Exam

New Media Technologies in UAE
Name
Institutional Affiliation

New Media Technologies in UAE
Introduction to Role of Technology in UAE Media
Technology has played an instrumental role in the transformation of how the society interacts. The availability of free Wii-Fi, access to news content and entertainment amongst other sources of information have all played influential roles in the transformation of the media industry in the UAE. The UAE is a frontier in embracing technology to transform itself to become a digital economy. The prevalence of social media in the society has also played instrumental roles in converting how people have access to news and information throughout the world. However, traditions and laws guide media in the UAE. A direct form of contact based on the values of civility in the region has a substantial impact in the way the society interacts with technology.
The main issues in the UAE media
The citizens of the UAE are touted as the primary change agent of the media in the region. The principal aim of the role of the citizens in the growth of the media is that it has brought about significant transformations in the way the people utilize digital technology. Statistics indicate that up to 70% of the country’s population is in at least one popular social media platform. However, the media in the UAE relies on the laws and policies set by the government to deliver on their mandate.
Firstly, the UAE has several laws and policies, which emphasize the importance of its mainstream media to preserve its culture.

A significant content of UAE mainstream media is dependent on the country’s culture and religious beliefs (Wilson & Supa, 2013). There have been conflicts regarding incidences of stereotyping and their social impact on the society. Practices such as sexual orientation and categories of beauty have had adverse effects on the way members of the society relate to others,
Political impacts are also known to have adverse effects in influencing the society. The role of politics in the media affects the masses. Media laws are in control of what should be aired to the public. A typical incident of the control of the government on media is the case of Yemen political situation. Media workers are only allowed to cover content that pastes the government into the good limelight and not highlight the waging war in the region. The government has enforced in several instances what should be projected to the public and what should not be. As a result, ethical practice is deemed inevitable for media. The influence of the media is known to have significant effects in the way the society leads its life. Thus, Al Tenaiji and Cader (2010), explain that the UAE provides a clear law, which offers clarity on the importance of protecting journalists and at the same time defining boundaries that would inculcate responsibility.
The growth of social media platforms provides a significant challenge for the regulation of content by the government. Social media platforms are easily accessible and can be shared in seconds upon receipt of given information. Widespread usage of social media implies that the government would be incapable of remaining in control of the media, as it would wish. Social media platforms are versatile and easy to reach, especially for the new generation of the 21st century. Accordingly, the adoption of digital technologies has played instrumental roles in the transformation of how news can be disseminated and critical information shared (Berthon, Pitt, Plangger & Shapiro,2012). The government should thus foster on instilling responsibility on the use of social media pages.
Finally, the media has also brought about economic transformations. The society agrees that the media has been instrumental in fuelling economic growth. Social media pages are now powerful avenues for marketing and advertisement (Salama, 2018). Technological growth is known to have hastened the pace of economic growth as all processes are now automated. Accordingly, the powerful use of the media cannot go unnoticed in the UAE.
Trust of The New Media (Social media)
Social media has emerged as a game changer in the UAE. Today, even SME’s that have online presence agree that social media has transformed how they conduct their business. The growth of new platforms is dependent on the levels of trust that the society develops for its media sources. Accordingly, only sources that provide accurate content are more likely to gain the trust of the public. Media platforms, which want to thrive on propaganda are more likely to be discontinued based on government directives. Thus, users are more likely to remain attracted to a media outlet that has reliable and verifiable information. To this effect, even media houses and companies have to countercheck the type of information that they are posting to their users.
Social media outlets were found to offer prompt news and ensure the delivery of reliable content throughout the time. Local citizens also acknowledge that access to social media is easy and they can always find verified information from reputable company pages (Wiest & Eltantawy, 2012). Moreover, users mention that social media was easily accessible and could provide variety affordably. The trust developed out of using social media platforms as relevant sources of news and information is evidence that the UAE is equally enthusiastic regarding the use of social media. Moreover, the public has learned the importance of ignoring news that emanates from pages that foster propaganda and instead focus on service portfolios that offer reliable help (Wilson & Supa, 2013). Accordingly, even government digital services have demonstrated that growths in technology have helped to eliminate the redundancies that initially made it difficult to access essential government services within the shortest time possible.
