AS with conventional media when television with its pictorial and spoken content ruled the roost, online video, with a varied genre of digital content is becoming an explosive new medium with YouTube emerging the leading force in this domain. YouTube's meteoric rise in the eyes of the society is due to its easy access and shared interactivity, a dimension that makes a new medium popular. YouTube's dominance is the ease with which it allows viewers or consumers to direct digital content That's the route Okaz Digital is taking toward success under the stewardship of their dynamic CEO Mohanned Kattan, who with his team, are working toward realizing their vision of making Okaz Digital the No. 1 platform. “We are definitely aiming to be No. 1,” said Mohanned, adding, “The market, though relatively new, now has big local names when it comes to YouTube production.” “The market has become competitive with some major players, and it's not easy to compete with them. But I am sure we can but with the right manpower, better production and high quality content,” he said. Mohanned's confidence of reaching the creamy layer stems from the fact that he has already built a talented outfit that shares, interacts and produces as a seamless unit. He pointed out to Rakan Felemban, executive producer for Okaz Digital, as one example who shares his passion and drive. Rakan too exuded exuberance as he concurred with Mohanned's vision of aiming for the top. “We hope to become the hub for all local people in the creative field, where employees are creative and become creators,” he said. “We hope to become the No. 1 online entertainment platform. We hope to project whatever's trendy, conducive for community and social issues. This will be there in the online content plan,” Rakan said. “Here (in Okaz Digital) we focus on individual skills, play to their strengths and then blend it with other team members' skill sets for an homogenous working that yields unique results,” Rakan said, adding, “That's why we call employees, cast or crew, ‘talents' not employees here and use what they offer.” “Each ‘talent' needs development and to be taken care of. And if we do just that then we can get better and unique content,” Rakan said, adding that he believes that the medium is the in thing for content dissemination. According to Alarabiya, Saudi youth have taken to new media in a big way and are launching their own talk shows and programs on YouTube and other video-sharing websites. It also reported that in the latest report published by the Saudi Communication Committee, about 11.4 million Saudi citizens spend 132 minutes daily on the Internet, and according to Alexa web statistics, YouTube is the second most visited website in Saudi Arabia after Google. That's why Rakan states that there will be no restrictions on content. “We will focus on anything that adds value to community — whether it is comedy, social, drama or reality — whatever the genre it has to be entertaining while adding value to community,” he said. He revealed that the two shows that Okaz Digital is presenting has already caught the people's imagination. “Inta Keif' — a comedy monologue that provides an overview of the community — is the latest effort by Okaz Digital. Alaa Anbar, a social media celebrity, is hosting this bimonthly show that has become a hit with the Saudi community. “The other show ‘Khatm' (stamp) — synonymous with approval or a deal or authentication — is our leading show and presented by one of the popular Saudi media faces and influential personalities in new media Hadi Shibani. “This show is molded on the similar lines of the trendy shows made popular by Jon Stewart, David Colbert and Bill Maher who use satire to tackle current and social issues. “The popularity of the bimonthly show can be gauged by the fact that it drew over 3 million views in the 3 episodes that have been posted,” he said. “Our current plan is to float two to three more shows this year as a start,” Rakan said, adding, “The door is always open for fresh ‘talent' who has the passion, the courage and the initiative to be part of Okaz Digital's futuristic vision of shows that would entertain and shape society.” “Basically, in this competitive world we are hoping to pioneer new vistas that will be of value to the community. “We would aggressively pursue all technological advancements to produce high quality content,” he added. Rakan said this new medium is the future, adding, “I've been in this industry for a decade, and for the first five years people kept saying that it is a bubble. But for the last five years it has become and industry that has opened up lots of opportunities for young Saudi talents. It has also provided an opening for the Saudi youth to express their voices, ideas and creativity through his new medium.” “It is also because of this new medium Saudis have become more interconnected not only in the Kingdom but globally,” Rakan said.
