Saudi Journalist Abdulrahman Abumalih: “We Live in the Golden Era of Content Industry”

Sharjah, December 19, 2022:  Importance of creating content in native languages in order to reach local audiences was emphasised on the Creative Stage at the 6th edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF) 2022. Speaking at a session titled "From building a popular podcast to selling a multi-million dollar media company”, Abdulrahman Abumalih, CEO and founder of Thamanya, highlighted that “authenticity” and “new ideas” are the essential recipe for success. 

He shared the notable milestones of his career, including the creation of the Fnjan podcast in 2015, the founding of Thamanya, and the production of documentaries on YouTube. Abumalih also noted  his company's foray into electronic production and publishing, as well as the sale of 51% of Thamanya's shares to Saudi Research and Media Company for a significant sum. 

The session, hosted by Mr. Iman Ben Chaibah, CEO and founder of Sail Publishing, was part of the two-day event themed "Where we belong," held at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP).

"At a session on the future of audio in New York City, I was surprised to learn that YouTube is the largest platform for broadcasting audio podcasts. As a result, we decided to publish the 100th episode of the Fnjan podcast on YouTube, which helped increase the reach of our content," said Abumalih, explaining how his company began to formulate its content strategy. "Thanks to YouTube, we were able to expand the reach of our content."

Abumalih stated that his company has produced 14 podcasts on a variety of topics, as well as 150 documentaries that have received over 40 million views. He emphasised the importance of creating high-quality and engaging content that reflects one's culture and identity in order to be successful. Additionally, he stressed the need for passion and a focus on viewer numbers in the current "golden era" of the content industry, which can be challenging due to the need for constant reinvention.

The Creative Stage hosted many speakers and artists who tackled various topics such as the future of art institutions, the advertising industry, as well as masterclass in (Vlogs), along with performances by Dina Stars, Sons of Youssef, Ghaliaa Chaker, and SQ & TBAZZ.

SEF 2022 concluded on Sunday after holding more than 50 discussion sessions and 30 engaging workshops with over 150+ industry experts sharing their experiences and motivations with young entrepreneurs and aspiring attendees during the two-day festival.