Video: Middle East's first YouTube Space launched in Dubai

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Video: Middle Easts first YouTube Space launched in Dubai

Dubai - The space has been created to help nurture a local pool of talented social media creators.

by

Kelly Clarke

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Published: Sun 18 Mar 2018, 12:54 PM

Last updated: Sun 18 Mar 2018, 5:17 PM

If you’ve got a burning desire to be the next big thing in social media then look no further. Dubai has just become home to the region’s first YouTube Space – and it’s free.

The dedicated production space, located in Dubai Studio City, has been created to help nurture a local pool of talented social media creators.

Its introduction to Dubai marks the 10th such spot worldwide and it will be open to YouTube content creators in the region. For creators boasting more than 10,000 subscribers to their channel, they will have free access to high end audio, visual and editing equipment in addition to training programmes, workshops and courses.

And for those with more than 1,000 subscribers but less than 10,000, you will still be able to attend free workshops and classes to help grasp the need-to-knows of becoming a viral Youtube creator. The workshops will be geared to the different needs of creators with themes and topics ranging from creative development and production, to business development and how to engage with advertisers. And all creators will be required to sit through a day-long workshop before accessing any of the Space’s services.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Robert Kyncl, chief business officer of YouTube, said the launch of the Space marked an exciting day in the region.

“This is a tremendous view into the momentum Dubai has for social media growth. The talent locally has grown so fast over the years. From two well-known creators a few years ago to more than 200 today, this popularity is not an accident. These people are creating content for the millennial audience; a new source of entertainment. We want to encourage that.”

YouTube Space facilities:

> Two studios

> Training room

> Art work area

> Control room

> Video wall

> Roaming edit bays

> Tech cage

>Readyset

> Community area
Designed to support the growing Arab creator community on the platform, Noor Stars — one of the biggest YouTuber’s in the region with more than six million followers — told Khaleej Times exactly what she wants to see.

“I feel we need more female creators. This is so important for this region so if you’re a female, start your own channel and see what happens.”

Following the success of Dubai’s pop-up YouTube Space in 2017, David Ripert, head of YouTube Spaces in Europe, Middle East and Africa, said this new permanent space is a reflection of YouTube’s investment in the region.

“This time we are furthering our investment and we have three main goals behind the space; to learn, connect and create. We’re offering workshops and training courses for the learning aspect, we’re collaborating industry experts with creators for the connect aspect, and of course, the two top end studios within the Space will allow creators to create video content for free.”

The Space comes at an important time for YouTube in the Mena as the Arab world experienced an increase in the number of channels uploading from Mena countries by 160 per cent in the past three years.

Today, there are more than 200 channels with over 1 million subscribers in the region, and over 30,000 channels with more than 10,000 subscribers.

Production slots will be limited in the first two months after the launch until after Ramadan when eligible creators will be able to book their production sessions through the online booking form.

How will new licensing regulations impact YouTube Space?

Earlier this month, news broke that all social media influencers who promote brands, businesses and products for money will need to get a licence from the National Media Council (NMC). The new rules came into effect in a bid to make the growing trend of social media influencing more transparent.

But how will these new regulations impact Dubai’s Youtube Space?

According to an NMC official Khaleej Times spoke to on March 7, he said normal media influencers who just share everyday stuff with their followers won’t need a licence.

However, for YouTube creators that do create for money, rules will need to be followed.

Speaking at the launch of the Space on Sunday, Majed Al Suwaidi, managing director of Dubai Studio City, said the regulation is “very new” so they are still in the process of trying to work out a framework for those entering the YouTube Space.

“On the whole, this new rule will help a lot of new YouTube creators to make this a business. It will be regulated and we will be coming up with guidelines to distribute to the creators soon.”

David Ripert, head of YouTube Spaces in Europe, Middle East and Africa, said any creator that uses the space “will have to abide by YouTube rules and local law”.


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