The first issue of the Arabic edition of the well known monthly magazine Entrepreneur is going to be published first of June for the –MENA region.

The original English language Entrepreneur magazine celebrated its 31st anniversary in May 2008.

The magazine’s focus on the entrepreneurial market has made it the leading resource for starting and growing businesses.

Thanks to agreements with the different agencies, this resource reaches nations across the world.

The new magazine is published under license from Entrepreneur Media Inc. by Sawahel Al-Jazeera ltd. a publishing and advertising agency based in Riyadh, KSA, and will be distributed in all Arabic language countries in the ME and North Africa.

This was announced by Johara Aletaishan, Chairperson of the new magazine, before the inauguration of the “Franchise Conference and Exhibition which will take place in Riyadh during the period from 1: 3 June.

Johara Aletaishan said “The aim of our new magazine is to promote the entrepreneurship culture among youth in the MENA region.

We want it to be an interactive magazine which links not only the editors to the readers but also reader to reader in the region to promote business activities.

The New Magazine “Entrepreneur –MENA” will cover all the topics which may be of interest to the entrepreneurs.”

Neil Perlman, President of Entrepreneur Media Inc. – said : “Entrepreneurial leaders drive economic success for themselves and their respective communities, and we’re pleased the first issue of Entrepreneur – MENA will carry this message to the region’s Arabic language countries. It’s invaluable for us to have the magazine’s message translated by Sawahel Al-Jazeera Ltd. to support young leaders in their entrepreneurial pursuits.”

To coincide with this year's Dubai International Boat Show, the world's first-ever Arabic super yacht publication, targeted at the Gulf's current and aspiring yacht ownership, will be launched in Dubai with an unrivalled mix of the latest international and regional news stories in the world of luxury yachting.

The launch of Boat International Gulf comes at a time when the GCC becomes widely recognized as one of the world's most robust emerging markets for the boating industry. According to a recent survey conducted by Boat International UK on the World's 100 largest yachts, it was found that approximately one third of these were owned by Arab nationals with the world's top five located in Dubai, Oman, Saudi, and Egypt. The yachts, ranging in size from 140-160 meters, include such luxury features as helicopter pad, swimming pool, gymnasium with squash court, fully equipped hospital, and mosque .

'There are a number of very strong indicators for the recent expansion in the Gulf's yachting sector, including the billions of dollars being invested to provide berthing space on reclamation projects in the region, the increased move towards a five-day week, and the growing export of yachts from the United States and Europe into this market,' commented Thair Soukar, Editor, Boat International Gulf.

'Boat International Gulf will cater specifically to this increasingly popular sector, targeting the most discerning, affluent buyers in the multi-billion dollar industry of luxury yachting,' added Soukar.

At present, GCC countries are the largest markets for yacht ownership, with Kuwait reporting one boat for every 50 residents. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are particular hot spots for yacht ownership due to the high levels of disposable income, compared to countries with offshore marina projects such as Kuwait, Saudi, Qatar, and Bahrain.

'We are very excited to be expanding into this region and already we have had an overwhelming response from the market. We are confident that this will be one of our strongest publications and will be a great asset for our portfolio,' said Tony Harris CEO Boat International.

Boat International Gulf is a bi-monthly Arabic language magazine covering a wide range of topics including exotic cruising grounds, major yachting events, authoritative and influential editorial and superb design. Along with a comprehensive features list, Boat International Gulf will also include local and international news, super yacht profiles, special features, regattas and boat events, and a dynamic lifestyle section.

With six issues a year, Boat International Gulf, will be distributed throughout all the major cities within the Gulf, through airport VIP lounges and airlines, marine clubs, the most exclusive restaurants, seaside 5-star hotels, as well as all newsstands across the GCC.

Mediaedge:cia (MEC), a leading global communications planning and implementation agency, has introduced a specialist TV division that will be dedicated to handle all TV media planning and implementation in order to promote consumer brands more effectively.

The new TV Division is the first of its kind in the region, and will provide specialised strategies, tactics and processes in order to further improve its TV planning and buying product, and to enhance the quality of solutions offered to their clients. The new department will handle TV planning operations for all current MEC clients in the region, and will specialise in advertising buying and optimisation, TV research (including both 'soft' programming and 'hard' quantitative analysis), as well as post-buying analysis and corrections.

'There are over 300 TV channels currently available in the region, and as more and more TV channels enter the market, it becomes very difficult to retain expert knowledge of all the different media sources available in the market,' commented Yves-Michel Gabay, International Business and Development Director for Mediaedge:cia Middle East.

'Our TV media strategists will work closely with our media buyers, utilising their specialized expertise to advise which media are more relevant and effective. They will also help re-negotiate better efficiencies with media owners in the future,' he said.

