BEA2026

Over the past decade, media systems in Egypt and the wider Arab region have been reconfigured by intersecting forces: securitized state policy, cross-border media competition among Gulf powers, platform governance over speech, and the rapid diffusion of AI-enabled newswork. These dynamics reshape who sets agendas, how conflicts are framed, and which publics are reachable—especially during crises (e.g., the 2017 intra-GCC rift, Gaza/Palestine coverage since 2023; and climate diplomacy around COP28).
Empirically, Egypt exemplifies renewed ownership concentration and regulatory centralization, while transnational broadcasters (Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya, Sky News Arabia) continue to project soft power and contest narratives region-wide. At the same time, platform moderation and algorithmic distribution increasingly mediate visibility of Arabic content, with mounting evidence of asymmetric enforcement during conflict. Finally, newsrooms across MENA experiment—unevenly—with AI for translation, verification, and automation, under conditions of economic precarity and regulatory risk.
Importantly, diaspora media outlets and transnational content creators extend these dynamics beyond the Arab region. Arab diasporas in Europe and North America rely on satellite television, digital-native platforms, and community media to follow regional developments, while simultaneously refracting Arab affairs through the lens of immigrant life abroad. Content about wars in Gaza, protests in Sudan, or reforms in Egypt not only sustains transnational ties but also shapes debates on integration, discrimination, and political mobilization in host societies. In turn, Arab affairs affect immigrants’ sense of identity, belonging, and activism, as seen in diaspora-led digital campaigns on Palestine, or the mobilization of Egyptian communities in the US and UK around regime politics. This dual circulation highlights the mutual entanglement of Arab and diaspora media ecologies, where geopolitical shifts at home reverberate through immigrant publics abroad and vice versa.
This panel advances a comparative, multi-method account of these shifts, integrating policy analysis, content/platform studies, newsroom research, and diaspora media scholarship to theorize “geo-platformized media orders” in the Arab world, with Egypt as an anchoring case.

Dr. Hussein Amin: moderator
Dr. Ahmed ElGody: discussant
Dr. Mahitab Ezz El Din: panelist

Dr. Rasha Allam: panelist

Dr. Nadine ElSayed: panelist

Prof. Salma ElGhetany: panelist

Moderator: Hussein Amin, American University in Cairo
Panelists: Rasha Allam, American University in Cairo; Platform Power under Authoritarianism: Social Media, Influencers, and the Future of Egyptian Media
Mahitab Ezz El Din, Linnaeus University; Arab Diaspora Media in Sweden: Countering Disinformation and Mediating Migrant Experiences
Nadine El Sayed, The American University in Cairo; The Shifting Political Economies of the Egyptian Media
Salma El Ghetany, American University in Cairo; Platform Power, Algorithmic Silences, and Fast Moving Consumer News in Arab Media
Respondent: Ahmed El Gody, Orebro University

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming economies, societies, and media landscapes worldwide, and the Arab region is no exception. Governments across the Middle East and North Africa are increasingly investing in AI strategies to drive digital transformation, diversify economies, and enhance public services. At the same time, challenges such as limited research infrastructure, uneven access to data, regulatory gaps, and skills shortages continue to hinder effective adoption. This presentation explores the dual trajectory of AI in the Arab world: the opportunities it creates for innovation, education, media, and governance, alongside the socio-technical and ethical challenges it raises. Drawing on regional policy frameworks, case studies, and global comparisons, the discussion will highlight how Arab states can leverage AI responsibly while addressing risks related to employment, privacy, and algorithmic bias. The presentation aims to contribute to a critical dialogue on ensuring that AI deployment in the Arab context is inclusive, sustainable, and aligned with local priorities.

Panelists: Hussein Amin, American University in Cairo; Artificial Intelligence in the Arab World: Challenges and Opportunities
Ahmed El Gody, Orebro University; The Role of Social Media Influencers in the UAE as a Tool of Soft Power
Salma El Ghetany, American University in Cairo; AI Policy Agendas in the Arab World: Between Aspiration and Implementation
Khaled H. Alqahs, Kuwait University; Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Broadcasting Education: A Comparative Study of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Universities
Respondent: Mahitab Ezz El Din, Linnaeus University

The rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping both the media ecosystem and journalism education with unprecedented force. While AI enhances content production and distribution, it also raises pressing debates around algorithmic ethics, information authenticity, and human–machine relations. This panel, featuring scholars from Communication University of China, City University of Hong Kong, and other international institutions, will explore how technological transformations redefine media practices and educational paradigms, and how global collaboration can address these shared challenges.

Moderator: Shuhua Zhou, City University of Hong Kong
Panelists: Weihua Wu, Communication University of China, Reproducing Intangible Cultural Heritage with Generative AI: A Critical Media Study of Z-Generation Youth in China
Seok Kang, University of Texas - San Antonio, Transformations and Directions of Future Newsrooms with Artificial Intelligence: Shaping, Redefining, and Challenging Journalistic Practices
YUEHONG YU, Communication University of China, What Should Content Creators Do in the Age of Artificial Intelligence? Core Competencies and Practical Pathways
Xiaodong Gui, Communication University of China
Jiabiao Xu, Shaanxi Normal University, Reconstructing Capabilities and Redefining Boundaries: Diverse Transformation Paths in Journalism Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Yuping Jin, Xinjiang University
CHANGCHUN XUAN, Xiamen University
Shiwen Wu, The school of Journalism and Communication, Wuhan University

In light of recent cutbacks to U.S. international broadcasting, this panel explores the evolving role of Voice of America (VOA) and its counterparts in shaping global media. From shortwave radio to digital platforms, these broadcasters have long served as tools of public diplomacy. As artificial intelligence and mis/disinformation reshape the media landscape, the mission and credibility of international broadcasting are more vital than ever.
Moderator: Lance Liguez, University of Texas - Arlington
Panelists: Tom L Ingram, University of Texas - Arlington
LaDonna Lynn Aiken, University of Texas - Arlington
Andrew Clark, LeTourneu University

Moderator: Jeff Wilkinson, Florida A&M University

Debut Paper Competition
Debut 1st Place Paper: Shahla Shahnaz Dyuti, Bowling Green State University, S M Russel Rabbi; Bowling Green State University & Louisa Ha, Bowling Green State University; How Social Media Influencers Navigate Hate Speech: A Comparative Study of Exposure and Coping Strategies between South Asian and Influencers Worldwide

Debut 2nd Place Paper: Gangheong Lee; Kyungpook National University; Myeong Cheol Kang, Kyungpook National University & Ha Na Kwon, Kyungpook National University; Comparing the International News Framing of Pro-Palestinian Protests at University Campuses in 2024

Open Paper Competition
Open 1st Place Paper: Ivanka Pjesivac; University of Georgia; Sohyun Park; University of Georgia & Moses Okocha; University of Georgia; Framing of the 2024 American Elections in International Media: A Comparison Among Nine Countries

Open 2nd Place Paper: Hee Jay Kim, Kyungpook National University; Shichao Zhang, Kyungpook National University & Chung Joo Chung, Kyungpook National University; BERTopic analysis of impeachment discourse in Korean media