It is not news that the digital era has also affected Ramadan, rendering the holy month of fasting and prayer subject to constant social media innovations, ever-expanding commercialization and various forms of mediation. Media consumption in the Arab world reportedly undergoes a huge spike during Ramadan, a recent report by Spark Foundry, a Saudi Arabian advertising agency revealed to Arab News: “Digital usership peaks from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. while TV consumption peaks from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., with comedy shows, drama series and game shows taking the lead in content.” With Ramadan being a prime season for new TV shows, not least in Egypt, the country with the region’s most widely disseminated mosalsalat, it was only a matter of time for an app seizing on these viewing habits to emerge. Watch iT, a new digital media content platform was launched through a massive promotional campaign on 1 May by the Egyptian Media Network, a timely date conveniently allowing the streaming app to feature and exclusively promote 15 Egyptian Ramadan series in its repertoire while promising to be active all year round. Yet the launch of this app…
How Mobile Apps Catch On to Ramadan: Commercialization or Social Potential?
May 10, 2019
