DUBAI, 4th November, 2026 (WAM) -- The ninth edition of the Dubai International Content Market (DICM) 2026 will take place next week at Madinat Jumeirah Conference & Events Centre, bringing together institutions and companies from 15 countries, including Egypt, Lebanon, the United States, Türkiye, the UAE, Japan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, the British Virgin Islands, India, Germany, China, Russia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
The Dubai International Content Market brings together leading players across the content industry, including buyers, broadcasters, distributors, producers, platforms and content companies, with the aim of opening new avenues for creative project development, production and distribution, while strengthening business partnerships at both regional and international levels.
The event continues to play an important role in keeping pace with developments across the media and entertainment sectors and contributing to shaping their future, particularly amid growing demand for original content.
This year's edition is expected to attract more than 200 buyers from over 30 countries, with more than 80 companies participating and over 2,000 business meetings scheduled. The market is organised annually by INDEX Conferences & Exhibitions org., a member of INDEX Holding.
Beyond bringing industry professionals together, the event aims to create practical opportunities for project development and the establishment of new partnerships.
It features two dedicated initiatives, including Spotlight Stories, which showcases original Arabic-language projects from the MENA region and connects creators with industry professionals, and Producers Connect, which enables producers to meet potential partners and explore opportunities for co-production and joint project development. Through these initiatives, the market provides a platform for presenting creative projects and connecting their creators with the opportunities and partnerships needed to support their development and production.
With the aim of strengthening opportunities for Arabic content development and expanding its reach across regional and international markets, Spotlight Stories gives content creators from the MENA region the opportunity to present their original scripted projects to a panel of industry professionals during a live pitching session scheduled for 11 November.
The committee will feature Malek Jaber, Head of Content at AFLAM Production; Sinan Mawad from Writables; Mishel Zreik; and Madonna Khafaja from Whitebee Media.
The initiative offers a pathway for promising stories to move from pitch to development, with the winning project having the opportunity to be developed in collaboration with Writables and progress towards production through AFLAM Production.
The initiative represents an important platform for supporting original Arabic storytelling and providing project creators with meaningful opportunities to connect with organisations that have the expertise and resources required to develop their ideas.
Meanwhile, the Producers Connect programme enables producers to meet potential partners and companies, explore opportunities for co-production projects and expand their partnerships across regional and international markets. Companies that have registered an interest in finding co-production partners include Blue Media, Assada Productions, TelevisaUnivision, Kaband, Prime Target and Inter Medya, among others.
From Turkish and Korean drama to Arabic productions, films and animation, DICM 2026 will attract production and distribution companies, broadcasters and platforms from a wide range of markets, creating new opportunities for content rights exchange and partnerships across the media and entertainment industry.
The market will host three dedicated country pavilions representing Türkiye, South Korea and Russia, offering participants access to a diverse range of content and business opportunities across different markets.
Participating organisations and companies include TRT, Kanal D International, Calinos Entertainment, OGM Universe, Inter Medya and ATV, alongside Moskino and Roskino. Korean companies and organisations include KBS Media, Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), CJ ENM, MBC Korea, SBS and Studio Gale.
Other participating companies include SMF Animation, Art Pictures Distribution, GPM Entertainment Television, Shemaroo Entertainment, OneGate Media, Assada Productions, Union Media, Vilpa Films, Prime Target, TelevisaUnivision and Caracol Television, alongside a wide range of regional broadcasters, distributors, platforms and producers.
This year's DICM Talks programme will feature sessions exploring the key transformations taking place across the global and regional media and entertainment industry, examining changing content strategies, evolving audience preferences and new approaches to production and distribution.
The programme will include "Content Isn't King Anymore", presented by Nad's Review, and "What Can Cinema and YouTube Learn From Each Other?", moderated by Zeina Merheb, with Gianluca Chakra from FrontRow Filmed Entertainment, Meryem Raji from YouTube and Amanda Turnbull from Rise Studios.