After finding the website of MEPRA, I was eager to find more information concerning Middle-Eastern private PR agencies. The number of private sector agencies practising PR in the United Arab Emirates has grown significantly over the past decade. According to MEPRA data, there are over 22 private national and multinational PR agencies in the country.
Although the Arab world is considered to be one of the fastest-growing market in the world for PR business there are no clear demarcations between the roles of advertising and PR. In fact, the PR agencies in the UEA are primarily advertising agencies with PR functions and they carry out public relations within marketing activities. A survey of public relations programs in public and private organizations in the UEA showed that none of the private organizations in the UEA actually used the term ‘public relations’ in order to describe relations with external publics. In some cases, it was referred to as ‘external communication,’ ‘external relations,’ or even ‘marketing.’
As an aside, I would like to add that although the nature of PR in the Arab world is often described as somewhat vague, in recent years PR has become a popular subject of academic study in almost all UAE universities. For example universities in Abu Dhabi and in Sharjah provide a bachelor degree program in public relations and communication. In Abu Dhabi the program is available for female students only, though.
Reference: Ayish, Muhammad I. (2005) Virtual public relations in the United Arab Emirates: A case study of 20 UAE organizations’ use of the Internet
Written by: Elina
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Interesting post. I wonder why is it that only women can study PR and communication? Do you know the reason?
ReplyDeleteBy the way is the PR in Arab countries open? For example is there a lot of limitations about what can or cannot be said/written?
yes, what is the reason that it is only for women? This is a totally new aspect of discrimination ;)
ReplyDeleteMaria
I also would like to know why PR education is for women only.. Is PR seen as a female's field in UAE?
ReplyDeleteWhen I was trying to search answers for these questions, I bumbed into an article "Women and public relations education and practice in the United Arab Emirates". It was published in 1995 but I found it interesting when I was browsing it through.
You can find this article from Nelli database, it was published in Public Relations Review Volume 21, Issue 1, Spring 1995, Pages 59-76.
If you are interested in to get a little background about this issue, I recommend to check this article too.. =)