Saudi Arabia’s media landscape is rapidly evolving. Smartphone penetration is among the highest in the world, exceeding 95%, with some estimates approaching 97% to 98%, according to CST and DataReportal. Among younger users, adoption is near-universal. With more than 70% of the population under 35, audiences are consuming content on their own terms and on their own schedules. That shift is playing out against the backdrop of Saudi Vision 2030, as the kingdom accelerates its push to become a regional media hub. For broadcasters, that creates both disruption and opportunity. Few are better placed to navigate that than Ziad Hamza, head of radio and music entertainment at Saudi media conglomerate MBC Group. With a background spanning programming, content and operations, he now oversees a portfolio that bridges traditional FM radio and a rapidly expanding digital audio business.
RedTech: What originally drew you to radio and audio, and what has kept you passionate about it?
Ziad Hamza: I started my career in programming and content, working directly on what audiences hear and how they connect with it. What attracted me early on was radio’s immediacy and emotional closeness. Audio accompanies people through their daily lives in a very personal way — on the commute, during a workout, late at night. That intimacy is something no other medium quite replicates.
That hasn’t changed, even as platforms have evolved. What keeps me engaged is seeing how audio adapts — from FM to streaming and podcasts — while maintaining that same close relationship with the listener.
Saudi Arabia stands out because of its young population, high digital adoption and the scale of investment flowing into media and entertainment.
RedTech: Which experiences most shaped how you lead audio strategy today?
Hamza: Working across programming, content and operations gave me a full view of how audio works end-to-end. You can’t lead effectively if you’ve only sat on one side of the table.
As I moved into group-level roles, that perspective became critical in aligning creativity with strategy, technology and long-term sustainability. The goal is to build strategies rooted in real audience behavior, not assumptions. Audio competes for investment within a broader media group, so the case has to be clear: It’s one of the most cost-efficient ways to build scalable intellectual property, it’s essential for reaching younger audiences, and its commercial model is evolving through branded content and long-term partnerships that deliver measurable ROI.
RedTech: How do you balance creativity, data and commercial realities?
Hamza: Creative instinct is essential — it’s what differentiates content and builds loyalty — but it needs to be informed by insight and supported by sustainable business models. These are not competing forces; they work together when balanced correctly.
Data tells you where the audience is and what they are responding to. Creativity determines what you say when you get there. The risk is when data becomes a ceiling rather than a foundation. There are moments when data points toward proven international formats, but creative instinct pushes toward local ideas. In those cases, we’ve seen locally rooted shows outperform — particularly in engagement and social sharing — reinforcing that authenticity can be more powerful than familiarity.
RedTech: How has Saudi Arabia’s radio and audio market changed over the past five years?
Hamza: The shift has been significant, and in some ways faster than in more established markets. Traditional radio still delivers strong reach, but the market is now far more digitally driven. Smartphone adoption, connected cars and on-demand listening have reshaped consumption.
Audio is now part of a broader digital lifestyle, sitting alongside streaming and social platforms.
Podcasting illustrates that transformation. In just a few years, regular listening has moved from niche to mainstream, with, according to Ipsos and YouGov, around a third of internet users now engaging monthly and significantly higher uptake among younger audiences. Growth has been strongest in Arabic-language content, though gaps remain in niche programming, production consistency and discoverability, areas MBC is actively addressing through investment in Arabic-first formats, talent and distribution.
RedTech: Where does audio fit within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation?
Hamza: Audio plays a key role in supporting local talent and enabling authentic storytelling. It is also highly accessible — you do not need the budget of a TV production to create something meaningful.
That makes it an important entry point for young creators and a space for experimentation. While audio does not have a dedicated allocation within Vision 2030, it sits at the intersection of its core pillars, including talent development, digital infrastructure and cultural production.
RedTech: What distinguishes the Saudi audio market from other emerging markets?
Hamza: Saudi Arabia stands out because of its young population, high digital adoption and the scale of investment flowing into media and entertainment. There is also strong demand for locally relevant content alongside global formats.
Growth is driven as much by cultural momentum as by technology. This is evident in the rise of Saudi-hosted talk formats, personality-led shows and Arabic-language storytelling podcasts, particularly in lifestyle and entrepreneurship. A Saudi-first approach is a strength. Content that resonates locally often travels regionally thanks to authenticity.
RedTech: Hybrid models are gaining traction across the region. What is driving that?
Hamza: Broadcast radio remains powerful in terms of reach, but its impact multiplies when combined with streaming, podcasts and social platforms. Audiences move fluidly between formats throughout the day.
The strongest brands reflect that behavior rather than treating platforms in isolation.
Audience behavior differs from more mature markets such as North America. In the Middle East, consumption is mobile-first and driven by social discovery, with strong demand for personality-led and culturally relevant content. North America, by contrast, shows deeper genre fragmentation and higher adoption of subscription models.
The lesson is consistent: Understand youth culture locally rather than importing assumptions from Western markets.
RedTech: How are you engaging younger audiences?
Hamza: Younger audiences respond to authenticity, strong personalities and content that reflects their reality. Flexibility is key — live radio alongside on-demand content and social extensions.
The lesson is consistent: Understand youth culture locally rather than importing assumptions from Western markets.
A 19-year-old in Riyadh is more likely to prioritize Arabic-language content and social-first discovery, while audiences in markets like London engage with a broader mix of global podcast formats.
Audience measurement combines industry research with platform analytics. Trends show stable radio reach, alongside double-digit growth in digital audio consumption among younger listeners.
RedTech: How is audio monetization evolving in the region?
Hamza: There is a clear shift toward more integrated advertising solutions, moving beyond the traditional 30-second spot. Branded content and long-term partnerships are becoming more common, particularly in podcasting, where engagement levels are high.
Audio is also effective at delivering audiences with specific mindsets, which is valuable for advertisers.
Advertisers are increasingly using digital metrics, brand lift studies and crossplatform attribution to measure return on investment. Advertising remains the dominant model, while subscription audio is still nascent due to limited willingness to pay and the wide availability of free content. That may evolve as premium offerings strengthen.
RedTech: As AI-driven personalization reshapes audio, what is MBC’s approach?
Hamza: We see AI as an enabler across discovery, insight and workflow, while ensuring it enhances rather than standardizes culturally rooted content.
RedTech: How important is the car as a listening environment for MBC today?
Hamza: The car remains a key listening environment for us. Our focus is on seamless integration across platforms such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and we measure success through listening time, engagement and crossplatform retention.
RedTech: Looking ahead, what will define successful audio companies?
Hamza: Adaptability, cultural relevance and genuine crossplatform integration will be decisive. The companies that succeed will invest in talent while building the data and technology needed to serve audiences at scale.
Ultimately, success comes back to fundamentals: Trust, creativity and relevance. Get that right, and the platform becomes secondary.
This story originally appeared in the May/June 2026 edition of RedTech Magazine. You can read or download that edition for free here.
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