Even with all the possibilities for communication that exist today, there is still no substitution for real, human contact. That’s why, Shababtalk, the talk show for millennials on DW (Arabia) started its Arab World Tour.

“The show has become a voice for young Arabs,” says Shababtalk host Jaafar Abdul-Karim. “That’s why we want to get closer to our audience and topics. A tour like this is the first of its kind in Arab TV programming.”

This past week, Shababtalk was broadcast from Rabat, Morocco, produced in cooperation with the television stations Al Oula and Al Maghriba. This was the third stop on the tour, after successful shows in Baghdad, Iraq and Tunis, Tunisia.

Under the Moroccan stars

In Rabat, Abdul-Karim invited guests to a different kind of television studio, set up in front of the gates to the city. This current show revolved around how the younger generation can influence political decisions in Morocco – something that strikes a chord with nearly everyone. The participants couldn’t come to a consensus either, with political representatives stating that everyone has a voice, to a podcast producer saying that the political elite “don’t even speak our language”.

This is a reaction that is typical for the show, which tries to shed light on different opinions. The editorial team behind the program addresses bold topics and social issues that are generally considered sensitive or a taboo in Arabic-speaking countries. Whereas young audiences perceive this as a welcome sign of openness, the show has repeatedly stirred the anger of conservative forces and government officials in the region.

The Arab World Tour is just a further element of DW’s Local Heroes campaign. The next stop will be Cairo on October 24.

MyDW has developed a new section that highlights the peope who are working behind the scenes and in front of the camera. The latest is a Q&A with Jaafar Abdul Karim, who is currently working on Shababtalk. One goal that he has for his work? To present the show inside the studio but to also incorporate his experiences from his foreign assignments and stays abroad into the show. As a reporter during the Arab spring Karim was always present on-site: in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

 

DW will be presenting its wide-reaching changes and programming highlights for the Arab world  at the 9th Convergence Summit in Amman, Jordan on May 22 and 23. DW’s Social Media Manager Julia Hildebrand will be taking part in the conference that is organized by the Arab Advisors Group.

DW has increased its focus on regional programming and intercultural dialogue in the Middle East with a schedule that offers 10 hours of Arabic programming and a six-hour block during primetime. This new programming line-up is tailored to meet the needs of the region’s broadcasters with a renewed focus on local partner-ships.

The success of “Shababtalk” can already speak for itself. More than 3.6 million viewers were tuning in to each episode in the show’s first three weeks. And the coproduction with Egypt’s market leader Al Hayah has been registering a market share of nearly 15 percent. The talk show brings together young representatives from the democratic movement in Egypt with their German counterparts from youth organizations, political parties and other associations.

DW focused on dialogue again with “On the Pulse”. It’s a talk show that brings Arab and German experts together to discuss issues related to democratization, politics, economics, the role of the government, justice and reli-gion.

Deutsche Welle and Al Hayah TV have officially started their cooperation tby producing the first episode of Shababtalk in Cairo. The coproduction is one of four new, regionalized talk shows that focus on the Arab world.

Shababtalk is a talk show for the future, which brings together young representatives from the democratic movement in Egypt with their German counterparts from youth organizations, political parties and other associations. The 30-minute show will alternate being produced in Berlin and Cairo each week and broadcast on DW-TV ARABIA and Al Hayah TV.

“I am especially pleased that we are able to work with Al Hayah TV on Shababtalk. It brings a new focus to the dialogue on regional issues – and DW-TV and Al Hayah TV are on the forefront of productive cooperation between Europe and North Africa,” says Christoph Lanz, Director of DW-TV. “It is extremely important to exchange information and learn from one another in today’s day and age. With our new talk show, we will be providing a weekly, lively contribution to the transformation in Egypt – and beyond.”

“We aren’t just talking about dialogue – we are making it happen,” says Naser Shrouf, DW’s Head of Distribution for Africa/ Middle East. “Shababtalk shows how the media can get involved in the exchange of information between cultures and examines the ideas that the leaders of tomorrow are bringing to the table.”

This new coproduction is just part of Deutsche Welle’s international strategy. By introducing new, regionalized productions, the broadcaster is helping improve the connection to its viewers around the world.

Along with Shababtalk, DW-TV ARABIA is also introducing a range of new talk shows, each covering a different facet of modern life.