genuinely care. I love the variety – within one week I can be helping out with automotive, retail, electronics, F&B, financial services, pharmaceutical and e-commerce clients – as well as managing and growing an agency – it’s definitely a full-time job!

What challenges do you face?

Finding good digital talent in this part of the world has always been a problem. Having said that, this is becoming easier. The other issues, I’m afraid to say are all driven from clients – payments coming in on time and cashflow is certainly one of the things that keeps me up at night.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Telephone – we don’t use that enough anymore – I always think you can achieve far more over a quick call than over the back and forth of email and messenger.

Has social media taken over the marketing industry in the UAE?

Yes, we actually started life as a pure play SEO agency. As it stands today, we have more social media clients than anything else. It’s raw, it’s real and it’s the number one way to communicate with your consumers. Brands are embracing it in this region and it’s really exciting.

How has content become a marketing strategy in the UAE?

I think content has always been at the core of any marketing strategy. What excites me is that the way consumers are digesting content has changed. Thanks to channels like Snapchat, Facebook Live and Instagram stories, content has to be live, it has to be now – we as consumers no longer want to find out about something after it has happened, we want to be there and experience it now!

Has the UAE target audience redefined digital marketing strategies and success compared to other countries?

I’m not sure it’s got anything to do with the specific target audience here, it’s just a sign of the times – things are changing, not only in the UAE.

How would you describe yourself at work?

Awesome!

What inspires you?

Creativity, pushing the boundaries, being different and making people say wow!

Five things you can’t live without?

My mobile phone, my dog, dark chocolate, exercise, back catalogue of the TV series, Friends.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Backpacking around the world, without a care in the world.

If you could have one work wish granted, what would it be?

To have clients who don’t ask for a discount and who pay on time – the rest is a piece of cake!

What’s your most used social media platform?

This is a hard one! First thing in the morning, I look at Facebook for anything business or work related, then I’m all over LinkedIn and when I’m taking photos of my lunch, it’s Instagram!

In The Hot Seat – Conor Dormer

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Conor Dormer, Editor-in-Chief at ExpatBloke.com tells TMN about his current role and what he thinks about the media industry in the Middle East…

Name: Conor Dormer

Age: 31

From: Mountmellick, Ireland

Current job title: Editor-in-Chief, ExpatBloke.com

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

In September, 2015.

Where did you work prior?

I worked as a Prison Officer for eight years after studying Journalism and working in print media until 2008.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I found it hard to break into an industry that is reliant on contacts. I was lucky.

Has your opinion changed much?

Not really, it’s a tough industry to be in, just look at what’s happening at 7days.

Tell us about your current role…

As Editor-in-Chief for ExpatBloke.com I’m in charge of content for the website. We cover everything a bloke would find interesting including sport, music and TV. We also do events so we are usually very busy. Our White Collar Fight Night last October was a huge success and we plan on running another bigger and better Fight Night this March along with an oil and gas event in February. Busy times!

What challenges do you face?

We are essentially a startup, even though we have been running for over a year, we have a small team and we need to make money to keep ourselves afloat. We really are the underdogs here in Dubai and I love that. We have a great team with Mike Barker, Kellie Hanley and Caroline Kelly all over performing consistently and Richard Upshall is a constant motivator behind the scenes. We have set ourselves targets of where we want to be and we will hit them. No problem!

What do you think about the sports media in the UAE?

It’s fine. There is scope for change and fresh ideas in how to reach a new audience. In the New Year ExpatBloke.com will be launching some new features and events to breath fresh life into this media.

How do you brainstorm for content?

Usually with the ExpatBloke team over coffee or having conversations with myself when I can’t sleep!

What ways are you using to get your target audience more engaged?

We are re-launching the site in 2017 and we have some new features planned that will increase our visibility in the expatriate community.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing the noticeable progress we make week to week.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

Email me.

What do you think about media ethics in the UAE?

The rules are there, you have to respect them.  If you don’t you have no one to blame but yourself.

How is social media changing the media industry in the UAE?

It’s helping and people are interacting more, not sure if that’s a good thing or not but it’s happening so we have to embrace it.

Has the increasing presence of expatriates in the UAE played any role in its media industry?

Obviously in a city as expat-orientated as Dubai, the news is more orientated to the west especially sport.

What do you think about the future of the media industry in the UAE?

It’s going digital obviously. The recent spate of newspaper and magazine closures here highlights that and it’s a shame because I’m one of these people that loves having a newspaper in his hands.

How would you describe yourself at work?

Happy go lucky as long as I’m not hungry!

Describe yourself in five words…

Friendly, trusting, grumpy (or so I’ve been told) reliable and motivated.

What’s your most overused saying?

I couldn’t possibly repeat it here.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Probably living in Ireland in the countryside aspiring to be getting paid to write for a living. I never doubt for a second that I made the right decision in moving to Dubai and I think it has changed my life forever.

What’s your favourite media platform?

Twitter, but I’m starting to see the light and understand how big Instagram is here.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE?

Move out here, just take the plunge and you’ll more than likely have to work for free for a while so budget for that!

In The Hot Seat – Tom Paye

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Tom Paye, Editor at compareit4me.com, tells TMN about how he started his career in media and what he thinks about the industry in the Middle East…

Name: Tom Paye

Age: 28

From: United Kingdom

Current job title: Editor, compareit4me.com

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

About 21 years ago, when I was just a kid.

Where did you work prior?

I’ve only ever worked in Dubai since coming back from university in the UK. Before joining compareit4me.com, I was a freelance journalist and before that, I’d worked at some of the region’s major publishing houses, including ITP and CPI Media Group.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

 I think the first thing I noticed about publishing here was just how well small teams can put together high quality titles. My first job here was as an intern and soon after a Staff writer, at a small editorial agency and that company is still going pretty strong, at the time, I was fresh out of university with no real-life experience and I had these grand ideas about working in a big newsroom full of journalists getting big scoops on the latest stories.

But when I turned up, we were just four writers and a designer in a small office! That sort of brought me back down to earth and I came to realise it’s possible to put together pretty good magazines with just a few solid team members. It was a bit of disillusionment, but the heads of the company really put a lot of effort into training me to not only write great stories but also to project manage multiple magazines. It was nothing like I expected but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Has your opinion changed much?

Well, I continue to see great magazines produced by tiny teams, so not really. That being said, I’ve worked on weeklies and dailies since then and so I’ve been part of more traditional newsrooms too. I guess now I’m pretty much in awe of the breadth of print media in this region – there’s something to fill every niche and these titles are produced by teams ranging from just a few people in size to full-on publishing houses.

Tell us about your current role…

As Editor at compareit4me.com, it’s my job to pretty much handle all the written material that the company puts out. That includes creating relevant and high-quality press releases, guiding the executives on their written feature responses and looking after Your Money, the blog section of the website dedicated to personal finance. I also handle the company’s Twitter account, but that’s mostly because I’m on Twitter all day anyway.

What challenges do you face?

I think the biggest challenge is continuously coming up with relevant PR content that editors (and their readers) will find useful. Luckily, we enjoy really good relationships with the media here and our editor friends are always happy to provide us with a few pointers on the type of content they need from us.

I really subscribe to the view that, if you’re going to send something out to the press, it had better be worth reading. That means providing timely, relevant content that’s actually newsworthy not some small bit of company news that no one outside our office cares about. Keeping up that standard all the time is quite difficult. It can be so easy to just put out some inane announcement just to get something out there. I’m trying not to do that. And if any of my journalist friends are reading this and I don’t live up to the above, feel free to send me a snarky email!

How do you overcome writer’s block?

For me, the quickest remedy is to simply step away from my desk for 15 minutes, grab a coffee, have a look on Twitter and just mentally disconnect from the story. Nine times out of ten, I’ll come back to my desk with a fresh idea and that will help me get going again.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Where to start! I love the range of stories that I cover – from car reviews to in-depth analysis on the finance industry. I also love the office atmosphere – people are always playing pranks on one another, skateboarding around the office, playing ping pong or just coming up with ridiculous games.

I think the most important thing from a long term job satisfaction point of view, is that the service is genuinely useful for people in the Middle East. We’re actually saving people money on their financial products – honestly, I’m not just saying that because I work here. I had someone come up to me at GITEX this year and she told me about how our mortgage comparison portal had helped her find a home loan and that she wouldn’t have found such a good mortgage without the service. It’s immense when you hear people explain that the company you work for has helped them achieve big life goals.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

No preferences, really – shoot me an email or give me a call.

What do you think of the media ethics in the UAE?

I don’t think that media ethics are very different here to anywhere else in the world. The majority of journalists and publishing houses I’ve come into contact with here are simply looking to get to the heart of a story and to then relay something informative and entertaining to their readers. Of course, you hear stories of bloggers or whoever trying to exchange coverage for freebies, but they stick out like a sore thumb on both sides of the media industry.

On the other side of it, I think we’ve all been in situations where a certain brand may be trying to buy good coverage with their advertising dollars. And to be honest, who wouldn’t be tempted to just allow it, given the struggles in the print industry? But again, I think that, these days, this is pretty uncommon – even publishers that might have indulged in this practice before now want to bring the reader’s trust back. And so they’re doing things like selling native advertising where the content is marked as sponsored. In my experience, journalists and publishers have been working hard to reconcile the coverage-advertising struggle and we’re starting to see a reasonably ethical balance come out of that.

What do you think of publishing houses in the UAE?

I think they do an incredibly tough job with dwindling resources, but that they are really important for the local economy. No big international title is going to cover the UAE in the detail that residents and business people here want, so it’s down to the local publishing houses to offer proper reporting, comments and analysis on what’s happening here.

Unfortunately, as we all know, ad spend on print titles is on the decline, so that has put the traditional publishing business model in jeopardy. There have been a couple of high-profile closures this year and that’s never good to see. That being said, there are publishing houses looking for new revenue streams and new business models, and from what I can see, this is starting to pick up some of the slack. Hopefully we’ll see more out of the box thinking that allows publishing houses to continue distributing high-quality regional content.

If you can change something about the media in the UAE what would it be?

Adding to the above, I think smarter media selling is needed to ensure the survival of the local media industry. Brands want to go through local media to reach targeted, local audiences, but the traditional advertising format simply doesn’t provide enough of a return on investment. The thing is, media companies here have these fantastic assets in the titles they carry and these can be incredibly valuable to advertisers. Advertisers and media companies just need to work out, between them, how to maximise that value without compromising the integrity of the media.

How would you describe yourself at work?

I’m pretty chilled, I guess. I turn up, get my work done and try to be part of the team. I like to think I’m pretty helpful – if anyone needs something doing, I like to put myself forward if I can help.

Describe yourself in five words…

Charming, good looking, super-smart, rich and none of the above.

What’s your most overused saying?

 Awesome.

Five things you can’t live without?

My iPhone, my MacBook, my Fiat 500, my dogs and my wife (to whom I’d say these are in no particular order!).

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I’d probably still be a struggling freelancer, working from home, taking the dogs for long walks and occasionally getting work done in between PlayStation breaks. I wonder why I struggled?

What’s your favourite form of media?

I love, love, love magazines. My wife is a magazine designer, so between us, we have hundreds of titles stacked up around the house. We actually did a clear out a few months ago and still ended up keeping boxes of magazines. If we’re out and about, and we see a magazine, we’ll pick it up and analyse it – its design, the quality of its paper, the copy and the brands advertising in it. There’s something so nice about a properly done magazine.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in the media industry in the UAE?

 I’d say be prepared to work really, really hard. When many of us started out six or seven years ago, the whole media revenue decline thing wasn’t being felt that much. Sure, we’ve all worked really hard to get to where we are, but now things are even tougher and organisations are a lot leaner, meaning everyone has to work that much more. If you’re not put off by that, then, for god’s sake, enjoy it. If you love creating things, there are few more rewarding jobs to be found anywhere in the world.

In The Hot Seat – Loubo Siois

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Team TMN sits down with Loubo Siois, TV Host and Executive Producer of The Dubai Talk Show, who talks about his new TV show and his view of the media industry in the region…

Name: Loubo Siois

Age: 26

From: Greece

Current Job Title: TV Host and Executive Producer of The Dubai Talk Show on Fox Channel

 When did you first arrive in Dubai?

