Page 60 - The Channel Issue 2 2010

MEDIAENTREPRENEURS

students go into TV and video production, others go into advertising as graphic designers, some go into journalism while a good number prefer to enter the public sector where they work in public relations and promotion. More students are now travelling abroad for further qualifications and specialization. We have women also entering journalism and TV, but we don't see many of them fronting media organisations as yet.

What impressions did you take away from the 9th Arab Media Forum?

Major themes this year were citizen journalism, rise of Chinese and Indian media, censorship in the satellite age, science and media, and how the Arabic channels (Al Jazeera in particular) are changing the whole media landscape in the region. What Al Jazeera Arabic certainly has done is that it has created a new media culture in the region. The question whether Al Jazeera English is making any impact was debated, with one argument put forward that AJE is not about

A new media space has been created – we call it "Arab street"

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TC is the largest institution of higher education in UAE, offering Diploma, Higher Diploma, Bachelors courses in Engineering, Aviation, Health Sciences, IT, Business and Media – over 18,000 students are enrolled at 15 different colleges. Here at the HCT, we adopt a project based learning approach to develop both vocational and analytical skills needed in today’s highly competitive media industry. This approach goes well with the technology savvy students in UAE which has the highest mobile and Internet penetration in the region. Over the last few years, I started a news magazine for the first year students which integrated courses in journalism, graphic design and marketing. In order to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship, we gave students the ownership of this publication and set it up as a business - at the end of the semester, we had a magazine

researched, written, edited and designed by our students, at the same time they did the marketing and raised funds to sustain this publication.

Here on the sprawling Dubai campus, we have also set up a campus radio. Students learn how to perform in front of the microphone and make packages and documentaries. At the same time, they market the station, and manage it on a day to day basis. We have applied for an FM licence, and it would be phenomenal if we get it as our station would be the first university radio in the region. Right now, we do podcasting and organise live streaming on special occasions. It's a very hands-on experience, and we are an incubator for ideas. In this region there is a strong tradition of family businesses and some of our students go with this experience to set up their own business.

What do they do with their degree?

Our students are very clear on what they want to do. The majority of

MIDDLE EAST

60 | ISSUE 2 2010 | THE CHANNEL

Dr Fazal Malik is Lead Faculty for Media Entrepreneurship at Higher Colleges for Technology in Dubai, where as media practitioner he uses a very hands-on approach with his Emirati students who are keen to enter the media. And his impressions from the 9th Arab Media Forum show that there's a buzz in Arab media right now H