emirates7 - Jim Bankoff, Co-founder, Chair and CEO of Vox Media, said the BRIDGE Summit creates a bridge of understanding by bringing people together to learn from one another and solve problems collectively.
He said progress begins with human interaction, adding that getting to know colleagues, understanding their perspectives and listening to their insights enables people to contribute where they can. “This Summit offers a unique opportunity to do so.”
In an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) at the inaugural edition of the BRIDGE Summit 2025 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, he said it was his first visit to the UAE and that he likely would not have come if it were not for the Summit and the opportunity to speak about his profession and about media. He added that he is grateful for the idea behind BRIDGE and for the opportunity it has created.
When asked what issues are shaping the media industry today, he said there are many, because the world changes quickly and society is constantly evolving, with media at the centre of these shifts. He noted that the industry is experiencing changes driven by technology, including AI and the creator economy, as well as changes in how societies and governments operate and how economies function.
He said media must reflect all of this. “It must understand what audiences need and deliver for them, and it must also understand the business implications, because it must be financially successful,” he said. He added that AI can be both a threat and an opportunity, and that his organisation works with many talented people. The question, he said, is how to provide the best platform for them, how to use technology to ensure their work is heard and how to turn these developments into the best business opportunities.
He said these are the conversations he is hearing at the event, along with a uniquely global perspective. He noted that he comes from the United States, where “it is easy to see the world only through an American lens.” Here, he said, he has heard influences from the Gulf region, Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States, adding that it is wonderful to have all these perspectives come together.
“The willingness to host the BRIDGE Summit, the investment in learning, the openness in welcoming people, learning from other companies and sharing what you have learned are exactly the steps required to move in the right direction,” he said, adding that “from what I do know, it seems the UAE is making the right moves.”
He said progress begins with human interaction, adding that getting to know colleagues, understanding their perspectives and listening to their insights enables people to contribute where they can. “This Summit offers a unique opportunity to do so.”
In an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) at the inaugural edition of the BRIDGE Summit 2025 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, he said it was his first visit to the UAE and that he likely would not have come if it were not for the Summit and the opportunity to speak about his profession and about media. He added that he is grateful for the idea behind BRIDGE and for the opportunity it has created.
When asked what issues are shaping the media industry today, he said there are many, because the world changes quickly and society is constantly evolving, with media at the centre of these shifts. He noted that the industry is experiencing changes driven by technology, including AI and the creator economy, as well as changes in how societies and governments operate and how economies function.
He said media must reflect all of this. “It must understand what audiences need and deliver for them, and it must also understand the business implications, because it must be financially successful,” he said. He added that AI can be both a threat and an opportunity, and that his organisation works with many talented people. The question, he said, is how to provide the best platform for them, how to use technology to ensure their work is heard and how to turn these developments into the best business opportunities.
He said these are the conversations he is hearing at the event, along with a uniquely global perspective. He noted that he comes from the United States, where “it is easy to see the world only through an American lens.” Here, he said, he has heard influences from the Gulf region, Asia, Africa, Europe and the United States, adding that it is wonderful to have all these perspectives come together.
“The willingness to host the BRIDGE Summit, the investment in learning, the openness in welcoming people, learning from other companies and sharing what you have learned are exactly the steps required to move in the right direction,” he said, adding that “from what I do know, it seems the UAE is making the right moves.”