Sharjah Media City, one of the newest free zones in the emirate, will start issuing licenses to media professionals in the first quarter of 2017, a Sharjah official said on Wednesday.

The City, which aims to become a regional media hub, was established in January 2016 by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The free zone will issue licenses to companies, freelancers and entrepreneurs working in the media, technology and creative industries, Sharjah Media Corporation director general Khalid Omar Al Midfa said at the Sharjah FDI Forum.

Similar free zones are present in the region including in Abu Dhabi and Dubai with TwoFour54 and Dubai Media City, respectively.

Al Midfa said Sharjah Media City wants to host the “next big thing in media.”

“We will be … calling for the investors to come from every part of the word to start their media and technology and creative company related businesses,” he said.

Sharjah Media City will operate as an independent corporate body with financial and administrative independence, Gulf News reported in January.

Like other free zones, registered companies and business professionals will be exempt from taxes and local fees.

The United Arab Emirates has seen relative success in the development of media free zones. American news channel CNN has established bureaus in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai, whilst Abu Dhabi has attracted international film production to the emirate including ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’.

In an interview with Gulf News on Tuesday, Sharjah Development & Investment Authority (Shurooq) Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal told Gulf News Sharjah should consider developing policies to attract Bollywood film production.