Digital multimedia is set to explode in coming years, with experts predicting that 90 per cent of all content on the Web will take the form of video by 2015, said Google’s industry head of the Gulf.

Alfonso de Gaetano of Google spoke with Northwestern University in Qatar student Yara Fakhroo in an exclusive interview about the rise of digital multimedia—a combination of text, audio, still images, animation, or video delivered electronically—and its social and business implications during a recent visit to Doha.

“Being digital needs to be a key part of your strategy whenever you want to communicate something,” said Gaetano, adding that simply having a blog or website no longer guarantees that your digital voice will be heard.

“With nearly 8.7 billion pages of content currently on the Web, “it has become more difficult to be visible on the web,” Gaetano said.

Individuals and companies must develop digital literacy and fluency across media platforms to cut through the clutter of information available to audiences and consumers today, he added.

Dean and CEO of Northwestern University in Qatar, Dr Everette Dennis, said: “Our mission is to create a talent bench for Qatar and the region as we prepare our students for leadership in the digital, global 21st century economy. Engaging the leaders of the media industry is one of the most effective ways for our students to gain insights into the exciting opportunities that await them.”

“As a media student I am inspired rather than intimidated by what Alfonso had to say,” said Fakhroo. “At Northwestern we are trained to operate across a variety of mediums, and I feel well prepared to navigate the competitive media environment that we will face upon graduation.”

As part of her journalism major at Northwestern University in Qatar, Fakhroo was required to take a visual journalism class during her sophomore year that had her report complex stories with still and video cameras and the latest editing software.

Gaetano also highlighted the need for expanding quality Arabic content on the web, saying, “We need to make sure people in the region have access to relevant content in the language they speak.”

Although 50 per cent of people’s media time is spent on the web in the Gulf region, only about 1.5 per cent of all content on the Internet is in Arabic.

“This is why Northwestern’s programmes are here, it’s what our studies are preparing us for – to create quality content for Qatar and the region that engages people’s interest and is relevant to their lives,” Fakhroo added. – TradeArabia News Service