Table of Contents
Topic Summary
100% Foreign Ownership With No Local Sponsor
Setting up through Meydan Free Zone allows full foreign ownership of your information services business, eliminating the need for a local Emirati partner. This gives operators complete control over their business from day one.
Wide Range of Covered Information Activities
License code 6390.00 covers news agencies, press syndicates, media monitoring, content intelligence, directory enquiry services, and knowledge delivery under one activity. This broad scope lets operators serve diverse corporate, government, and media clients from a single license.
Strong Institutional Demand Drives Market Opportunity
Dubai's concentration of 2,500-plus media and communications firms creates sustained demand for licensed content intelligence and media monitoring services. Government and corporate clients across the UAE and wider region actively seek these services.
Strategic Backing From UAE Government Frameworks
Media and information services are explicitly supported under We the UAE 2031 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, with regulatory oversight from the UAE Media Council. This policy environment provides long-term stability for licensed operators.
Zero Corporate Tax on Qualifying Income
Businesses licensed through Meydan Free Zone benefit from zero corporate tax on qualifying income alongside full profit repatriation. Combined with a fully digital licensing process, this makes the setup fast and cost-effective.
Know Exactly What This License Does Not Cover
Broadcasting, newspaper publishing, data processing, IT services, internet portals, and library or archive activities all fall under separate license codes and are excluded from this activity. Operators should confirm their specific services fit within the 6390.00 scope before applying.
How to Start Other Information Service Activities Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
A licensed other information service activities business — covering news agencies, press syndicates, media monitoring, content intelligence, and directory enquiry services — serves Dubai's media and information economy.¹
Dubai Media City's concentration of 2,500+media and communications firms, a national press wire (WAM), and the UAE government's ambition to position the country as a global media hub drive sustained demand for licensed information services.²
For operators, this activity benefits from UAE Media Council oversight, a growing digital media market, and strong institutional and corporate demand for content intelligence and information services.³
That combination of media-hub status, digital-media growth, and strong institutional demand for content intelligence is exactly where the opportunity lies.
The UAE has positioned media and information services as strategic pillars under We the UAE 2031 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, with explicit regulatory support from the UAE Media Council.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| News agencies and press content operators | Organisations operating as news agencies, press syndicates, or wire services distributing news, features, and content to media and corporate clients. |
| Content intelligence and media monitoring services | Businesses providing press clipping, media monitoring, content intelligence, and analytics to corporate, government, and PR clients. |
| Knowledge, research and information delivery services | Operators providing specialist information, telephone directory enquiries, research, and knowledge-delivery services to business and consumer clients. |
Setting up through Meydan Free Zone means100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, full profit repatriation, and a fully digital licensing process, giving you a fast and cost-effective route into the Dubai information-services market.
6390.00 - Other Information Service Activities
Under this activity, you are in the business of operating a licensed other information service activities business, covering news agencies, press syndicates, press clipping and media monitoring, content intelligence, telephone directory enquiries, and other information services not classified under earlier codes.
Services are delivered under UAE MediaCouncil oversight and the applicable federal media regulations, with appropriate systems, staffing, and compliance in place.²
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| News Agencies and Press Syndication | Core information delivery. News agency, press wire, and content syndication services distributing news and features to media, corporate, and government clients. |
| Content Intelligence and Media Monitoring | Monitoring and analytics. Press clipping, media monitoring, content intelligence, and analytics services for corporate and institutional clients. |
| Directory and Enquiry Services | Structured information. Telephone directory enquiries and other structured information and enquiry services. |
| Knowledge and Research Delivery | Specialist information. Research, knowledge delivery, and specialist information services to business and consumer clients. |
| Regional Reach | Market coverage. Delivery to clients across Dubai, the wider UAE, and regional markets within the scope of this activity. |
There are some things this activity does not cover. Broadcasting and programme production, motion picture and sound recording, publishing of newspapers and periodicals, internet portal and web search, IT services, and data processing and hosting fall under separate codes.
Activities of libraries and archives are classified separately and are not covered under this activity.
In short: if you are operating a news agency, press syndication service, media monitoring platform, content intelligence service, or other information service not covered by an earlier classification, you are in. If you are broadcasting, publishing, processing data at a technical level, or operating a library or archive, you are not.
Third-Party Approval
No third-party approval is required for this business activity. Your Meydan Free Zone trade licence is sufficient to begin operations under this activity code.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
¹ The Business Research Company - Information Services Global Market Report - https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/information-services-global-market-report
² UAE Media Council - Sector Performance 2024 - https://uaemc.gov.ae/en/news/uae-media-council-reviews-media-sector-performance-in-2024/
³ Grand View Research - UAE Digital Media Market - https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/digital-media-market/uae
