The Department of Mass Communication at American University of Sharjah (AUS) hosted a panel on media audience research entitled "Making Sense of Media: A Closer Look at Audience Research," on March 17. The panel focused on audience measurement, research and data sources in the Middle East and North Africa and consisted of two short presentations and an open discussion with two international experts in the field of media audience research. The presenters were Sarah Messer, Director of Media for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan at Nielsen and Luara Chaibi, head of digital research for MBC.

The panel discussed issues pertaining to the current developments in audience research focusing on the media on the Middle East and North Africa including making sense of the evolution of audience research, audience research as a driver of progress and innovation in media and business, primary and secondary data sources for audience research, and big data and its role in creating the overall picture.

The audience comprised students and faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences.