Amin Abbas

DUBAI: The Dubai International Content Market (DICM 2023) was held in Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah Conference and Events Centre from Nov. 22 to 23, with a remarkable start that witnessed more than 700 participants from around the world on its first day, including Japan.

The enthusiasm amongst media industry professionals was evident as they engaged with each other from different backgrounds and countries, where they seized the opportunity to explore, network, and shape the future of the content industry.

Anas Al Madani, Vice Chairman and Group CEO of INDEX Holding, explained how DICM 2023 is a crucial platform to promote co-production prospects amongst content creators, streaming platforms, investors, financiers, and so much more. He shared “In its sixth edition, DICM is essential in bringing together content creators from around the globe. It highlights the pivotal role that makes the UAE a crucial destination for production and media companies. The industry has responded overwhelmingly well to DICM 2023, as seen by the over 350 companies from more than 30 countries who have confirmed their attendance. This indicates the significance of the event as a platform for new, creative, and globally appealing content.” 

DICM 2023 solidified itself as an international platform as it welcomed participants from over 30 countries, including Japan, fostering collaboration and exchange on a global scale. Over 800 meetings took place on the first day, creating a dynamic marketplace where content creators, distributors, and buyers converged to explore business opportunities and form strategic partnerships.

The event saw the active participation of over 200 buyers looking for new deals, indicating a strong interest in the diverse content offerings presented by exhibitors.

Four international pavilions were present at DICM 2023, showcasing the richness of content from different regions. Among them were two pavilions from South Korea, one from Turkiye, and one from Russia. Distinguished delegations from Turkiye and Japan added to the international flair of DICM, reinforcing its significance on the global content stage.

A representative of TV Asahi shared exclusively with Arab News Japan about their participation at the DICM 2023, saying, “This year marked our first participation in an exhibition. We feel that we were able to attend the ideal event to kickstart our business in the MENA region. Our main objective was to introduce content such as sports, drama, and comedy, in addition to the currently popular anime, to companies in countries across the MENA region where these types of content from Japan are not readily available.”

“Being this our first participation and lacking extensive experience in the MENA region, we dedicated time to conducting market research and studying companies in the area to prepare adequately,” he added.

About the response and feedback from the participants who came to the TV Asahi booth at DICM 2023, the representative said, “Reactions vary due to the diverse purposes and missions of different companies and countries. However, we felt that regardless of the individual objectives, there is still a strong interest from various companies in the unique content produced by Japanese companies. This reaffirmed our belief in the considerable potential our content holds in their markets.”

Regarding TV Asahi’s upcoming projects and activities following DICM 2023, the representative said, “We would like to continue fostering research and networking to establish strong business connections with individuals and companies in the MENA region and its surrounding areas, leveraging the connections made through DICM. These connections serve as a great opportunity to facilitate successful business endeavors in the future.”

A representative of TV Tokyo shared exclusively with Arab News Japan about their participation at DICM 2023, saying, “The last time we have participated at DICM was in 2019, and there was a huge difference in terms of the number of participants at that time and this year.”

“We are pleased with our participation at DICM this year, and it was a positive experience as we got more information about the market in the Middle East region, especially for Japanese animation content,” he added. 

The introduction of Producers Connect added a new dimension to DICM 2023, creating a dedicated space for content creators to explore co-production opportunities and foster collaborations.

The Dubai International Content Market is organized annually by the INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions Organization, a member of INDEX Holding.