LEADING THE DIGITAL CHARGE
Industry leaders embrace bold strategies to outpace the competition
GROUP
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Shiyas Kareem shiyas.kareem@cpitrademedia.com
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EDITORIAL
Editor Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com
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ADVERTISING
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STUDIO
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FOUNDER
Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015)
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WELCOME
When the industry’s crème de la crème gathers, their discussions take centre stage, as their decisions shape local implementations, spending and revenue, and can truly set the trajectory of the region’s media sector. BroadcastPro ME has consistently attracted the market elite for these discussions, where they have shared their expertise and insights with the wider industry. This is no small feat, but it’s a responsibility we embrace to ensure the industry remains well-informed while fostering closer connections. Our January issue carries a wealth of information from the panellists who shared their perspectives with the industry at the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit in November.
I believe their insights go way beyond market predictions to truly uncover the essence of the current MENA media and entertainment landscape, what it is likely to evolve into, and all the complexities that lie in between. This edition holds the blueprint for what lies ahead in 2025, offering a window into the future of the MENA media industry.
The momentum doesn’t stop here. The BroadcastPro Summit KSA is set to take place at Voco Riyadh on February 25, where we’ll spotlight Saudi Arabia, which is an economic powerhouse brimming with resources, talent and an increasingly discerning audience. You can expect to hear from some of the leading voices in one of the region’s most dynamic markets at our conference.
As we step into the New Year, we’re excited to share some news of our own. BroadcastPro ME is embarking on an exciting new chapter. After a decade as part of CPI Trade Media and four years with CPI Media Group, we will now operate as an independent entity under the banner of CPI Pro Media. This strategic move will allow us to be more agile, innovative and responsive to the evolving needs of our industry.
Here’s to a New Year of bold ideas, meaningful conversations and transformative growth.
VIJAYA CHERIAN, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
COVER STORY RESHAPING THE MEDIA NARRATIVE
BroadcastPro ME brought together some of MENA’s M&E leaders to discuss how they were navigating an altered media landscape with an evolving SVOD market, the rise of AI, GCC regulations and the impact of data on content acquisition, among other topics
TECH
ADDRESSING THE MEDIA TECH LANDSCAPE
MENA media CTOs discuss how they are embracing and leveraging the latest technological innovations, from AI-driven personalisation and dy namic broadcasting scalability to enhanced streaming flexibility, to drive growth in their organisations
INTERVIEW CALL OF THE WILD
Canadian studio Blue Ant Media has been making ambitious inroads into the Middle East with Love Nature. Chiara McKee talks about the company’s vision in the region
UPDATE NEWS
Fourth Wall to be AlUla Studios’ first production; Yango Play and ThePlanet Studios announce Prestige; Asharq TV transforms remote production with TVU; OSNtv and Synamedia launch Connected TV ad services; new appointments at ARET and Editshare; and more
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OTT PANEL STREAMING SMARTER
As streamers vie intensely for eyeballs, regional players share how content localisation, collaborations, user engagement and the integration of e-commerce with entertainment are helping them stay ahead of their global counterparts
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GUEST COLUMN WHY CLOUD IS THE IDEAL CHOICE!
Lelde Ardava from Veset suggests that broadcasters should adopt a cloud-based approach to security and disaster recovery for a more optimal strategy 32 28
Fourth Wall to be AlUla Studios’ first production
Film AlUla, the film agency of the Royal Commission for AlUla, and Stampede Arabia, a subsidiary of Stampede Ventures, will begin production on Fourth Wall in Q1 2025. This will be the first film shot at the new AlUla Studios in Saudi Arabia and is a major milestone in Film AlUla’s journey as a premier destination for global filmmaking.
Written by Jerry
Kontogiorgis, the film will be produced by Greg Silverman and Grant Torre of Stampede. With the production of
NMK ELECTRONICS LAUNCHES NEW EXPERIENCE CENTER IN KSA
NMK Electronics, a Midwich Group Company, launched its Experience Center and showcased advanced AV technologies at NMK InterActiVe 2024 in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia’s professional AV
market is set to grow at a CAGR of over 7% by 2026. In line with this growth, NMK Electronics hosted its event, which brought together over 400 professionals including partners, vendors, clients and end users.
Fourth Wall, Film AlUla, Stampede Ventures and subsidiary Stampede Arabia have also redefined the
strategic direction of their partnership. The initial collaboration has been recalibrated to focus on producing a specific slate of four films well-suited for production at AlUla Studios. Further, under the partnership, the two entities will train and mentor Saudi film professionals, including aspiring youth, to help shape their careers as production crew.
VSN APPOINTS BUTTERFLY MEDIA AS EXCLUSIVE MIDDLE EAST PARTNER
Butterfly Media, a specialist in media technology solutions, has entered into an agreement with Video Stream Networks (VSN) to become its exclusive Middle East commercial partner. Through this partnership, it will market and distribute VSN’s advanced media and broadcast technology solutions across key Arab markets including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Lebanon. This partnership aims to support the digital transformation and optimisation of media processes across the region.