TV Director, Bhaskar Khaund, will head up the new TV Division, and will be responsible for all the TV operations in the new department, as well as the various TV strategists and planners within the team.

'The current TV landscape is evolving very fast. My priority is for MEC to be at the leading edge of this TV evolution. This includes a greater emphasis on plans grounded in both research and creativity, on buying accountability and on becoming dynamic and knowledgeable TV experts for our clients. We will aim at improving each stage of a process, starting with a clear understanding of the communication brief. This process also involves accurate target prioritization, optimised media selections and a move towards buying scientifically benchmarked GRP goals rather than merely airtime,' said Khaund.

'We believe that FMCG clients will especially find this new service very beneficial, as they utilise TV media quite extensively. Our expertise will also greatly help traditional non-TV advertisers, as more of these clients turn towards TV to build stronger brands. The new division provides all our clients with a new centre of expertise, and it is a very valuable tool to optimise each dollar spent, to remain competitive in the market.'

'Interestingly, we believe that through our acquired expertise in this field, we will also be ideally placed to advise media clients and help them navigate successfully through the complex landscape,' added Gabay.

The new TV Division team of experts will also support the regional offices in the MENA region in terms of sharing their knowledge and expertise.

BBC Arabic Television - the BBC's news and information channel in the Arabic language - launches on Tuesday, March 11 at 10.00hrs GMT, it was announced today.

Initially broadcast for 12 hours a day, the television channel is part of the BBC's integrated multi-media news service for the Arab world. It will move to 24/7 in the summer and is the BBC's first publicly funded international television service.

BBC Arabic is already available on air and on demand 24 hours a day, seven days a week on radio, on the internet through bbcarabic.com, on mobiles and on handheld computers - in whatever way best suits the audience.

BBC Arabic television will be freely available to everyone with a satellite or cable connection in the region, whether they are in North Africa, the Middle East or the Gulf. BBC Arabic television is distributed on the Arabsat, Eutelsat and Nilesat satellite systems.

The TV channel's schedule includes news headlines every 15 minutes and a full news summary every 30 minutes.

BBC Arabic will draw on the BBC's extensive newsgathering operation, harnessing the BBC's resources of over 250 correspondents reporting from 72 bureaux around the world - the biggest newsgathering team in the world. Additional on-the-spot reporting and regional expertise comes from a vast network of local reporters and correspondents throughout the Arab world and beyond.

The channel also features news and current affairs programmes such as the twice-daily Newshour which highlights news, analysis, key interviews and debate on the top events making the news in the region and around the world that day.

It also features the pioneering live multi-media interactive debating forum Nuqtat Hewar; already popular on radio and online - three days a week.
A showcase of the best BBC documentaries, and specially produced in-depth reports from the Arab world - will reinforce the TV schedule.

Its presenters will include Rania Al Alattar; Fida Bassil; Tony El-Khoury; Dalia Mohamed; Osman Ayfarah; Hasan Muawad; Lina Musharbash; and Dina Waqqaf.

BBC World Service Director Nigel Chapman says: 'BBC Arabic is renowned for broadcasting impartial and accurate news and information which is strong on analysis and expertise. This enhanced multimedia service meets the needs of an audience with a very strong appetite for news and debate. We will be contemporary in style; and independent and incisive in our journalism.'

BBC Arabic Multi-media
The TV channel launch will be accompanied by a major re-launch of bbcarabic.com to include embedded video and a new media player. The radio schedule has been extensively refreshed to reflect the new multi-media approach.

Currently over 13 million people listen to BBC Arabic every day while its website bbcarabic.com receives over 21 million page impressions and has over one million unique users each month

Trust
Nigel Chapman says: 'We are encouraged that independent research consistently shows an appetite for a BBC Arabic television channel. The main reason people give is quite simple - it is because they believe the BBC will provide an independent news service they could trust.'

Independent research over recent years consistently shows that existing Arab audiences to the BBC regard it as the most trusted, impartial and objective international radio news provider in the Arab world, with an established reputation for quality. BBC Arabic's award-winning 24/7 online news and information service also enjoys high levels of trust in its content.

A broader agenda
Head of BBC Arabic, Hosam El Sokkari says: 'BBC Arabic is already renowned for reporting more than just conflict and politics. BBC Arabic aims to continue to broaden the news agenda for audiences in the region. It will reflect the breadth of the Arab audience's interests.'

'The BBC is the largest newsgathering organisation in the world,' he says. 'Only it can make the unique offer to Arab audiences: it can be their ears and eyes. Not just in the countries where people live; but throughout the region and around the rest of the world.

