Radio broadcasters in the UAE are teaming up to launch an industry association, amid concerns that the medium is underrated by advertisers. "It's the most underrated media in the UAE," said Vikram Dhar, the head of Gulf News Broadcasting. "Our reach is so much bigger, and our spread is so much bigger than the credit we are given in research, and the share of advertising budgets we get."

Advertisers tune into new option with lower rates compared to other media. According to data from the Pan Arab Research Centre (Parc), ad spend on radio nearly doubled during the first three months of the year compared with the tally for the same period last year.