Today in Abu Dhabi, the 'Bridge 2025' summit kicks off, featuring seven main tracks focused on digital content, artificial intelligence, humanitarian media, film production, the creative economy, the future of journalism, and the industry of impact.
The summit collaborates with global partners, including 'Meta', aiming to foster innovation and develop new tools to serve the content industry.
The summit represents one of the initiatives of the 'Bridge' Alliance, the world's first independent organization dedicated to developing the media, content, and entertainment sectors, enhancing their diversity and impact on economies and societies.
The 'Bridge' Alliance, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, seeks to achieve a positive global impact as an independent, purpose-driven organization that works to build a more interconnected, flexible, and professionally values-oriented global framework for the media, content, and entertainment sectors, embodying the principles of cooperation and responsibility.
This comes as the UAE continues to modernize its media sector, enhancing its competitiveness and global appeal. This year saw the launch of a comprehensive system for regulating and empowering the sector, which included issuing a resolution regulating advertisements on social media for individuals ('Mallan'), and developing a new policy for licensing digital news platforms that sets clear professional and regulatory frameworks to boost the credibility of digital media work. The system also exempts several media services from fees to support Emirati producers, writers, and creators, and to encourage the development of content that reflects national identity and elevates the quality of the media message.
In parallel, the Council of Ministers approved a decision on media service fees and a decision on violations and administrative penalties, marking a significant step towards building a unified, flexible, transparent, and user-friendly media services system.
The country's media sector is experiencing escalating growth, with the UAE Media Council issuing 2,562 media licenses and permits in the first half of the current year, including 2,152 media licenses, 235 digital media licenses via social media, 103 filming permits, and 72 newspaper and magazine licenses, reflecting the accelerating pace of growth in the media business environment.
In the publishing sector, the UAE Media Council handled over 514,000 titles in the first half of the current year, alongside issuing 35,000 book distribution permits in the country's markets, while 32 violating titles were barred from entry, relating to topics that infringe on societal values or contradict existing legislation.
In the first half, the UAE Media Council issued 611 approvals for cinematic film screenings, with total ticket sales exceeding six million tickets and revenues surpassing 309 million dirhams. The Council also approved the circulation of 131 video games in the country.
In the realm of supporting national talent and specialized content, the UAE has launched training initiatives aimed at honing the skills of content creators, including the 'Impact Creators' initiative, which focused on humanitarian media, and programs to train specialized content creators in economics, law, health, and food security. The country's media academies have also launched new programs that enhance the presence of Emirati journalists on the global stage.
The UAE stands as one of the world's leading media centers, having successfully combined a flexible legislative environment, advanced technical infrastructure, and its impact on producing constructive content and empowering journalists, becoming an advanced model of modern, innovation-driven, and quality-focused media governance.
The 'Bridge 2025' summit will be held from December 8 to 10 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). It is organized by the 'Bridge' Alliance, an independent, non-profit global organization that aims to develop the media, content, and entertainment ecosystem by upholding credibility, fostering trust, and supporting responsible innovation.
The summit will host over 60,000 participants from 132 countries and feature 430 speakers within a comprehensive program that includes more than 300 sessions. The event brings together leaders of the creative, media, and entertainment industries, along with policymakers, innovators, and stakeholders from various sectors intersecting with media, including technology, finance, culture, and the creative economy.
• 7 main tracks covering digital content, artificial intelligence, humanitarian media, film production, the creative economy, the future of journalism, and the impact industry.
• 430 speakers within a comprehensive program featuring over 300 sessions.
