In a joint press conference between Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai and MBC Group, a memorandum of agreement was signed to announce a strategic cooperation between both parties.

Following the welcoming note delivered by Ali Jaber, Dean of Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai, Mr. Jaber stressed the importance of this strategic alliance with MBC Group, to help bridge the gap between higher education and the labor market.

He elaborated, "We are in dire need to provide our students the chance to experience firsthand what the job market has to offer, as the theoretical part of their education is far different from the practical work environment experienced on ground."

He further asserted, "Our agreement with MBC Group will allow our students great exposure to the best practices in the industry. Our students in return will be a source of fresh ideas for the Group, as it is important for such a giant Pan Arab media conglomerate in the region to stay in touch with the pulse of the young generation."

From his part, Ali Al Hedeithy, MBC Group General Director, emphasized the importance of this cooperation in contributing to building economies of knowledge in our region through investing in our most valuable resource, and that is Arab human capital, and through cross-linking and engaging of the curricula with the labor markets requirements, especially in the media sector which is considered as one of the main pillars of the content industry and a key engine of the economic cycle.

Al Hedeithy further added, "This cooperation proves once again the trust MBC Group ties to Arab talented and educated youth, and the organizations' belief in their various potentials that require continuous nurturing, refinement and care accentuated by the basic elements covered within this cooperation with Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai."

Al Hedeithy concluded with the strong emphasis on both the respect and appreciation of MBC Group towards the United Arab Emirates, and the great insight of the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and reaffirm the Group's loyalty to this majestic city of Dubai and it's remarkable people in making it the centre of civilization, economic achievements and a haven for international and Arab media alike as the best incubator for such.

The main terms of this agreement are summarized by granting students from Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai full access to studios and other media production facilities at MBC Group; in doing so, allowing the students to gain hands-on experience in Media & Journalism; MBC Group to promote Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai initiatives and activities across its multi platforms; MBC Group to provide scholarships to a number of outstanding students from Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai, as a contribution in determining their professional disciplines and guide them in their graduate studies; thus help them to engage in the labor market following graduation. And finally, MBC Group to organize and engage the students of Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication at the American University in Dubai in workshops and lectures within the fields of Media and Journalism, moderated by MBC Group's distinguished media figures.

Maysoon Abulhoul, Managing Director - Domus Group

This year's Media and Marketing Show 2009 (MMS), features an impressive list of media companies and UAE governmental bodies including The Road and Transportation Authority (RTA).

Now in its fifth year, MMS will focus on broadcast media and will feature CNN and Al Arabiya News Channel, two giants of the international broadcast news segment. The event will also present first time participant Samanyolu TV, one of the highest rated TV channels in Turkey.

O3 Productions, a subsidiary of the MBC group, will bring to the event its expertise in video production and content creation for broadcast media and make.

Other prominent exhibitors from the broadcast industry include Al Aan TV, Orient TV, Al Aquaria TV, Decision Makers, Fujairah Media, and Busy Bee Studios

"The Media and Marketing Show has been growing in strength each year and has evolved into the flagship event of its type for our exhibitors. Despite the economic downturn, media companies have recognised the importance of participation in the show to showcase their products and services to potential customers. We foresee a 10% growth on exhibitors numbers from last year," said Maysoon Abulhoul, Managing Director, Domus Group.

This bears testament to the show's reputation as the one and only specialised event for the media and marketing industry and the resilience of the industry itself.

MMS 2009 will also include conferences and seminars that will run in parallel throughout the three-day event. These include:

• The Al Arabiya conference on 4 November, entitled 'The future of media and telecommunications,' a platform for senior level executives to discuss the future of the media and telecommunications industry, and the rapid growth and development of today's communication channels.
• One of the region's leading media research agencies Ipsos MENA, will provide guidance on how companies can gain valuable consumer insight and save on marketing costs through more effective advertising spreads and better use of various media channels.
• A series of internal conferences organised by the Domus Group will be held over the three days of the show, featuring key speakers from the show's exhibitors: AY Marketing & AEC Partners, and UK media company IMS.

Aside from broadcast, representatives from Maktoob.com Ayna Corporation, RAK Media City will also be exhibiting at the three day show.

The Media and Marketing Show, which will be held at the Zabeel Hall, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre on Tuesday 3 to Friday 5 November from 10.00 - 19.00 daily, is a major must-attend networking platform for anyone in the broadcast media business. MMS is an annual industry event that boosts the fast growing media and marketing sector and provides a forum for communication professionals from across the region.

The Domus Group, organizers of the Media and Marketing Show 2009 (MMS) announced that the event's Strategic Partners Al Arabiya News Channel will be organizing a conference titled "The future of media and telecommunications." The conference will run from November 3rd - 5th, at the Media and Marketing Show.

The conference will be attended by professionals from major telecommunication and media houses from across the entire region. The conference will provide the ideal platform for senior level executives to discuss the future of the media and telecommunications industry, and the rapid growth and development of today's communication channels.

