Sony Middle East and Africa joined the third edition of the Arab Podcast Program as a knowledge partner, contributing a two-hour workshop focused on visual and cinematic techniques for podcast production. Organised by the Dubai Press Club and held at its headquarters, the session brought together emerging creators from across the region for practical guidance on moving beyond pure audio formats.
Training specialist Ahmed Eid Salem from Sony’s digital imaging team covered technical aspects of production, while cinematographer Moris Dakar addressed framing, lighting and directional choices that can give podcast episodes a more considered visual presence. Participants handled a selection of current Sony equipment during a touch-and-try segment that included the ZV-E1 and FX30 cameras, the C-80 condenser microphone, MDR-M1 studio headphones, the ECM-S1 streaming microphone and supporting tripods. The format allowed direct experimentation within the limited time available, though two hours inevitably constrains how deeply any participant can absorb and apply new methods.
This was Sony’s second appearance in the program. Corporate involvement of this kind is now a familiar feature of regional media initiatives, offering brands a structured way to place products in front of aspiring creators while supplying useful instruction. The Arab Podcast Program itself, launched by the Dubai Press Club, aims to build skills across ideation, scriptwriting, recording, editing, presentation and marketing. Its broader goal is to help young Arab talent develop and launch their own shows, reflecting the steady expansion of podcasting across the Middle East and North Africa.
Podcasting in the region has matured beyond early experimental phases, yet many productions still prioritise audio alone. The growing expectation of visual accompaniment on platforms that favour video has pushed creators to consider lighting, composition and camera movement more deliberately. Workshops like this one respond to that pressure, though the long-term value depends less on any single brand’s gear and more on whether participants continue refining their craft after the session ends. Access to professional tools for a short period can demystify equipment, but consistent storytelling and audience connection remain the harder variables.
Jobin Joejoe, managing director of Sony Middle East and Africa, noted that visual storytelling is becoming more central to how podcast creators reach listeners. The company’s return to the program aligns with its ongoing presence in regional creative education efforts. For the Dubai Press Club, partnerships of this type help deliver specialised content without bearing the full cost of expert-led training. Whether such collaborations meaningfully accelerate the quality of Arabic-language podcasts will be measured by the work that follows rather than the workshops themselves.