'The BBC is uniquely experienced in bringing the key stories of the region and the world to Arab audiences. Because BBC World Service has a genuinely international perspective, it is also best placed to take the views, key issues and real lives of our Arab audiences to a wider global audience. No one else has our multi-media strength; on television, on radio, on line and on any multi-media device people want their news delivered.

'We will offer comprehensive multi-media news reporting and analysis to audiences and, in turn, involve Arab audiences in an authentic dialogue on the issues that reflect their lives,' he says.

Following the immense success of the launch of Middle East Commodities, the most comprehensive commodities magazine in the region, Medes Publishing, a UK-based publishing house, has embarked on an extensive expansion program which will see the brand cover the globe in the next 2 years.

Medes Publishing will be launching European Commodities and Far East Commodities, based out of London and Singapore respectively, within the next few months to complement Middle East Commodities.

'We feel that there is a great need for such a niche publication on a global scale, and the proof of that has been the tremendous response we've received from those in the commodities industry, and not just from the Middle East but across the globe,' said Dusan Durdevic, Associate Director of Medes Publishing .

Middle East Commodities, working in conjunction with Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, has served to bridge the media and information gap that exists between all parties participating in all aspects of the commodities industries.

'The demand for a comprehensive commodities publication had proven to be extremely high with our circulation doubling from 5000 copies to 10000 from our first issue to our second. With the European and Far East versions, regional players will gain global exposure and insight into other regional markets,' explained Durdevic.

Thus far, Middle East Commodities has been the Official Media Partner at the 4th Dubai Sugar Conference and is also the Official Media Partner at the 5th Middle East Trade and Export Finance Conference to be held February 26-27 in Dubai.

Middle East Commodities is a monthly publication divided into eleven sections covering Agriculture, Energy, Metals, Precious Metals and Gems, Banking and Finance, Futures and Options, Logistics, Market Analysis, Environment and Law.

SAE Institute Dubai, unrivaled creative media education provider in the fields of Audio Engineering, Digital Animation, Multimedia, Filmmaking and Electronic Music Production, announced the introduction of 3 new short courses, Animation, Digital Video Production and Digital DJ, scheduled to commence in March 2008.

Mr. Marco Bettelli, Managing Director SAE Asia Pacific and Middle East commented, 'SAE Institute does not limit its students to only those wishing to study full-time. We offer short courses which are designed for those who are already in the industry but would like to sharpen their skills.

In addition we offer short courses designed to initiate students to the basics of our four educational streams. Our 3 new courses in Animation, Digital Video Production and Digital DJ offer intense programs in only a short period of time.

We understand that many of our potential students simply don't have the time to study full-time, nor do they need the formality of a diploma or degree, hence through our short courses we are able to offer our expert training and accommodate their specific needs.'

The Animation Short Course is due to start on 1st March and will run for 8 weeks on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This informative short course is a perfect opportunity for entry level, as well as for the individual already employed as a media professional who would be interested in expanding their skills base with 3D applications. Maya, the most comprehensive software package for producing 2D and 3D graphics, is at the core of our course. Its innovative, customizable user interface and artist-friendly tools make Maya the default standard in this highly specialized field.

This course is designed to prepare students with a superior understanding of Maya's capabilities and functionality. They learn workflow of Maya, modeling, texturing lighting, rendering. This course is also designed to create a greater understanding for character modeling, rigging and animation.

The Digital Video Production Short Course is due to start on the 24th March and will run for 8 weeks with classes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 9 pm.

The enlightening course is open for entry level as well as those already working in the Creative Media industry who would be interested in the fundamentals of film production. The course will provide a full overview of Digital Video Production to include: camera operations, scripting, storyboarding, and editing to a fully functional DVD.

Following the tremendous success of last year's Digital DJ Course, SAE Institute has reinvigorated the previously 4 week course to 6-weeks, starting on 2nd March with classes on Sunday and Tuesday from 6 to 9 pm.

If it is your dream to become a DJ, the Digital DJ Course from SAE Institute Dubai can get you on track. The part-time programme teaches the skills and techniques required for DJing using the music the student loves with the latest gear. Students will learn the art of DJing using a laptop, with software like Torq, Traktor Scratch and Ableton Live.

SAE Institute offers certificate, diploma, degree and post graduate courses, both part-time and full-time, which give students the flexibility of enrolling for a course at their convenience, and the option of converting a hobby into a career. A global network helps in international placements, while a rock-solid reputation built over 30 years ensures that having a certified degree from SAE is the ultimate calling card for a foray into the world of film, sound, animation and multimedia.

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) announces a new online course for Arabic-speaking journalists: 'How to Create a News Web Site.'

Veteran journalist Daoud Kuttab will lead the six-week program, which will gather together Arab journalists from across the region in a virtual classroom.