The conference will feature sessions by senior level executives from the region's leading media companies, and focus on the future of media and telecommunications and discuss the various technological innovations that are affecting the consumption and production of media. Additionally industry leaders will talk about how best the media and telecommunication industry can adapt and use emerging technologies over the next decade to improve services and expand the scope of traditional media company offerings.

Mr. Nasser Al Sarami, Head of Media, Al Arabiya News Channel commented:
"This conference is one of the most significant events this year and it brings together distinguished figures from the telecommunications field and members of the MBC group, the leading satellite channel for the past 20 years. The discussions at this conference regarding the future of these industries will be of great importance and in turn create a great impact on the industry."

Al Sarami said that he was pleased with this strategic partnership that plays such a central role for the communications industry in the region. He added: "The Media and Marketing Show facilitates an excellent opportunity to meet with leaders in the communication, marketing and media arena as well as with some of the industry's most prominent figures and well-known individuals."

Ms. Maysoon A. Abulhoul, Managing Director of the Domus Group stated, "This is a very exciting time for the media and marketing industry. We are so pleased to be hosting the 5th annual MMS Show this year and Al Arabiya is a key part of this conference, not only as a highly esteemed sponsor, but also as an innovative and insightful participant."

The Media and Marketing Show is an annual industry event that provides a boost to the fast growing media and marketing sector and provides a forum for communication professionals from across the region. The Media and Marketing Show 2009 will take place from November 3rd to 5th at the Zabeel Hall, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

MBC Group, regional media conglomerate recently signed a long term free television output deal with Paramount Pictures Corporation, the global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.

As part of the deal with Paramount, MBC will have exclusive rights in the region to broadcast some of the studio's stand-out theatrical hits including this year's, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which has recorded over US$ 829 million in worldwide box office and continues to climb; and Star Trek, which has reached over US$ 385 million in worldwide box office.  In addition, the deal includes rights to Paramount's recent worldwide hit, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which is also still in theatrical release throughout the world and has already achieved over US$ 269 million in worldwide box office.

"We're delighted to tie up this deal with Paramount to show some of the biggest box office hits of the year for the first time on free TV", said Tim Riordan, MBC Group TV Director. "This is wonderful news for viewers of our movie channels, MBC2 and MBC MAX, and is further proof of our commitment to movies in the region", Riordan elaborated.

Speaking on behalf of Paramount, Hal Richardson, President of Worldwide Television Distribution, expressed enthusiasm for the new free television deal, stating, "We are very pleased to have concluded this arrangement with one of the leading free to air entertainment broadcasters in the Middle East and look forward to expanding the successful working relationship we have developed with our friends at MBC."

Other block-buster titles included in this exclusive free television deal are Marvel's Other block-buster titles included in this exclusive free television deal are Marvel's Iron Man and DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.

MBC Group, the leading Arabic channel, PCCW Global Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong's premier telecommunications provider, PCCW Limited, and TE Data have rolled out a robust and scalable MPLS network, enabling MBC to transform its business by streamlining its communication channels over an IP based network.

Replacing an expensive legacy of multiple connections, the MPLS solution ensures quality service and delivery by using a single resilient network to carry content to many locations at favorable cost and superior quality. By using multicasting features, broadcasters can utilize the MPLS provider's backbone to stream to multiple locations while conserving bandwidth.

The solution provided will also ensure a secure and seamless connectivity infrastructure in a dynamic and complex business environment, providing reliable links for the various business groups within MBC from production material contribution to high definition video conferencing.

MBC will use the network to provide secure and reliable connectivity between MBC's Dubai head office and its global branch offices for the transfer of data and video. In conjunction with PCCW Global, TE Data will provide the highest quality of service to enable MBC to sustain the important competitive edge required in today's broadcast industry.

The alliance between MBC, TE Data, and PCCW Global will provide a considerable amount of synergy and advancement towards a cost effective and reliable mode of communication based completely on an IP network infrastructure.

Tamer Gadalla, TE Data's Managing Director, said: "We are so proud to be working with PCCW Global to develop and upgrade MBC's network, the pioneering Arab channel. It is a significant step towards the success of TE Data in meeting corporate customers' expectations. We sincerely hope that the project succeeds and achieves its goals in the near future."

PCCW Global Chief Executive Officer Marc Halbfinger said: "MBC is an exciting addition to our media clientele in the Middle East. Our network professionals have worked intensively with TE Data and MBC across the network development cycle - including planning, design, installation, and ongoing monitoring and management of the new MPLS network."

He added: "We understand the demanding service level and high-class performance required by broadcast-quality TV. Service levels have been tailored specifically to the applications and traffic, and include aggressive thresholds for availability, packet loss, latency, and jitter."

Amjad Edris, MBC Group Director of IT/Engineering, said: "MBC considers the collaboration with PCCW Global and TE Data as a long term strategic alliance and we acknowledge the level of dedication and support that PCCW Global and TE Data have provided towards the setup of a complex set of requirements geared towards maintaining MBC's reputation as the leading Arabic channel."