Sky News Arabia’s "Business with Lubna" has become the channel’s second most-viewed programme on social media platforms, giving an insight into what Arab audiences want from their news content.
Hosted by Lubna Bouza, Head of Business News and Presenter at Sky News Arabia, the programme follows a straightforward, conversational format, giving the audience a way of understanding the world of business without the jargon. Each episode features a mix of topical and evergreen subjects, with a range of featured experts, to add deeper insight into everything from the economics of luxury bags to the uses of ChatGPT 4o.
Having organically reached nearly 34 million people across social media in just three months, the show has attracted support from Gen Z to Gen X, facilitated by its uniquely hybrid TV and digital platform programme delivery. The programme drives interest from both men and women, with strong views from the entire MENA region.
First launched in May, the show has been created with both TV and social media audiences in mind. Short clips shared across various platforms have reached a wide cross-section of demographics across the Arab World, with the Instagram video reaching 12.4 million views (36.56% of the total) and TikTok reaching 12.3 million views (36.23%). Clips on TikTok had an average watch time of 37 seconds – the highest of any platform – with the second-highest engagement rate, with 440,000 interactions.
Rani R. Raad, CEO of IMI, said,"IMI is on a journey to transform the way each of our operating assets produces and delivers news, knowledge, and factual entertainment to contemporary audiences around the world. As part of this journey, Sky News Arabia is undergoing a series of major changes as they aim to deliver engaging content created for modern-day viewers. ‘Business with Lubna’ is the first of many changes geared to reach new consumers while enriching the engagement experience of existing ones, all as part of our ambition for Sky News Arabia to be the world’s leading Arabic news network."
‘Business with Lubna’ is one of several new programmes launched on Sky News Arabia in recent weeks, including ‘Morning with Maha’ led by Maha Abdullah and the sports programme ‘Counter Attack’ with presenter Moosa Al Balushi. The transformation of the channel is led by its General Manager, Nadim Koteich who was appointed in January.
Nadim Koteich commented: "The evolution of our programming line-up and content offering is a testament to IMI’s strategic vision of refining and innovating our content delivery to meet the ever-changing needs of our audiences. At Sky News Arabia, we have experienced first-hand the profound impact digital platforms have had on the way people consume news and information. The evolution of news consumption that has placed online platforms on par with linear TV has been remarkable, and by developing programmes with a digital audience in mind, we are not only expanding our reach but also offering our viewers the flexibility to engage with content on their own terms. We are thrilled with the positive response so far and look forward to witnessing the continued success of ‘Business with Lubna.'"
Demographics across each of the platforms show that Bouza’s approach cuts across generations and geographies, with content proving popular in Algeria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia on Facebook, and with an audience of 35- to 44-year-olds, as well as 25- to 34-year-olds on TikTok. Each day, viewers tuning into the programme on TV or online can learn about a select number of trending topics in the business world, as well as the impact that world news has on economies around them. The programme is also posted in snippets across social media, with viewers often using the comment section to engage in business discussions.
Lubna Bouza commented: "From the data we have, it is clear that our presentation style is strongly resonating with audiences from different age groups, genders, and nationalities. Our objective is to move away from the noise to get to the bottom of the news and offer a deeper understanding to anyone from CEOs and entrepreneurs to those exploring the world of business for the first time. I am humbled to see the success of the program, and I want to give a big ‘thank you’ to the team working tirelessly with me each day to deliver this unique product."
Business with Lubna airs Monday through Thursday at 15:30 UAE time on Sky News Arabia. Viewers can catch the latest episodes by visiting the Sky News Arabia website, the SNA Business website and on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok. Previous episodes are also available on YouTube.
For more information, follow @lubnabouza, @businesssna and @skynewsarabia.