In 2011, I was inspired after watching a movie about Dubai.

Where did you work prior?

My career has evolved around brands such as The Walt Disney Company, Nestle and Nike from the Marketing side, but nowadays I’m aiming for a TV salary of Jimmy Fallon’s level.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

My first encounter with the media industry was during the Abu Dhabi Film Festival in 2011. I was fascinated by the variety and diversity of the people involved in the media and film industry here and around the region.

Tell us about your new late night talk show…

The Dubai Talk Show is an English-speaking late night talk show, showcasing celebrity interviews, topical monologue jokes and comedy sketches. In summary, giving a reason for celebrities like Nicki Minaj to look at my face for one hour and not feel awkward about it.

What challenges do you face?

Multitasking. Just think that The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon has 200 permanent employees, I won’t say how many we have.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The influence, instead of having a coffee at Costa with hundreds of different people to pass on a message. I just have two to three interviews with well-known celebrities and pass on the message much faster.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in media in the UAE?

Be prepared to knock on every door in Media City, Internet City, Business Bay etc. to promote yourself.

What do you think of the quality of TV shows in the region?

Very many people have ideas and try to pursue them but only a few succeed in the long run like Arab’s Got Talent and Arab Idol, I wonder why.

How do you find PRs in the region?

I find them to be decent people.

What’s your pet PR peeve?

Example of a recent communication with PR agency, regarding product placement in our TV Show
Loubo: Can we do paid produce placement?

Client: Sorry, no money but we can offer a barter deal (suits)

Loubo: OK, give me suits

Client: Sorry, no budget

Loubo: Budget? as in money or suits?

Client: Both

What advice can you offer PRs seeking coverage on your show?

I am a very business-minded TV Host. Just get in touch through our website, Facebook, Instagram and we can create a win-win situation.

What’s your most overused saying?

At the end of the end, it doesn’t matter.

Five things you can’t live without?

Internet, beef steaks, hair gel, cotton socks and greek yogurt

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Either working for a corporate brand or a small agency.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

Radio when driving, newspaper in the toilet and TV at night.

What’s your favourite TV show?

House of Cards, Narcos, Suits

What’s your most used social media platform?

Instagram

In The Hot Seat – Matthew Moore

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Matthew Moore, Group Marketing Manager at GN Media, tells TMN about the media industry and how it tends to make an impact in the Middle East…

Name: Matthew Moore 

Age: 37

From: UK  

Current Job Title: Group Marketing Manager, Gulf News

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

At the end of January 2016, straight from the UK.

Where did you work prior?

Before coming to Dubai, I was Head of Marketing at Johnston Press, one of the UK’s leading media organisations and before that I was at DMGT, working mainly on The Daily Mail.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?

I have been really impressed, it is diverse and evolving at a really fast pace so it’s an exciting time to be involved.

Has your opinion changed much?

A little, there are certainly differences compared to the UK. Some trends are less prominent whilst others are more advanced than I had imagined. I’ve been really surprised at how relevant mobile adoption and usage is here. As a marketer that’s a great platform for engaging, rich content.

Tell us about your current role…

I drive the marketing strategy for Gulf News Media (Al Nisr Publishing LLC), we publish the Gulf News and a wide range of magazines. It’s marketing’s job to grow our audiences across all of our brands, to increase customer engagement and from a revenue perspective, monetise our audiences as well.

What challenges do you face?

There has never been more choice for audiences in terms of where they get their news, and any other content that’s interesting and relevant to them. So the main challenge is ensuring our brands, their content and our marketing – cuts through – and is attractive, engaging as well as relevant to our audiences, so they continue to choose our brands. On the flip side for b2b, it’s about using insights and data we have to connect brands with our audiences through clever, creative solutions.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Seeing a campaign come to life and consumers engaging with it. We now have a wealth of data and analytics, so we can see in real-time how a campaign or content piece is working. It’s also great for the team that works so hard to see their efforts pay off.

How would you rather be contacted at work?

