​Exploring new media in the Middle East

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University PhD candidate Nelson Omenugha attended the Misk Global Forum, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where guest speakers included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Diane Greene, CEO of Google Cloud, USA.

The two-day event brought together young leaders, creators and thinkers, and established global innovators to explore, experience and experiment with ways to ‘meet the challenge of change’.

Nelson Omenugha (pictured above, left), from Nigeria, who is pursuing a PhD about media management and disruptive technology in the Nigerian newspaper industry, joined other participants in discussions about new media technologies and how they have transformed business and interpersonal communication.

“I attended the forum for the opportunity to interact with media professionals, business owners and technology creators,” said Nelson. “The sessions provided insights not just into how to adapt to technological developments, but also how they can be harnessed to deliver new possibilities for people’s lives, and for societies.”

In the session titled ‘How to be a Journalist in a Mobile World’, Nelson assisted Arabic CNN in conducting interviews with the forum participants. The session was led by Vice President of Arabic Services at CNN, UAE, Caroline Faraj.

Other sessions Nelson participated in included ‘Hands-on Rapid Innovation’, ‘Financial Advice for Start-ups and Entrepreneurs’, and ‘Data-inspired Life: The impact of big data on living, learning and working’.

The selection process for the forum was highly competitive, but given his strong academic background Nelson was chosen as one of six people chosen to represent his country at the Misk Global Forum 2017.

Nelson holds a bachelors degree from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, and masters degrees from the University of Greenwich, London, UK, and France Business School, Poitiers, France. In addition to pursuing his PhD at XJTLU, Nelson serves as a teaching assistant for the masters-level module Global Media Cultures.

Regarding his PhD study, Nelson said:

“I’m investigating how Nigerian newspaper houses have carried on their operations in the face of disruptive new media technologies. My research will add to the growing literature on print media management and the impact of new media technologies, and will guide investors, the international community, governments, and independent media owners.”

Read more about the experiences of PhD students at XJTLU.

Find out about PhD opportunities at the XJTLU School of Film and TV Arts.

by Danny Abbasi; edited by Jacqueline Bánki; photos provided by Nelson Omenugha