A recent report titled “A Look at Arab Media – A Future Perspective,” published by the Dubai Press Club, highlights that the podcasting sector is experiencing gradual growth within the Arab media landscape, particularly in the digital realm. This expansion is largely driven by an increase in digital platforms and changes in listeners’ habits, despite facing several challenges across the broader Arab context.
These challenges hinder the growth opportunities for a sector that is still finding its way toward success and making strides to secure a significant position within the overall media landscape of the region. The “Dubai Podfest,” the largest gathering of podcast creators in the Arab world, will take place on September 30th.
Coinciding with “International Podcast Day,” discussions will focus on the factors contributing to the sector’s growth and the necessary elements to strengthen its presence in the Arab media scene, reflecting its ability to captivate a substantial audience.
This is especially true for young listeners, who constitute the majority of the audience for this new media format, first referred to as “podcasting” in a 2004 article by The Guardian. The term “podcast” merges “iPod,” a digital device, with “broadcast.”
The report notes that the popularity of podcasts is rising as platforms and creators explore innovative forms of audio media. Despite its recent emergence in the Middle East and North Africa, some global companies are localizing their podcast offerings, while Arabic-speaking creators expand their activities to include talk shows, scripted series, and educational content.
The report also points out that podcasting stands out due to its low production costs and strong interaction potential, while new channels offer revenue opportunities through sponsorships and brand-related content.
This is crucial for markets in the Middle East and North Africa, where podcast creators are seeking to achieve higher revenues, even as traditional audio media continues to dominate the landscape. Major broadcasting companies are increasingly merging traditional broadcasting with digital platforms to enhance their reach to audiences reliant on mobile phones and smart devices.
Innovation and Content Creation Center
In her remarks, Mona Ghanem Al Merri, Vice President and Executive Director of the Dubai Media Council and Head of the Dubai Press Club, emphasized Dubai’s prominent position as a hub for innovation and content creation, integral to efforts aimed at advancing Arab media across various sectors.
In a rapidly growing digital environment, Dubai is well-positioned to play a pivotal role in supporting the growth and prosperity of podcasts in the Arab world, serving as a launching pad for creators in this field, akin to other media sectors that have thrived in Dubai’s conducive environment.
The city boasts a robust digital infrastructure, a result of deliberate investments that focus on acquiring the best and most efficient systems worldwide, backed by visionary leadership that recognizes the value of media and its impact on society. This leadership is committed to empowering its institutions and workforce with all necessary resources to fulfill their roles in shaping the future.
While discussing opportunities for further growth in podcasting within the Arab region, she mentioned Dubai’s role as a central player in media development, stating: “At the Dubai Press Club, we strive to provide podcast creators with all the necessary resources for achieving excellence.
Our qualitative initiatives support their chances for success, and we are dedicated to establishing Dubai’s position as a leading media center that contributes substantially to enhancing the capabilities of Arab media. We are proud to have the club’s initiatives as part of this ongoing effort, with various quality projects aimed at fostering the evolution of both traditional and new media sectors within the UAE and across the Arab world.”
The Dubai Press Club plays an active role in developing and presenting programs and initiatives focused on knowledge transfer and experience exchange, collaborating with leading media institutions and experts from around the world. The “Arab Podcast Program” is one facet of these efforts.
Mariam Mulla, Director of the Dubai Press Club, noted that the program recently concluded its second cycle, featuring promising young talents in the audio content creation field. It aligns with the rapidly evolving digital media industry, providing youth with an innovative platform for expression, creativity, and globally competitive audio content production.
The goal is to prepare a generation of podcast creators equipped with the tools to present community-relevant topics in a modern and impactful style, empowering them with the necessary resources to enhance their presence both locally and regionally, thus contributing to the flourishing of this sector across the Arab world.
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt represent the most promising markets for podcast growth, given their high consumption rates. However, the report indicates that the podcasting industry is still in its early stages in the Arab world, facing challenges such as internet connectivity issues, payment systems, and limited local content, which constrain the significant opportunities within this sector.
As “Dubai Podfest” brings together distinguished podcast creators and platforms, the Dubai Press Club’s role in facilitating access to professional knowledge and outstanding experiences is solidified. This feature significantly supports the advancement of the podcasting industry in the Arab world. In this context, Mahfoudha Abdullah, Director of Dubai Podfest and Media Talent Development Lead at the Dubai Press Club, stated:
“In line with Dubai’s vision for the future of media, we are keen to position the Dubai Press Club as a knowledge and strategic center dedicated to preparing a new generation of talents capable of leading future media transformations..
We are focused on empowering talents across various fields of new media, particularly podcasting, by providing the club with training and networking platforms that stimulate innovation and support the creation of distinguished and impactful content. Our ultimate aim is to contribute to building a competitive Arabic media landscape that delivers ideas that positively impact societies.”
Market statistics from various specialized companies and institutions indicate that the global podcasting sector is consistently growing in both audience numbers and revenue, driven by the evolution of audio advertising and the integration of video and audio.
The increase in the number of platforms and their proliferation supports this growth. According to global statistics from Statista, there were over 3.5 million podcasts worldwide by April 2025, offering more than 175 million digital episodes.
While statistics regarding the size of the podcast advertising market vary, they consistently indicate billions of dollars, with significant growth rates expected over the next five years, reflecting substantial opportunities in this domain.
“Dubai Podfest 2025” will host prominent podcast content creators in serious discussions aimed at establishing clear visions and realistic scenarios for advancing the podcasting sector in the Arab world, identifying practical steps to enable content creators in the region to seize the promising opportunities this field offers, grounded in the substantial numbers and global achievements.
Mona Al Merri
Dubai’s leadership in media and digital platforms qualifies it to take a central role in supporting podcast growth in the Arab world.
Mariam Mulla
We aim to prepare podcast creators capable of engaging with societal topics through a modern and impactful narrative.
Mahfoudha Abdullah
We focus on providing training and networking platforms that foster innovation in high-quality content creation.