I suppose email is the most convenient, and we all use it but I’d prefer to have a conversation!

Describe yourself in five words…

Competitive, committed, driven, friendly and happy

What’s your most overused saying?

Trust me, it will be fine?!

Five things you can’t live without?

My family, friends, sports (I will watch anything! Rodeo from Texas was on TV last night and I was hooked) good coffee and I hate to say it but I guess my phone.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

I’ve always quite liked the idea of being a chef, a professional golfer or a tennis player also appeals.

What is your favourite form of media (i.e; TV, radio, print)?

Wow – difficult. I really enjoy them all for different reasons. Great radio is really absorbing and engaging; and I’m a fan of rolling TV news, whilst digital, mobile and social media continue to grow rapidly – so I’ll say print. There is still something really nice about holding a physical newspaper or magazine, I think there is a nostalgic element to print which people relate to.

In The Hot Seat – Anna Sadeghpour

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We chat with Anna Sadeghpour, Founder of newly-launched community blog, Anahata Dubai, who talks about the most rewarding part of blogging and offers some advice to those looking to launch their own blog…

Name:  Anna Sadeghpour

Age: 30

From: Australia

Current Job Title: Founder of Anahata Dubai and freelance Writer/Marketer

When did you first arrive in Dubai?
I moved to Dubai in June 2013, from Sydney, Australia.

Where did you work prior?
In Australia, I worked in marketing communications exclusively for humanitarian organisations ranging from government entities set up to represent the rights of adolescents, to projects supporting education for marginalised children, to human rights work through Amnesty International Australia. Since relocating to the UAE, I’ve worked in the digital marketing team at DMCC and as a freelance Marketing Consultant.

What were your first impressions of the media industry in the Middle East?
My first impressions were that digital media was quite behind compared to international markets. That things move and change really fast, and that relationships in this region are paramount.

Has your opinion changed much?
Middle Eastern culture is very warm and hospitable, so the relationship-centred approach to business is still dominant. It’s something I’ve grown to really enjoy and appreciate. In terms of changes, I’ve seen an increase in innovative digital campaigns coming out of this region, which is promising.

Is blogging your full-time job or a part-time passion?
It’s a part-time passion. When I’m not working on Anahata Dubai, I’m doing a mixed bag of writing, blogging and marketing work for a variety of clients.

Tell us about Anahata Dubai…
Anahata Dubai (www.anahata.me) is a community service blog for Dubai, which connects residents with all of the social and environmental initiatives taking place in the emirate. The blog covers a range of themes – from offering every day advice on how to make a difference, to promoting social impact events and campaigns taking place in the city, to featuring some of our local changemakers. It aims to inspire every individual in Dubai to give back to the community.

What’s the most rewarding part of blogging?
The most rewarding part of Anahata Dubai is being able to combine my skills and passion into an enterprise that helps others. I also can’t complain about working on my own time and being able to pursue my own stories!

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a blog/career in the media industry?
If you’re passionate, committed and have something that’s truly useful or relatable to offer others, just do it. Start the blog and start living the life you want today. When you overcome your fears and truly give in to something bigger than yourself, you will be blown away by what the universe gives back to you.

Do you accept press material from PRs?
Yes of course, but I’ll only write about products and initiatives that are ethical and that I believe in.

How would you rather be contacted at work?
Email is the easiest and best way to contact me.

Describe yourself in five words…
Passionate, independent, friendly, detailed, spiritual.

Five things you can’t live without?
My family, kitty, phone, yoga pass and hair straightener.

If you weren’t in media, what would you be doing?
I have to say, I’m now doing exactly what I want to be doing. However, in an alternate universe, I’d love to travel the world watching wildlife with Sir David Attenborough. His nature documentaries absolutely blow my mind!

How do you see online journalism/blogging changing in the UAE in the coming years?
I see a surge of new homegrown bloggers and a move towards vlogging.

What would be the next step for you (would you look to launching a publication, collaborating with any brands/media etc.)?
I’ve just started my journey with Anahata Dubai, so my immediate priority is building a community of changemakers that can make a real social impact. Beyond that, I’m very open to collaborations that can help to further this mission.