- Title: Saudi celebrates top Arab women YouTubers
- Date: 18th October 2016
- Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (OCTOBER 17, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** SPEAKER FROM YOUTUBE COMPANY GIVING PRESENTATION LOGO FOR ALKHATTAF SISTERS YOUTUBE CHANNEL ON SCREEN VARIOUS OF ALKHATTAF SISTERS PRESENTING ON STAGE PHOTOGRAPHER, WITH HEAD OF YOUTUBE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, DIANA BADDAR, BEING INTERVIEWED IN BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF YOUTUBE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, DIANA BADDAR, SAYING: "Today is all about heroines, and we see these girls as heroines because they are creating channels and content that reflects the stories that they want to share with the Arab world. We want to encourage them, and we are here to help with any requests they need, and to let them know that YouTube is supporting and backing them with whatever they need." LIFESTYLE YOUTUBER FROM SAUDI ARABIA, NJOUD AL SHAMMARI, POSING BY LOGO FOR NEWLY-LAUNCHED YOUTUBE HUB, 'BATALA' PHOTOGRAPHER AL SHAMMARI POSING BY LOGO AND SCREEN SHOWING HER CHANNEL SCREEN SHOWING AL SHAMMARI'S CHANNEL AL SHAMMARI'S YOUTUBE NAME, 'NjOUDSH1', ON SCREEN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LIFESTYLE YOUTUBER FROM SAUDI ARABIA, NJOUD AL SHAMMARI, SAYING: "I entered into the world of YouTube exactly a year ago with the support of my brothers, they supported me a lot and were a big help to me when I received negative comments. It was very important that they were by my side, they were the support that made me get to this stage. I gained a million followers during one year, and this made me think, 'wow'." GIRL TAKING PHOTO WITH 12-YEAR-OLD SAUDI YOUTUBER, TOLEEN AL-TUWAIJRI (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) 12-YEAR-OLD SAUDI YOUTUBER, TOLEEN AL-TUWAIJRI, SAYING: "My brothers and I decided to make short videos and my mother encouraged us a lot. Then we saw the number of followers increasing, so we decided to continue and become YouTubers and now we have 370,000 followers and, God willing, it will become a million." VARIOUS OF ATTENDEES OF EVENT BADDAR SPEAKING TO AUDIENCE SCREEN SHOWING STATISTICS FOR YOUTUBE USE IN MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA AUDIENCE MEMBER WEARING MASK / MEMBERS OF AUDIENCE LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) YOUTUBER FROM OMAN, ASHWAQ AL MASKERY, SAYING: "I honestly would love to prove to myself, and to girls and young people, that you do not have to show your face to the media. But you must have a message and positive impact on the community. The face is not everything, the most important thing is the message we send to people.'' AUDIENCE MEMBERS WATCHING LECTURE IN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 2nd November 2016 12:39
- Keywords: YouTube women stars channels Saudi Arabia
- Location: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
- City: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Social Media
- Reuters ID: LVA00154J4U39
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Top female YouTubers from the Arab world were celebrated at a special event in Riyadh to launch the social media platform's new hub 'Batala' (Arabic for 'heroine').
'Batala' features more than 100 female content creators from across the Middle East and North Africa, and has over 1,000 videos covering a wide range of genres, according to a press release from organisers.
"Today is all about heroines, and we see these girls as heroines because they are creating channels and content that reflects the stories that they want to share with the Arab world. We want to encourage them, and we are here to help with any requests they need, and to let them know that YouTube is supporting and backing them with whatever they need," said the head of YouTube partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa, Diana Baddar.
At the launch event, influential female YouTube creators led discussions on a range of subjects, from how to make your own business to dealing with online harassment.
Saudi lifestyle vlogger Njoud Al Shammari told Reuters her success was largely down to support from her family.
"I entered into the world of YouTube exactly a year ago with the support of my brothers, they supported me a lot and were a big help to me when I received negative comments. It was very important that they were by my side, they were the support that made me get to this stage," she said.
Twelve-year-old Saudi YouTuber, Toleen Al-Tuwaijri, also thanked her family for encouragement, adding that she hoped her current audience of 370,000 would soon reach a million.
Omani vlogger Ashaq A Maskery, sporting a cartoon mask, said that content with a positive message was more valuable than appearance.
"I honestly would love to prove to myself, and to girls and young people, that you do not have to show your face to the media. But you must have a message and positive impact on the community. The face is not everything, the most important thing is the message we send to people,'' she said.
The launch comes as demand for female-related content grows in the region.
In the Middle East and North Africa, time spent watching female-related videos on YouTube grew by 50 per cent last year, according to event organisers.
In a country in which debate has traditionally been strictly regulated by state decree and cultural tradition, and in which gender mixing is often illegal, social media has allowed many young Saudis to interact in ways that were impossible before.
Twitter is most popular among 18 to 24-year-olds in Saudi Arabia, followed closely by users in their late 20s to early 40s and its usage is split roughly between men and women, according to iMENA Digital, which serves clients in Saudi Arabia.
It said photo-sharing site Instagram has become the leading channel among young Saudis, around three-quarters of them women. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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