The convergence of media, telecom and information technology pushes the hitherto disconnected players in the three sectors towards operating in an increasingly merged segment. This convergence carries threats to existing revenue and business models, but also bears new opportunities for new models.
Building on its intimate knowledge of the Arab World’s media, telecom and IT markets, the Arab Advisors Group is organizing the “Media and Telecommunications Convergence Conference 2004: Convergence Threats and opportunities”. The conference will create a forum for discussions and debates on the convergence trends underway in the Arab media and telecom markets.
Advances in telecommunications and Information technology have resulted in the compression of time and space. This rendering of time zones and distances as virtually irrelevant has had a major impact on traditional industries. TV viewers are no longer limited to one or two terrestrial channels but have an abundance of stations, free and otherwise, to choose from. Moreover, the Personal Computer (PC) connected to a broadband Internet connection has become an interactive TV and radio station. Listeners can now listen to radio stations, in FM stereo quality, broadcasting thousands of kilometers away.
Online content is also migrating “eye balls” time to the personal computer away from TV and print media. The revenue impact of the telecom and Internet era does not just lie in the growth of online ads but also in the adoption, by media companies, of telecom-based revenue streams: Using SMS, voice calls and the Internet many media companies are generating massive revenues for themselves as well as the telecom operators through programs that make use of the telecom and Internet infrastructure.
Indeed, as a recent research report from the Arab Advisors Group has shown, Future TV’s Arabic Superstar program grossed over four million dollars in voting revenues alone. The telecom-based revenues for TV stations are becoming a major source of revenue equal in importance to traditional ad sales.
“We aim at contributing to a “convergence renaissance”, if you will, in the Arab World,” said Arab Advisors Group’s founder and president, Jawad Abbassi. “Over 20 visionary executives from 20 regional and global companies and organizations will be presenting at the conference. Moreover, the conference attendees will have access to primary research-based analysis and reports on both the telecoms and media industries in order to have well informed debates and discussions. All the prerequisites for a very successful conference are already covered”.
The conference has sponsorship opportunities and an exhibition floor for companies interested in showcasing their solutions and products. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