The course, conducted in Arabic, begins April 1. It is designed to provide practical, hands-on lessons on a variety of topics related to news Web site development, strategy and management. Journalists must apply by March 3.

'The Internet has become vital in disseminating news in the Middle East,' said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. 'This course, the first of many to come, was created after journalists in the region expressed interest in training in the best practices of digital journalism.'

The instructor, Kuttab, is widely recognized as a leader in online news reporting in the Arab world. He helped establish the Arabic Media Internet Network in 1995 and founded AmmanNet radio, the region's first Internet radio site, in 2000. He is a regular columnist for The Jordan Times, The Jerusalem Post and Lebanon's Daily Star and his writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other leading publications. He has also co-produced a number of award-winning documentaries and children's television programs.

'This is an opportunity for enterprising Arab journalists to learn the tools to create and publish quality, original information from and for their communities without any external filters or pressures,' said Kuttab, who is presently Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University.

The course is sponsored by the National Endowment for Democracy. In the coming year, ICFJ will add courses on key important in Arabic as well as in Persian.

mediaME.com, the world's first user generated content portal for advertising and media professionals, serving the Middle East region, has launched a Gallery of TV Commercials (http://mediame.com/ad_gallery/TVC) that enables creative and production staff to upload and share their work online. It will be updated daily and feature the latest commercials from across Arab markets.

This is the latest addition to an already wide range of services and content available at mediaME.com, with an emphasis on interactivity and user-generated content that has elevated the site, since its establishment around a year ago, into the premier online community for marketing communications professionals.

mediaME.com provides daily industry news (headline news, opinions of users, bloggers, exclusive interviews and PR), a jobs channel (the only one in the region that aggregates marcom jobs from all online job sites), a media rates section providing downloadable rate cards, a creative gallery already full of work from across the region, an events section on upcoming media and advertising events, a company directory that spans all countries of the region and more features. And it's all free to access and share!

Commenting on the launch of its latest service, Founder & CEO Zeid Nasser said "A Gallery of TV Commercials is a natural step forward, as we already have the most comprehensive online gallery of print/outdoor/BTL work in the region. We are completing the set of traditional media resources, with more ideas in the pipeline in coming months!"

‘After being online for more than a year, we have reached thousands of industry professionals across the region and received feedback that helps us meet their needs. Currently, we have nearly 1,000 active registered users, and we send out our weekly newsletter to a database of 2,500 professionals’ said Samer Marzouq, Portal Manager at

mediaME.com.mediaME.com was launched in December 2006, by MediaScope Ltd, a company  with operations across the region that serves marketing communications sectors with specialized directories and events.

Dart Media recently announced that it will soon be launching virtual sales assistant (VSA) service, which is a new tool introduced in the market to assist customers in either purchasing various merchandise or for demonstrating these products on the internet and other marketing outlets.

V Producers, a subsidiary of Viola Communications, today signed a contract with the leading Egyptian production house, Final Cut, to establish V Final Cut.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

V Final Cut will act as Viola Communication's full service production house and will offer the region a full range of production services including film production, TV and radio programs and commercials, music composition, advertising, feature films and TV documentaries.

'The United Arab Emirates is going through massive development plans across all sectors and has become a centre for hosting various cultural and entertainment events,' said Mr. Khalifa Khouri, Chairman Viola Communications.

'Through V Final Cut we seek to contribute to the development of the UAE cinema industry.'

Viola Communications is the first agency to establish a joint venture with Final Cut. Final Cut has served some of the most reputable international organizations including Pepsi Cola International, Shell Oils, Procter & Gamble, Ahram Beverages Company, General Motors, Kellog's and Gillette.

'We are pleased to collaborate with V Producers, who have demonstrated their keen interest and ability to advance production services in Dubai.' said Amr Arafa, Film Director and Managing Partner Final Cut. 'Viola Communications is rapidly positioning itself as one of the leading local agencies in the United Arab Emirates and their reach allows Final Cut to serve a more diverse local and regional clientele base.'

'V Producers will encourage UAE national film makers by providing them with an opportunity to highlight their work.' said Hossam Basel, General Manager, Sharaf, CEO, Viola Communications. 'We will promote local talent to work inline with the country's mission of elevating the cinema and entertainment industry to match international standards.'

'Final Cut has extensive experience with leading international clients and the creation of V Final Cut will allow us to provide our clients with the high quality production services that the market needs.' said Hossam Bassel, General Manager, V Final Cut.

Viola Communications has recently commenced operations in Dubai with its first new branch located in the Loft Buildings in Dubai Media City. The Dubai office marks the first step of the long term expansion plan that Viola Communications is implementing.