At InterMedia, we know the need for research on communications and public attitudes throughout MENA has only grown exponentially, and will continue to grow. InterMedia’s in-house team of researchers and analysts is dedicated to understanding media, communications and attitudes in the region. In the past eight years, InterMedia has supervised and implemented more than 400 quantitative and qualitative projects in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the UAE and Yemen.
Team members work in Arabic, Dari, Persian and Turkish as well as French and German. They possess an intimate knowledge and understanding of the region's complex political and social dynamics as well as its long history and collective memories. Despite the difficulties and limitations of conducting research and evaluation in parts of the region, InterMedia is constantly adapting and customizing its tools and methodologies, while respecting best practice, to suit conditions on the ground.
Evading Generalizations
Complex, disparate, rich in history and tradition; varying widely in dialect, political system and economic development, the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) evade “one-size-fits-all” generalizations.
The skyscrapers and technological adroitness found in modern Kuwait clashes with the poverty and absence of infrastructure in war-torn Afghanistan. Some freedoms widely enjoyed by Turks are punishable by prison or even death in Syria.In some countries, particularly in the wealthy Persian Gulf kingdoms, there is a satellite dish on nearly every roof and a cell phone in every pocket. InterMedia's analysts find that television, radio, print press and, increasingly, SMS deliver 24-hour news and entertainment, igniting trends, fueling political movements and shepherding public opinion. In other MENA countries, repressive governments try to stem the flow of communication, both vertically and horizontally, but in an increasingly technological world, these efforts are becoming more and more futile.
Our clients want accurate, up-to-date information that will help them plan, initiate and evaluate their programs in the region, no matter what the political climate. Given the urgency of resolving MENA’s many conflicts, promoting political liberalization, stimulating socio-economic development and preventing the export of terror and violence worldwide, precise knowledge about these countries is especially vital now. InterMedia provides it.
Haleh Vaziri is Regional Research Manager for MENA.