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Mo Islam, host of the English-language podcast “The Mo Show,” spoke at The Podcast Show 2025 in London on Thursday, May 22. He participated in a session that explored the development of Saudi Arabia’s podcasting sector and the country’s broader media landscape.
The 30-minute conversation, moderated by Darryl von Däniken, the founder of IRF Group and advisor to the Saudi Media Forum, traced Islam’s entry into podcasting during the pandemic and the evolution of “The Mo Show.” Islam has gained recognition in the region, including for his interview with former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the 2025 Saudi Media Forum in Riyadh.
During the session, Islam discussed how the show began and why it has found an audience in Saudi Arabia and internationally. He reflected on the country’s young, digitally engaged population and their growing interest in podcast culture. The conversation also covered the potential of audio to foster dialogue, the rise of media investment in the Kingdom, and the emergence of the Saudi Media Forum as a platform for international media engagement.
Increasing appetite for authentic audio content
According to von Däniken, this marked the first time a Saudi podcast host has appeared as a speaker at The Podcast Show, a prominent industry event focused on the business of podcasting.
Von Däniken also joined Karima Kouah of BBC World Service in a separate session on the International Gallery Stage to discuss podcasting trends in the Middle East and North Africa. The discussion highlighted the region’s increasing appetite for authentic audio content, locally driven innovation, and the growing role of podcasting in connecting diverse audiences and markets.
Projections cited at the event suggest the MENA region could reach 430 million digital consumers and exceed US$8 billion in market value by 2030. Saudi Arabia alone is expected to invest more than US$64 billion in its media and creative economy under its Vision 2030 strategy.
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