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Global consulting firm Strategy& has published a report on the potential of MENA’s youth and how they have shifted the local media industry. Written by Jayant Bhargava, a partner with Strategy& and a member of the firm’s global communications, media and technology team, and Noura al Kaabi, chief executive officer of twofour54, the report looks at how young Arabs are driving the shifts in the region’s media landscape.

According to the report, relatively high mobile phone penetration rates and demand for local Arabic content has fueled much of the growth in regional media, and created a more favorable climate for investors.

Moreover, these changes have forced international media players to reevaluate their presence in the region, and have afforded local media players the opportunity to reset their business models and invest in high-quality local content. The report insists on the need to understand how these changes are currently affecting the market, especially in three fields: gaming, audiovisual content, and e-commerce.