The total spend on TV advertising in the Middle East amounts to US$6.5 billion a year. This sounds impressive - but when you factor in production and broadcast costs, and the fact that this spend is shared by a staggering 450 stations, the business of TV starts to look less rosy.
Elsewhere, it's a different story. In the US, for example, a staggering US$229 is spent on TV advertising per person each year. In the UK, TV advertisers spend an annual US$113 per capita, compared with US$71 in Germany and US$62 in France, according to figures cited by A.T. Kearney.
But in the Arab world, just US$7 per capita is spent on TV advertising each year - leaving some of the smaller stations struggling for revenue.
So, what is the industry doing about it? This is the topic of the first 'National Industry Insights' event, a new series of debates organised by The National, which will address industry issues in the context of the wider Middle Eastern business landscape.
The discussion 'Addressing the Future of TV Revenues in the UAE' will debate how hundreds of TV stations are vying for their slice of the ad pie, and how smarter, more targeted TV campaigns are luring advertisers.
The conversation will address the different models of revenue - including paid subscriptions and ad-driven 'free to air' TV - and alternative forms of advertising such as product placement and branded content.
Confirmed panellists include Marc-Antoine d'Halluin, head of Orbit Showtime Network, Mazen Hayek, official spokesman for MBC Group, and Karim Sarkis, executive director of broadcast at the Abu Dhabi Media Company, which publishes The National.
Andrew Piller, the commercial director of FMX, the new media division of FremantleMedia, will also be on the panel. FremantleMedia is the co-producer of the some of the world's most successful TV shows, including Pop Idol, The X Factor and the 'Got Talent' series.
Other panellists include Shadi Kandil, the managing director for OMD in the UAE, and Wael Hattar, branded entertainment consultant for Core Branded Entertainment MENA.
If you are interested in attending the event, which takes place in Abu Dhabi on Monday 5th July, email industryinsights@thenational.ae.
Or submit a question to any of the panellists using the comment form below. Selected questions will be posed to the panel, with the responses published here at Mixed Media on Monday.
