Social media is dramatically changing the way viewers are watching and talking about their favorite programs. According to a poll by Horowitz Associates,19% of viewers begin watching a show after reading about it on a social network or blog. The poll also revealed that viewers head online to get additional information about shows and content, as 23% of those polled said they had visited a website or used an app that provided more content about a show. Meanwhile, 39% of the respondents had used the internet to search for more information about something they saw on television.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. Chief Executive Jon Feltheimer has said that movie studios will likely buy fewer TV ads in the future, and look more to online promotion. During the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, Feltheimer said that "companies that are conglomerates, with large broadcast networks or a bouquet of cable channels are going to have to adapt. And it will be disruptive." 

Major General Khamis Matar Al Mazeina, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police, has said that the police will not monitor social networking websites, as this would be a violation of personal freedom. According to Al Mazeina, the UAE respects personal liberties and privacy, and no social networking accounts will be monitored unless there is a specific complaint. “We respect personal liberty and only step in when there is a complaint or a crime calling for our intervention, but we are not a control authority," said Al Mazeina. 

According to a new study by TVGuide.com, social media activity for TV shows is primarily used by viewers to keep preferred shows on the air. 76% of people said that the primary reason for their social media activity is to "keep my favorites on the air." This data is up from 66% in 2011. The study, which was conducted in partnership with Social TV Summit, reviewed posts, status updates, check-ins and comments on social networks, fansites, official network sites, and entertainment sites. 

According to Muhammad Badawi, small businesses in Saudi Arabia have already invested 9bn Saudi Riyals in social media. Badawi, an author and social media expert, announced the statistic at a workshop at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on Monday. At the workshop, it was revealed that 90% of the Saudi Arabian population have an account on a social networking site, with each user averaging 195 friends each. 

According to the results of an online survey by Ketchum Global Research & Analytics and IPSOS, UAE residents trust traditional media outlets like newspapers more than social media. When asked which media outlet they trusted most, 48% picked print. Only 16% chose Facebook and only 8% chose Twitter. The study conculded that although social media may be growing in the Middle East, users are more likely to trust information that comes from print media. 

A new study has revealed that social media can significantly increase consumers’ TV time. According to a new study by iModerate Research Technologies, 58% of heavy engagers (consumers who share related thoughts via social networks at least 10 times a week ) report watching more live TV. “The respondents in this study consistently remarked that it makes TV more fun,” said Adam Rossow, vice president of marketing at iModerate. Rossow added that there is also “the desire to keep up with the conversation”.