SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh
The Saudi Media Forum and the accompanying Future of Media Exhibition (FOMEX) concluded last month with more than 30,000 visitors attending the show, according to the show organiser. BroadcastPro ME brings you show highlights and sound bites from exhibitors.
Saudi Media Forum President Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi met with a group of high-profile international experts and industry leaders in Riyadh to explore strategic collaborations and innovative content production opportunities that align with Saudi Arabia's 2030 vision of becoming a global media powerhouse. Al-Harthi emphasised Saudi Arabia's commitment to fostering a dynamic media ecosystem, highlighting the investment in accelerators, incubators and production funds designed to support international partnerships. 'The future of media is built on collaboration, innovation and cross-border content creation. We are excited to work with global leaders to shape a new era of storytelling,' he commented.
The meeting also addressed the importance of AI in content creation, the evolving landscape of streaming platforms and the role of the Kingdom as a hub for global media projects. There was a lot of enthusiasm about potential partnerships, particularly in film, animation and immersive media experiences.
This dialogue marks a significant step in strengthening Saudi Arabia's position in the global media industry, paving the way for co-productions, content distribution agreements and knowledge exchange between local and international players.
Maya Shokor, Key Account Manager, FGC
FGC took a prominent spot at FOMEX because we play an integral role in the Saudi and regional market. FGC primarily operates in the broadcasting and TV sector, working with some of the most prominent clients in the region. Our portfolio includes industry leaders like MBC, Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA), Bloomberg and Asharq, as well as major corporate clients.
Broadcasting is expanding beyond traditional media, and we're seeing a growing demand from corporate sectors. Companies like Aramco and SABIC are now setting up their own studios, which is a trend we're actively supporting.
As the first and biggest local systems integrator in Saudi Arabia, FGC enjoys a distinct advantage. Unlike international competitors, we've been deeply embedded in the industry from the start. We've grown alongside our clients, adapting to technological shifts and pushing them to evolve with us. For example, we've been instrumental in modernising SBA and Bahrain TV. We've led their transition into the new IP-based ST2110 infrastructure.
There is a lot of competition now but we're also constantly improving our services, strengthening our teams and reminding clients why having a Saudi-based integrator matters. International firms may open an office here but they lack on-the-ground support. Our team is here, our engineers are here and our technology is here. That kind of immediate access and support is something global competitors can't replicate.
We're also one of the largest systems integrators in the region. In our office alone, we have around 2,600 employees across various business units. If you factor in our facility management division, which handles maintenance, that number exceeds 3,600 people. Our scale allows us to support clients in every aspect, from civil engineering to broadcasting, facility management and maintenance. This is why FGC remains a leader in the industry. We're not just keeping up with change, we're driving it.
Amrit Pandrangi, Division Head (Optical Devices), Fujifilm Middle East
The minister came by and we gave him a full demo at our booth. We were really happy to have been able to do that. We have a lot of clients in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Broadcasting Authority is one of our most high-profile clients. A lot of production houses in Saudi use our technology as well.
The highlight of our stand was the Fujinon Duvo 24- 300, a native PL mount lens. This is a dual format, which means it's both large format but also offers native Super 35mm sensor coverage. Sensors equivalent to full-frame can be covered via the built-in expander. This function expands the lens' image circle by 1.5x, maintaining the same optical quality and angle of view. We believe this is the future of broadcast, where we start getting cinematic quality shots, but with familiar broadcast server operation.
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