This study focuses on the major sociocultural attributes of communication via Facebook in two different geographical settings. It identifies cross-cultural differences among two different student cohorts in the UAE and the UK. Sociocultural specificities were addressed by means of quantitative surveying complemented by qualitative interviewing. The social information processing (SIP) theory and Geerte Hofstede theory of 'cultural dimensions' represented the epistemological framework for the study. The findings indicate that although the users shared similar responses in terms of their preferences and uses, the study shows that they differ in certain key points related to online behaviour and communication modes (e.g. preferences for contacting friends), conceptualization of Facebook (an extension to university life or a portal to the world) and issues of privacy (expressing oneself openly). These deviations reflect essentially a cultural dissimilarity, which is a core point of the study.

The aim of this study is to establish the correlation between the growth, diffusion and innovation of global media models and formats on the one hand and, on the other, the sustenance of the media industry in the Arab countries. Communication scholars maintain that global mass communication is a multifaceted phenomenon. This is reflected in the direct transmission and distribution of media channels, the spread of international media such as the BBC World Service, the creation of domestic media output and the foreign global formats and genres that are tailored to suit domestic audiences. This study utilizes the theoretical development approach. The conceptual framework underpinning this study focuses on different approaches to development media theory. It maintains that global media need to be analysed with new paradigms, positioning socio-economic indicators as core variables in the global media sphere.

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