More related content on the BRIDGE
- Media Panel 9 December 10:40 - 11:10AM
Rebooting Media Education for the Algorithmic Age
As AI and social media rewrite how stories are produced, verified, and shared, journalism and media education face an existential test. A UNESCO survey found that 62% of digital creators skip rigorous fact-checking, while a 2024 YouGov study showed only 27% of young adults feel confident about AI in education. How can schools, platforms, and educators close these gaps — embedding ethics, data literacy, and critical thinking into curricula designed for a world that never stops scrolling?
Academy StageSpeakers
- Media Panel 9 December 1:15 - 1:45PM
Designing a Global Media Dealbook
As the media landscape fragments and legacy funding models fall short, creators and investors seek smarter ways to align. Despite broader access to tools and audiences, many high-potential ventures go overlooked. A 2024 World Economic Forum–McKinsey report found global venture funding for fintech, media, and creator platforms fell 67%, from $92 billion in 2021 to $30 billion in 2023, highlighting the absence of forward-looking, coordinated capital. Could a curated platform connecting mission-driven media with values-aligned investment unlock new innovation and a more resilient media future?
Forum Stage - Picture Panel 10 December 10:20 - 10:50AM
Designing Studios for Intelligent Production and Global Scale
The blueprint of the modern studio is being redrawn with the introduction of advanced technologies and processes such as artificial intelligence and virtual production. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Media & Entertainment Outlook, over 70% of major studios are now investing in AI-enabled production pipelines to accelerate content delivery and reduce costs by as much as 20%. This session explores how the next generation of studios is being designed, not just for efficiency, but for creativity without borders. From IP strategy to productions split across the East and West, the conversation examines how technology, talent, and capital are converging to build intelligent, globally connected storytelling ecosystems.
Explore by Instagram - Picture Fireside 8 December 5:30 - 5:45PM
Stories That Cross Borders
Cinema has the power to travel, and few storytellers do it with more conviction than Mohamed Diab. In this session, he explores how Arab filmmakers can create stories that are both deeply local and universally human. From Cairo to Hollywood, Diab shares his creative philosophy on crafting films that challenge perception, carry cultural weight, and speak a language that transcends borders.
Explore by InstagramSpeakers
Moderator
- Picture Panel 8 December 1:30 - 2:00PM
An Era of Reinvention for On-Demand
Streaming platforms face a reckoning with plateauing subscriber growth slows and content costs climb, studios and OTT services are rewriting their playbooks, prioritizing profitability, partnership, and purposeful programming over scale at all costs. This conversation examines how on-demand models are evolving in the MENA region and beyond, from the economics of live sports and premium storytelling to localization, data-driven distribution, and hybrid monetization. Together, they explore what it will take to sustain relevance in an era where every viewer—and every minute—matters.
Central Stage - Technology Fireside 8 December 12:25 - 12:45PM
Alexis Ohanian on ‘Re-turning’ the Web
Alexis Ohanian helped launch one of the internet’s most influential communities and is now reimagining the future through his firm Seven Seven Six. In this fireside, he shares where the creator economy is heading, how AI is reshaping value and ownership, and what lessons from building Reddit still matter to media leaders today. Expect insights on the next global hubs of innovation and what trends will define 2026.
Forum StageModerator
