The Dubai Press Club (DPC) announced the graduation of the first cohort of the Arab Podcast Program, the first initiative of its kind in the region that seeks to foster audio content creation and nurture the skillsets of content creators across the Arab world.
The announcement was made during the fourth edition of the Dubai PodFest that was organised by DPC under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council. The region’s largest gathering of podcasters featured the participation of over 100 prominent audio content creators, as well as experts and leading regional and global organisations in the industry.
The first cohort of the Arab Podcast Program comprised of 35 audio content creators who were able to choose their fields of interest from a list that included society, culture, history, literature, technology, Artificial Intelligence, economics, entrepreneurship, art, education, humanitarian efforts, health, sustainability, sports, self-development, and tourism. As part of the programme, the participants produced over 20 podcast episodes on a range of topics, in collaboration with Dubai Press Club’s partners including platforms like Podeo, Spotify, and Apple.
During the event, DPC also announced the opening of registration for the second cohort of the programme, which is set to commence next year. Launched in collaboration with leading regional and global podcasting platforms, the programme is part of DPC’s efforts to further drive the development of the region’s media industry and enhance the capabilities of audio content creators and media professionals.
Congratulating the graduates, Her Excellency Mona Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, and President of the Dubai Press Club, said that the programme was specifically designed to enhance the skills of content creators and leverage their talent and insights to address topics of interest to the Arab community. This comes at a time when podcast channels are experiencing significant growth and listenership is growing rapidly across the Arab region, she noted.
“Our objective with these initiatives is to build the largest platform for Arabic audio content. The Arab Podcast Program has served as a launchpad for a series of intellectual, creative, and cultural podcasts, featuring prominent figures from across the Arab world.”
Her Excellency highlighted that podcasts have seen unparallelled global growth in both scale and impact, while also attracting significant attention from advertisers and investors. She added: “We have ambitious aspirations that align with our ongoing commitment to being a key player in shaping the future of new media in the region.”
Mahfoudha Abdullah, Manager of Media Programme Development and Media Training at Dubai Press Club, expressed her appreciation to the Club’s partners, including prominent media organisations, podcast platforms, and educational institutions, for sharing their creative expertise with participants in the Arab Podcast Program. “Their contributions were crucial in developing participants’ skills in idea generation, scriptwriting, recording techniques, editing, and marketing. Furthermore, the programme provided essential training in narration, programme presentation, and dialogue, enabling participants to create and deliver impactful, high-quality Arabic audio content,” she said.
The programme’s partners included: Hakawati, The Direction Podcast, Podeo, Amaeya Media, the American University in Dubai, Wajeez, Dubai Media, Focus Academy, Shure, SOWT, Kerning Cultures, RSS.com, Dukkan Media, and Sky News Arabia.
By equipping emerging and established podcasters with the tools and knowledge needed to excel in their chosen field, the Program serves as a catalyst for innovation, creativity and meaningful storytelling in the Arab world’s digital media. By fostering talent and promoting the growth of the podcasting industry, the initiative consolidates Dubai’s status as a global focal point for media excellence and a leading hub for digital technologies.