Mobile Disruptions in the Middle East identifies trends in mobile media use in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and, more broadly, explores their impact on the nature of digital journalism. Mobility has long been an important aspect of life in the Middle East; therefore a study of this region presents a unique opportunity to examine the role of mobile media and its future directions. Basing its analysis on original research, including multiyear surveys and case studies, the book reveals patterns of audience engagement with mobile media in the Gulf area, with particular emphasis on online journalism. The research also illustrates how and to what extent media organizations are developing and delivering content uniquely designed for mobile media and consumption. Drawing on these findings, the authors look at possible developments in mobile media content strategies, including those for news content, as wearable and other emerging media forms enter the marketplace. Mobile Disruptions in the Middle East provides an important insight into a region that is both globally active and mobile-first, yet whose use of digital media is historically under-researched. As a result, the book helps to advance understanding of consumer preference for content types on mobile media, especially in relation to the transformation of journalism.

This book challenges the once-dominant social responsibility model and argues that a new, "individual-first" paradigm is what will allow journalism to survive in today's crowded media marketplace. By some measures, it would seem that print journalism is dying. Journalism recently suffered one of its worst circulation declines in years: a drop of more than ten percent in the a six month period ending September 30, 2009. The Rocky Mountain News in Denver, CO, closed its doors in 2009-after it dominated the AP awards in 2008, and was lauded for an investigative expose on unfair treatment of former nuclear workers. Even the New York Times and the Washington Post are experiencing financial trouble. But print advertising revenue still trumps online advertising revenue ten-fold. Is there hope yet for traditional journalism? This book reviews the complicated challenge facing journalism, tracing its 19th-century community-oriented origins and documenting the vast expansion of the news business via blogs and other Internet-enabled outlets, user-generated content, and news-like alternatives. The author argues that a radical shift in mindset-striving to meet each individual's demands for what he wants to know-will be necessary to save journalism. Presents a chronological review of the top-down influence model, the timeline of the evolution of the definition of news, and the historical development of social responsibility of the press Contains helpful illustrations of the proposed new models of journalism Bibliography of academic and professional materials related to the state of the news media Index of important institutions including nameplate news organizations, influential companies (e.g., Apple and Google), theoretical frameworks, media owners, and media startups

Mobile Disruptions in the Middle East identifies trends in mobile media use in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and, more broadly, explores their impact on the nature of digital journalism. Mobility has long been an important aspect of life in the Middle East; therefore a study of this region presents a unique opportunity to examine the role of mobile media and its future directions. Basing its analysis on original research, including multiyear surveys and case studies, the book reveals patterns of audience engagement with mobile media in the Gulf area, with particular emphasis on online journalism. The research also illustrates how and to what extent media organizations are developing and delivering content uniquely designed for mobile media and consumption. Drawing on these findings, the authors look at possible developments in mobile media content strategies, including those for news content, as wearable and other emerging media forms enter the marketplace. Mobile Disruptions in the Middle East provides an important insight into a region that is both globally active and mobile-first, yet whose use of digital media is historically under-researched. As a result, the book helps to advance understanding of consumer preference for content types on mobile media, especially in relation to the transformation of journalism.