Strategic Overview
The UAE Media Strategy provides the policy framework for developing the federation’s media sector as both an economic contributor and a tool of national and international communication. The strategy addresses the full media value chain — from content production and broadcast infrastructure to digital media platforms, journalism training, and regulatory modernisation. It is coordinated through the federal Government Media Office and implemented through emirate-level media authorities and free zones.
The UAE’s media landscape is anchored by two major clusters: Dubai Media City (DMC) and Abu Dhabi’s twofour54. These free zones host hundreds of regional and international media companies, broadcasters, production houses, and digital agencies. The media strategy builds on this established infrastructure to position the UAE as the dominant media production hub in the Middle East and North Africa, competing with emerging centres in Riyadh and Cairo.
Digital Transformation and Content Economy
The strategy places significant emphasis on digital media and the content economy. The rapid shift from traditional broadcast and print toward digital platforms, streaming services, and social media has reshaped the global media landscape, and the UAE aims to be a net producer rather than merely a consumer of digital content. Provisions include investment in digital production facilities, support for UAE-based content creators, and regulatory frameworks for streaming platforms and digital advertising.
The establishment of the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, the Dubai Film and TV Commission, and various incentive programmes for film and television production have attracted international productions to the UAE. Studio infrastructure, tax incentives, and location diversity position the UAE as a viable alternative to established production centres. The strategy targets growth in Arabic-language content production — a market with substantial unmet demand across the 400-million-strong Arabic-speaking world.
Regulatory Modernisation
Media regulation in the UAE has historically been characterised by government oversight of content and licensing. The media strategy includes provisions for modernising the regulatory framework to accommodate the realities of digital media — where content flows across borders and traditional licensing models are increasingly difficult to enforce. Updates to media licensing requirements, advertising standards, and content classification systems aim to balance openness to international media companies with domestic regulatory priorities.
The strategy also addresses the phenomenon of misinformation and digital media literacy. Programmes to develop critical media consumption skills — particularly among younger demographics — are integrated alongside regulatory measures targeting the spread of false information through digital platforms. These provisions reflect the broader global challenge of maintaining informed public discourse in an era of algorithmically driven content distribution.
Economic Contribution and Soft Power
The media sector’s contribution to UAE GDP, while modest relative to oil, real estate, and financial services, is growing and strategically significant. Beyond direct economic output, the media sector serves as a vehicle for soft power projection — shaping how the UAE is perceived internationally and across the Arab world. State-backed media outlets, international broadcasting, and cultural programming extend the UAE’s narrative reach far beyond its borders.
The strategy intersects with the UAE’s broader creative industries agenda, including design, gaming, music, and performing arts. Dubai Design District (d3), Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi all contribute to a creative economy ecosystem that the media strategy aims to amplify. The challenge is ensuring that media sector growth generates genuine commercial value and creative quality rather than remaining dependent on government patronage and subsidised free zone models.
Alignment with National Programmes
The media strategy connects to multiple national programmes. It supports the UAE’s soft power targets under We the UAE 2031. It feeds into the digital economy objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. It intersects with the National Reading Strategy through publishing and content development. And it aligns with Emiratisation targets through workforce development programmes designed to increase Emirati participation in the media sector, which has historically been dominated by expatriate professionals.