Dubai Media Academy Launches “Media Z” Initiative to Engage Young Generations
Exploring the future of content through the lens of Gen Z and Gen Alpha
Dubai Media Academy, part of Dubai Media Incorporated, is organising the “Media Z” initiative in collaboration with the Canadian University Dubai. The event will take place on 21 January, in line with the Year of the Family, and will bring together a select group of media and education leaders, experts, specialists and academics, as well as students from universities across the UAE.
The initiative aims to shed light on Gen Z and Gen Alpha through a knowledge-based and practical programme focused on understanding youth behaviour in the digital environment and identifying effective ways to engage with them through modern platforms, educational institutions and government entities. The programme also seeks to strengthen the link between academic learning and practical application, while highlighting the importance of balancing digital innovation with family values and national identity.
Youth represent around 40 per cent of Dubai’s population, and the gaming economy has become a central component of the modern media economy. Young audiences are increasingly drawn to micro-dramas and ultra-short video content. The initiative is informed by an analytical study supported by Dubai Media Academy, which revealed that the gaming economy now exceeds the combined economies of film, television and music platforms. This comes at a time when many professional media organisations have yet to fully recognise or adapt to these shifts.
In this context, a number of communications professionals have fallen behind in speaking the language of youth and understanding their media engagement patterns. In response, Dubai Media Academy launched the Media Z initiative, with sessions addressing key issues related to Gen Z. The first session will examine the digital gaming and ultra-short video industries from economic and industrial perspectives, as well as their psychological, social and educational impacts, and their relationship to national identity. This aims to support media professionals and communications teams in engaging younger generations and strengthening family cohesion.
The second session, titled “Story in 60 Seconds: The Short-Form Content Revolution”, will explore strategies for reaching Gen Z and Gen Alpha through the types of digital content they prefer.
The third session, titled “The Screen Generation: Identity, Behaviour and Society”, will focus on the psychological, educational and social dimensions of the deep immersion of Gen Z and Gen Alpha in the digital world, and the implications for identity and societal values.
Media Z serves as a strategic platform that brings together media, technology and education to discuss the evolving relationship between Gen Z and Gen Alpha and the modern media landscape, and to explore the impact of gaming, short-form video and artificial intelligence technologies on content creation and future industry trends.
At the conclusion of the event, a roundtable discussion will be held bringing together experts and specialists to develop a set of recommendations for media and educational institutions, as well as government communications teams, on best practices for engaging with Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
The launch of the Media Z initiative by Dubai Media Academy reflects its role as a specialised national media initiative aimed at deepening understanding of how Gen Z engages with media and digital platforms, and studying the impact of this engagement on value systems, family communication and national identity amid rapid digital transformation.