Arabic content makes up just 4% of global total, says Nihal Badri

Nihal Badri, Secretary General of Dubai Media Council, stressed that storytelling is a skill that can be developed and refined through training and practice. She said an impactful story in the media field cannot replace logic. She noted that "evidence and conclusion" form the backbone of the ability to persuade and influence audiences.

Speaking during a session at the Arab Media Summit, she said reaching an advanced level of storytelling requires continuous training and practice. She cited the example of international golfer Tiger Woods, who began playing the sport at the age of three. She highlighted the importance of starting early and maintaining consistency in building skills and self-development.

Three types of discourses

Badri explained that effective storytelling is built on a number of key elements. She said discourse is based on three main types: credibility, emotion and logic. At the same time, she stressed that media should primarily side with logic.

She noted that religious discourse has, in part, relied on appealing to emotion. Political discourse has also historically depended heavily on that aspect. She expressed hope that media work would move away from excessive emotional discourse and give greater space to logic, facts and evidence.

She added: "Media must be based on logic, evidence and conclusion, as this is the backbone of persuasion." She stressed that using storytelling does not mean dispensing with argument or proof. "The story is not a substitute for logic."

She said storytelling can provide information with a human context and help bring it closer to the public. However, it loses its ability to create a lasting impact if it is not based on reliable information and clear conclusions. The success of media storytelling, therefore, depends on its ability to combine the appeal of a story with the strength of an argument.

The challenge of Arabic content

Badri spoke about what she described as the "human challenge" in the use of the Arabic language. She questioned how effectively content creators can speak in Arabic in a way that makes audiences feel a subject is relevant to them and directly touches their lives.

She raised questions about where the obstacle lies in the story of the Arabic language. She said she wanted to encourage the audience to think about the future of Arabic content and its ability to reach and influence a broad audience with diverse interests.

She pointed out that Arabic content accounts for no more than 4% of total global content, according to figures attributed to UNESCO. She said the use of numbers and evidence gives content greater strength and enhances its ability to persuade audiences, rather than relying solely on presentation techniques or emotional appeals.

She stressed that this reality requires Arabic content creators to find more effective ways of producing and presenting stories. The goal, she said, is to ensure a stronger presence for the Arabic language in the digital space and enhance its ability to address humanitarian, cultural and social issues in a way that resonates with audiences.

Badri also addressed the challenge of using classical Arabic in content creation and storytelling, especially when communicating with younger generations. She questioned how best to reach a generation that may not have the required level of proficiency in Arabic.

She stressed the importance of encouraging younger generations to read stories, as this helps strengthen their relationship with the language. At the same time, she called for the development of storytelling tools capable of reaching and engaging them. She said language should not be viewed as an obstacle to content creation, but as a tool that can be developed and presented in more flexible and engaging ways.

She said the challenge is not only the language itself, but also how the message is built and delivered. Content that successfully reaches younger generations is content that understands their interests, considers the nature of the platforms they use, and presents a clear and coherent story in a language that reflects their daily experiences.

She stressed that successful storytelling begins with the ability to build a strong narrative, understand the target audience, and know how to spark their interest and engagement. She said combining storytelling with logic and evidence enables the creation of messages that are more persuasive and enduring.

Badri linked the importance of developing storytelling tools to the rapid growth of the creative and entertainment industries. She noted that the global entertainment, gaming and cinema industry is estimated to be worth $2.5 trillion and is expected to reach about $4.2 trillion by 2030.

She pointed out that discussions around content creation and storytelling are particularly important in the UAE, which is home to more than 200 nationalities. This creates a highly diverse audience with different languages, cultures and backgrounds. She said this diversity presents media organisations and content creators with the challenge of producing stories that can reach and influence such varied groups.

She explained that content creators do not deal with a single, homogeneous audience. Instead, they engage with multiple audiences that differ in their experiences, references and ways of interacting with media messages. Building a compelling story, she said, requires a deep understanding of the audience and a thoughtful choice of language, imagery, pacing and platform.

She stressed that the challenge is not simply about using the Arabic language. It is about creating content that makes audiences feel that a story belongs to them and directly affects their lives. Achieving this, she said, requires thoughtful storytelling that combines narrative skill, strong evidence and sound logic.

She concluded by emphasising that influential media does more than capture public attention. It seeks to build understanding based on facts and encourage engagement through a clear and compelling story. The more successfully content creators balance the human dimension of storytelling with the rigour of logic, the more likely their message is to reach and influence a diverse and evolving audience.