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Dubai Media City (DMC)
The Dubai Media City is a member of Dubai Holding (a Dubai government investment group) and a tax free zone in which media related companies could establish themselves. Regulatory environment is governed by TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority - established in 2000) which oversees a number of other Free Trade Zones in Dubai.
Companies with a minimum startup capital of 50,000 dhs are incorporated as a Free Zone Limited Liability Company (FZ-LLC) and DMC facilitates all arrangements for starting a business and getting set up in Dubai. It has a reputation for doing this quickly and easily compared with organising your own residence visas, work permits, and so on. The company is permitted to have 100% foreign ownership (outside Free Zones companies are required to have a local sponsor, and foreign ownership is maximum 49%) and there is a guaranteed 50 year tax exemption status.
Set up costs will vary depending on how you operate but the cheapest option is as a Freelancer and is likely to cost at least 20,000-30,000 dhs for freelance permit and trade license, hotdesk space (hot desk meaning shared desk space) in Dubai Media City, visa costs, etc for the first year.
Activities
The Dubai Media City Authority is licensed to establish companies in the areas of
- Broadcasting
- Consulting
- Electronic Media and Media Support Services
- Film Distribution, Management and Production
- Information Agencies
- Media and Marketing Services
- Music & Entertainment
- News Agencies
- Publishing
- Support Service Providers
- Web Design and Management
Companies in Dubai Media City
Some of the larger and/or more well known companies with headquarters or at least a presence in DMC are
- ARN (Arabian Radio Network)
- BBC World
- CNN
- MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Center)
- Reuters
- Showtime Arabia
- Sony
Dubai Media City numbers (source - Emirates Business 10 February 2008)
- First opened in April (?) 2001 with 99 companies.
- Annual growth of 30-40% in number of registered companies and Gross Leasable Area (GLA), expected to continue through to 2013 at least.
- As of 2011, DMC 1400 registered companies in over 30 buildings.
- 450+ magazine and other publications from DMC
- 160 satellite TV channels
- 27 more buildings under construction in the Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone, new building completed every 3 months.
- 3 hotels in the free zone with another 10 expected to open by 2010.
Contact Details
- tel DMC sales +971-4-3914555
- email sales@dubaimediacity.ae
Last update Sunday 24-Apr-2011.
Related pages
- Dubai FTZs - other free zones in Dubai
- Dubai Holding - a large Dubai government holding company, parent company of DMC.
- Dubai Internet City
- Dubai International Jazz Festival - an annual jazz music event held at DMC since 2003.
- Dubai Media City - forum topic for feedback and updates.
- List of free zones in UAE - list of FTZ in other emirates.
Related websites (new window)
- www.dubaimediacity.com - official Dubai Media City website, www.dubaimediacity.ae was also for DMC but wasn't available when last checked July 2009 (kind of ironic for a development focused on communications and media).
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