Nisreen Sadek, Head of News at Al Aan TV

Dubai-based pan-Arab broadcaster Al Aan and research company YouGov Siraj have announced today the launch of a major joint project aimed at understanding and reflecting the socio-economic outlook of the Arab consumers. As part of the deal, weekly and monthly polls will be conducted across the Arab region utilizing YouGov Siraj's 225,000 strong panel. The polls will cover Al Aan's key markets of KSA and UAE as well as countries like Egypt and Iraq where the channel sees strong growth potential.

Kristina Koubar, Al Aan's Head of Corporate Communications, said "We would like to complement our TV ratings' quantitative picture with the flexibility and in-depth of custom designed polls. We have a unique, female-focused infotainment brand. On-air and online, we feel we are at the cutting edge of Arabic content growth and therefore we need more research than ever before."

The agreement between Al Aan and YouGov Siraj also includes regular reporting of polls by Al Aan News, noted Nisreen Sadek, the Head of News at Al Aan TV: "The Arab viewer is diverse and dynamic. We want to capture important trends that define the audience and report them regularly in our news programs. We want to be known as the news service that gives a huge emphasis to polls."

Sundip Chahal, Chief Executive Officer at YouGov Siraj said "We are pleased to be collaborating with Al Aan TV and to give their viewers the opportunity to be the first in the region to know exactly what people are thinking and saying about the national and regional issues and topics that matter to them." He added: "Al Aan TV has come a long way in a short space of time and their reason for being resonates extremely well with YouGov Siraj's goals and philosophies. By registering on our panel, people across the region will be able to take part in Al Aan/YouGov Siraj surveys & ensure their voice is heard."

The first series of polls will take the pulse of the Arab viewers and consumers on such hot-button issues as the fragile political situation in Lebanon, Egypt's future political direction and Arab-Iranian relations. Al Aan intends to broadcast the first poll results later this month.