ROME, Apr (IPS) – The IPS Arabic service has strongly increased its presence in Arab media over the last few months, amidst wide-spreading Arab popular uprisings.

Around 50 new ‘news-blogs’ and new online small size media have been tracked using the IPS Arabic service, as well as new specialised cultural, political and religious regional networks.

This represents around a 45% increase in IPS publications in Arab media, with a current total of around 170 printed and online media and blogs in 18 Arab countries.

The new IPS Arabic service users are mostly located in Bahrain, Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

This increase is mostly attributed to the wider use of internet and social media networks, in particular by Arab youth, creating new blogs and online information and communication networks.

Through the IPS news partnership with Al Jazeera, IPS news features from the region and beyond are picked up by the Al Jazeera English website, reaching huge online audiences. Read the latest from Syria from IPS correspondent Emad Mekay.

This progress builds on success that the IPS Arabic service had already registered in 2010, with a strong increase in Arab media, with around 50 new users as compared with the year 2009.

Meanwhile, IPS launched a donations’ campaign aimed at strengthening its independent coverage of ongoing Arab revolutions. Click below to support our independent reporting.