Tools of The Media
Tools of the media refer to the different forms of interaction and communication, which rely on computers and mobile devices to realize their objectives. New media tools offer a convenient platform upon which the publication, creation, modification or the distribution of information can take place using simple tools. Common emergent tools of the media in the UAE include Social network sites such as Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Google. The sites are instrumental in providing a platform upon which users can share content and interact on a daily basis.
Having a variety of media tools provides a unique platform upon which the locals in the UAE can have unlimited access to information. The tools have also been effective in ensuring timely access to news content irrespective of an individual’s location (Salama, 2018). Other companies ensure that the also provide website links to the media tools, which also offer unlimited information, content, and guidance to their potential clients. The strategies have been useful in ensuring that users have access to news content and support several formats of the content. For instance, some media tools can support video and live stream options, which make it easier to facilitate teleconferencing amongst other similar functions. Having a variety of media tools makes it easy for those interested in search of information to gain easy access to news content and entertainment information. Having variety also creates competition and ensures that consumers get value for their money. Accordingly, the array of tools of the media also provides a platform upon which the government and other stakeholders can remain in control of what the viewers consume. It would be easy to control information from particular tools such that the government can also stay in control of what its populace view. Nonetheless, with the growth of technology, it is anticipated that consumers will have a variety of media tools to choose from.
Spread of the Media
The presence of various media forms has made it easier for persons across all continents to transact more business in a competitive environment. The government has also been effective in ensuring that it provides the appropriate infrastructure to realize the growth and usability of technology as a medium of information exchange (Magro, 2012). Today, network coverage with 3G network coverage and above stands at 97% (Salama, 2018). Users that have daily access to social media platforms and online access stand at 89%. That implies that social media has a significant impact on the way people in the UAE conduct their daily operations. Salama (2018) indicated in the report published on Gulf news agency suggested that the public preferred the use of social media as they had trust and confidence on the people involved in the management of social media pages.
The government has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that all persons on the country have access to media content. Through the Ministry of technology, the government supports innovation and ensures that its populace can gain relevant access to information irrespective of their location (Magro, 2012). Despite its commitment to preserving the culture of the people, the government has shown remarkable support by ensuring that even expats from different parts can easily enjoy various forms of media access throughout the world.
Conclusion
With the emergence of platforms such as social media, a formidable alternative of access to information has emerged thereby keeping the locals in the know. The new forms of communication and media presence have played instrumental roles in the transformation of how the industry delivered to its audience and influenced direct interaction by establishing direct social contact with the people.

References
Al Tenaiji, A. A., & Cader, Y. (2010). Social media marketing in the UAE. In Proceedings of the European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Conference on Information Systems: Global Information Systems Challenges in Management.
Berthon, P. R., Pitt, L. F., Plangger, K., & Shapiro, D. (2012). Marketing meets Web 2.0, social media, and creative consumers: Implications for international marketing strategy. Business horizons, 55(3), 261-271.
Magro, M. J. (2012). A review of social media use in e-government. Administrative Sciences, 2(2), 148-161.
Salama, S. (28th January 2018). UAE media outlets earn trust of 94% of public. Gulf News. Online at http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/government/uae-media-outlets-earn-trust-of-94-of-public-1.2138384Wiest, J. B., & Eltantawy, N. (2012). Social media use among UAE college students one year after the Arab Spring. Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research, 5(3), 209-226.
Wilson, D., & Supa, D. (2013). Examining modern media relations: An exploratory study of the effect of Twitter on the public relations-journalist relationship. Public Relations Journal, 7(3), 1-20.