This document summarizes the key findings of a survey on media consumption habits in GCC countries conducted by Maktoob Research. The survey found: 1) Online media such as websites and search engines are the most valued sources of information for consumers in most GCC countries, having supplanted traditional media like magazines, radio and local TV. 2) However, satellite TV and newspapers remain an important part of consumers' media mix and are seen as more credible sources of news than online media. 3) While word-of-mouth has the greatest influence on purchase decisions, company websites and search engines also impact consumers' intent to purchase online. 4) The survey revealed some differences in media consumption habits across GCC

1. 80 Gulf Marketing Review December 2008
Until recently, marketers could afford
to relegate the impact of digital media
on the larger media landscape to the
realm of long-term thinking, since so
few of their target consumers even had
access to the internet.
But times have changed.
While the UAE’s internet penetration
(at approximately 60 per cent) is already
comparable to many European coun-
tries, other GCC countries are catching
up quickly. A third of Saudi residents
are already online and Kuwait has one
of the region’s fastest growing broad-
band markets.
The growth of digital and interactive
media over the past few years in the GCC
has added a whole slew of new choices
for consumers. But is online changing
consumer habits in fundamental ways,
or has it merely added another dimension
to the media mix?
As internet penetration continues to
increase dramatically around the region,
how will these newly connected audiences
– soon to represent a majority in most
Gulf countries – change their usage and
consumption of traditional media?
These are the questions we undertook
to answer in a recent study of the media
GMR exclusive: Digital is changing the media landscape in the GCC. Published
for the first time, Maktoob Research examines the implications state by state.
Hold The Front PAge
INSIGHT
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2. December 2008 Gulf Marketing Review 81
habits of online consumers conducted
specifically for GMR.
Clearly, connected consumers have
access to a vast number of media com-
peting for their attention, and so it is no
surprise that the study found a large level
of fragmentation in media habits.
On average, 3-4 different media channels
are being valued the most, trusted the
most, and would be missed the most.
However, the most striking pattern
across the board is how quickly the in-
ternet has supplanted such traditional
powerhouses as magazines, radio and
even local FTA TV.
For the connected GCC consumer,
only satellite TV and newspapers
consistently figure in the top five of
their media mix.
This is especially surprising consider­
ing the relatively slim breadth of digital
content and services currently on offer
in the Arabic language.
The only area where TV holds a
commanding lead is its perception by
consumers as a more credible source
for news.
Web and search trump TV and newspapers
as most valued by connected consumers
It is clear that online media is taking
in an increasing share of consumers’
daily media consumption – websites
and search engines came out on top
as being most valued by consumers,
closely followed by satellite TV and
local newspapers.
Not all online media sources seem
to be highly valued though: blogs, RSS
news feeds, videocasts and podcasts
trail at the end of the list, a possible
reflection of the lack of interesting
Arabic content currently available in
these categories.
TV still most trusted, but web gaining
When it comes to news reporting, satellite
TV is widely seen by consumers as their
most trusted source for credible news,
followed by websites.
Overall, offline media channels are still
more often seen as more credible sources
Trust issues: satellite Tv is the most creditable news source in the gcc
Website
Search engines
Satellite TV
Local newsapapers
Email newsletters
50%
49%
39%
60%50%40%30%20%10%0%
45%
44%
Most Valued Media
Satellite TV
Website
Local newspapers
Local free-to-air TV
International Newspapers
42%
38%
30%
28%
24%
50%40%30%20%10%0%
Most Trusted Media
s
Source: Maktoob Research
October 2008
©ArabianEye.com

3. 82 Gulf Marketing Review December 2008
than online media channels. Nevertheless,
it is striking that web­sites score on a
par with local newspapers for trust, and
quite a bit ahead of local TV, magazines
and international newspapers.
Another interesting finding is that word-
of-mouth scores extremely low, even though
these sources have the most influence on
consumers’ purchase decisions.
And, again, blogs, RSS news feeds,
videocasts, podcasts and celebrity endor-
sement come at the end of the list.
Nothing beats WoM
Word-of-mouth avenues such as recom-
mendations from family, friends, and
co-workers have the greatest bearing
on consumers’ purchase decisions.
Company websites follow as the most
influential online medium influencing
purchase intent, followed by search
engines, which reflects the tendency
of many connected consumers to check
online first to search for information
pertaining to products or services that
interest them.
Again, blogs, RSS news feeds and
videocasts/podcasts are at the bottom
of the list.
On a desert island, GCC consumers choose
the internet over TV
The two media sources that would be
missed the most if these were not availa-
ble are search engines and websites, far
ahead in the ranking compared to other
media sources.
The first offline media that follows is
satellite TV (3rd position).
Understandably, there is a high correlation
between the most valued and the most
missed media; ie, the more consumers
value the media, the more they would
miss it if it were not available. n
Recommendations from family/friends
Company website
Recommendations from co-workers
Local newspapers
Search engines
43%
28%
28%
23%
23%
50%40%30%20%10%0%
Most Influencial Media
Search engines
Websites
Satellite TV
Local newspapers
Local free-to-air TV
Email newsletters
39%
32%
26%
24%
24%
50%40%30%20%10%0%
Most Missed Media
37%
About the survey
The Maktoob Research Media Usage Survey was conducted online for GMR within the GCC
between 6-13 October 2008 among 2,586 respondents aged 15 years or older whose age,
gender, nationality are in line with their actual proportions in the population within their
respective countries.
Launched in September 2006, Maktoob Research combines the region’s largest on­
line consumer panel with the latest in international online research standards, to provide
marketing professionals with better insights on consumer needs and expectations through
a ­complete research package, including survey programming, translations and hosting,
­fieldwork, analysis, reporting and consultancy.
Email: info@maktoob-research.com – Tel: +971 4 391 3640
Website: www.maktoob-research.com
Tamara Deprez
is the general manager
of Maktoob Research
INSIGHT
Source: Maktoob Research October 2008
poor reception: radio doesn’t register highly in regional media consumption
©ArabianEye.com

4. 84 Gulf Marketing Review December 2008
INSIGHT
©Corbis

5. December 2008 Gulf Marketing Review 85
Bahrain
• Online media is the most valued source
of information for Bahraini residents, in
particular websites and search engines.
• Significantly more Bahraini residents
value their social networking sites com-
pared to residents from other countries
in the GCC.
• Surprisingly, more consumers in Bahrain
are being influenced by magazines in
their buying decisions vis-à-vis other
GCC countries.
• For people living in Bahrain, satellite
television is more credible than local
free-to-air TV. This is different when it
comes to printed news, as local news-
papers are seen to be more credible
than international ones.
• Blogs, recommendations from celebrities,
RSS feeds, and videocasts/podcasts are
not patronised by the general connected
public in Bahrain.
Kuwait
• The importance of search engines
is highest in Kuwait, with more than
half of the Kuwaiti consumers saying
that it is the most valuable source of
information. Respondents also said it
would be missed the most if it were
not available.
•Similarly, Kuwaiti residents do not give that
much importance or value to satel-
lite TV, as much as consumers in the
other countries.
• In this part of the region, local news-
papers are trusted more heavily than
any other offline media, which re-
flects the high level of maturity and
diversity of newspapers.
This medium also has the greatest
influence on consumers’ buying de-
cision, which weighs more heavily
than websites and recommendations
from co-workers.
Oman
• Looking at the two types of media,
online and offline, Omani residents are
more inclined to give higher importance
to offline media, with satellite TV on
top of their list.
The value they give to websites
is extremely low compared to other
GCC countries.
• The general population is more confident
in the news brought to them by offline
media, which includes international/
local newspapers, satellite TV and local
free-to-air TV.
Omani residents rely very much on
satellite television in bringing them
trustworthy news.
• Though the majority of connected
consumers in the other GCC countries
would miss the internet the most if it
were not available, Omani consumers
are less likely to miss it.
s
Websites
Search engines
Satellite TV
Local newspapers
Email newsletters
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
46%
52%
46%
46%
55%
46%
47%
46%
51%
55%
31%
47%
46%
43%
46%
42%
52%
46%
34%
41%
39%
35%
43%
36%
49%
54%
50%
38%
47%
53%
Most Valued Media
Recommendations
fromfamily/friends
Companywebsites
Recommendations
fromco-workers
Localnewspapers
Searchengines
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
41%
23%
19%
32%
25%
22%
16%
23%
20%
32%
23%
20%
25%
29%
31%
29%
23%
27%
26%
23%
22%
23%
28%
16%
28%
45%
41%
44%
38%
48%
Most INFLUENTIAL MEDIA
A comparative analysis of media consumption across the GCC reveals some
surprising regional variations says Maktoob Research.
Comparing Notes
Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar KSA UAE

6. 86 Gulf Marketing Review December 2008
Qatar
• The strong influence of search engines
and websites on the purchase decision
of consumers in most parts of the region
is, however, weaker among consumers
in Qatar.
•The media they said they value the
most are also the ones they will miss
the most if they were not available.
These are search engines and websites
for online media, as well as ­satellite
TV and local newspapers for offline
media.
United Arab Emirates
• Although magazines are not included
in the top list of most valued media,
UAE residents (especially women and
English-speakers) give them more impor-
tance compared to other GCC countries.
­Magazines also have considerable influence
on their buying decisions.
•Whiletheymay not give much importance
to blogs, the youth sees them as a very
valuable source of information.
• The older people get, the more they
value and trust satellite TV. Also, the
high concentration of expats increases
the demand and importance.
• Expats also value most of the online
and global media to keep up with current
events in their home countries.
Saudi Arabia
• Decisions by housewives and younger
generations of residents are generally
more influenced by family and friends
than other demographics.
• Nationals give higher importance to
local newspapers. n
INSIGHT
Satellite TV
Websites
Local newspapers
Localfree-to-airTV
International
newspapers
Source: Maktoob Research October 2008
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
36%
42%
31%
23%
40%
38%
34%
27%
30%
34%
39%
31%
32%
30%
24%
33%
27%
22%
28%
21%
28%
30%
27%
22%
43%
41%
43%
52%
33%
46%
Most Trusted Media
Search engines
Websites
Satellite TV
Local newspapers
Localfree-to-airTV
Emailnewsletters
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
31%
36%
31%
26%
24%
20%
40%
31%
25%
26%
26%
31%
34%
26%
22%
19%
29%
38%
31%
23%
22%
36%
24%
34%
22%
29%
35%
36%
24%
22%
19%
41%
41%
38%
43%
40%
Most Missed Media
Bahrain Kuwait Oman Qatar KSA UAE
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