coverstory_cover story 26/02/2014 18:20 Page 2
Still plenty of
opportunities
ViewSat is a UK-based facilities
house, and despite plenty of
competition has been able to win
contracts out of the region.
Entertainment as well as religious
channels dominate, with players
such as Monlisa, Arabic Song,
Hones, Shere3 el harm and Bon
Sores already on air. Safia Rana,
head of sales and marketing at
ViewSat states “The MENA
broadcasting landscape has
changed to include more political
and entertainment programming,
particularly due to new Egyptian
channels. There are also more
channels starting up.”
worth some $4.3 billion
now that it has fully
acquired the ‘Pehla’
the report saying that by 2018 that number
year loan to “further strengthen our core
will expand to nearer 22% of viewers, with a
business”. David Butorac, chief executive
growing number being generated by local
officer of OSN, said at the time: “The pay-TV
Middle East cable and telco-based IP
industry in the MENA region is fast-growing
delivery of encrypted programming.
and has enormous growth potential. Given
Perhaps the largest boost to OSN’s
the changing preferences of television
numbers will come from its adding of the
audiences who value premium and exclusive
former Arab Radio & Television ‘Pehla’
content that OSN is consistently focused on
bouquet to the OSN portfolio late last year.
delivering, this potential is becoming
Pehla Media & Entertainment targets the
increasingly tangible.” OSN is said to be
South Asian expatriate
community in and around the
Gulf states. Pehla carries
channels sourced from Hindi,
Urdu, Bengali, Tamil and
Malayam broadcasters.
IPO. A widely-expected OSN
Initial Public Offering did not
take place, although the
broadcaster successfully
Source: Digital TV Research
financed a $200 million five-
media and
entertainment portfolio
of 40 South Asian
speciality channels.
And OSN is not
alone. Two powerful
sports suppliers are
busier than ever in the
region in the shape of
Abu Dhabi Media and Al
Jazeera Sport. Their
deep pockets are
financing exclusive
sports rights and a
vibrant – and highly
competitive – environment for viewers.
A newer entity, MyHD, launched last
summer in a joint-venture with Arabsat.
MyHD offers a bouquet of HD channels at
an ultra-low cost. By July 30, it had
announced that nine Rotana HD channels
would be added to the bundle of 41 premium
channels of which 35 are in HD.
SUCCESS. CEO Cliff Nelson, who has a
long history in Middle East pay-TV, also
announced that Irdeto would be
protecting his playout. MyHD
has also signed up leading
Filipino channels from GMA
Network, which should appeal to
the region’s large number of guest
workers. GMA has switched
al