Sanaa Sammour, MD of Butterfly Media, said: “This partnership has already borne fruit with a successful launch of Al Sabah TV in Kuwait, leveraging VSN solutions through Butterfly Media.”
Backed by Butterfly Media, VSN will offer its solutions to new clients in the Middle East, enabling enhanced integration and customisation to meet the specific needs of regional clients.
AlUla is promoting itself as a premier destination for global filmmaking.
Neom and Hakawati tie to produce nine films and develop new facility
Neom Media and Hakawati Entertainment have partnered to produce up to nine feature films and establish a production services division in Neom. Hakawati Entertainment, a Saudi film, television and literary management company, will localise screen production activities across future Neom productions. By utilising NEOM Media’s infrastructure, which includes high-end soundstages, diverse shooting locations and extensive production support, the collaboration
aims to enable high-quality content creation. Of the nine productions that have been identified for potential filming at Neom Media, two features are set to go into production in H1 2025. Additional
projects are under review.
Hakawati Entertainment also plans to establish an operational presence within Neom by creating a production services division designed to meet the needs of international, regional
STARZPLAY AND FALCON FILMS PARTNER TO BRING OVER 50 BLOCKBUSTERS TO THE MIDDLE EAST
Starzplay has partnered with film distributor Falcon Films to bring the latter’s extensive collection of exclusive Hollywood blockbusters to the Starzplay platform across 22 markets in the Middle East. Falcon Films is a local independent movie distributor and producer known for its selection of critically acclaimed and award-winning titles.
The collaboration helps Starzplay support
the local ecosystem and address local demand. With exclusive licensing deals a cornerstone of the streaming industry’s growth, the partnership
with Falcon Films aims to strengthen Starzplay’s line-up of exclusive, high-quality content and solidify its reputation as a leading entertainment platform in the region.
and local productions. The division, supported by experienced Hollywoodlevel talent and significant financial investments, will combine expertise from various talents and suppliers, leveraging Hakawati’s network across the Kingdom. By connecting local talent with opportunities at Neom Media, the partnership aims to support the sector’s evolution into a creative industries hub, while streamlining project execution and elevating the region’s filmmaking standards.
KSA TO HOST 2034 WORLD CUP
Saudi Arabia will be the host nation for the 2034 World Cup. It will be the first to host the expanded 48-team tournament under the new format approved by FIFA, with matches to be played across five cities. The Kingdom will host matches across 15 stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha and Neom. Ten of these stadiums are in development or planning stages. The Saudi bid projects a 10% increase in the global live TV audience compared to previous tournaments.
Michael Lynch (l), Sector Head of Entertainment, Culture and Media, and Osama Al Khurayji, CEO at Hakawati.
From left: Rami Sannan, MD of Falcon Films and Maaz Sheikh, CEO of StarzPlay.
Yango Play and ThePlanet Studios announce new series Prestige
Yango Play and ThePlanet Studios have partnered to produce a new Arabic comedy series titled Prestige. Written by Ingy Abou El Seoud, it combines comedy with crime-solving. Their first collaboration seeks to enrich original Arabic productions while expanding the scope of entertainment tailored to Arab audiences.
Executive Producer Tarek Nasr said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Yango Play. Prestige marks the beginning of a fruitful partnership that we hope will last for years. The series brings together our expertise in content creation and Yango Play’s vision to offer innovative and high-quality Arabic content. This project is a unique mix of comedy and suspense,
featuring a stellar ensemble cast and surprising guest stars. It also represents our first collaboration with the brilliant director Amr Salama, following previous attempts that didn’t come to fruition. Partnering with Ingy Abou El Seoud again, after her success with Safah El Giza, was a natural choice given her exceptional talent in crafting fresh and
engaging narratives.”
Director Amr Salama said: “Despite the challenges of filming in a single location, we succeeded by meticulously crafting the scenes and their progression. With just eight episodes, the series perfectly reflects the platform’s strategy to cater to contemporary audiences, and it’s the beginning of
a strong partnership with Yango Play to elevate Arabic original content.”
Joe Al Khawand, Head of Original Productions MENA, Yango Play, said:
“This collaboration aligns seamlessly with our vision to deliver Arabic content that reflects our technological edge and commitment to providing exceptional local experiences. Prestige exemplifies our dedication to creating works that resonate with Arab audiences and reinforce our position as a comprehensive platform offering films, music and games in one cohesive experience. This project is a significant step toward building a highquality library of Arabic original content, and we look forward to more fruitful collaborations in the future.”
IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS NAMES STEVE REYNOLDS NEW CEO
Imagine Communications has announced the appointment of the company president Steve Reynolds as CEO. The move comes following the retirement announcement of current CEO Tom Cotney, effective March 31, 2025. The two executives will work closely to
continue the company’s strong momentum and growth, while ensuring a seamless transition. Reynolds’ career spans 25 years of technology leadership in media technology, including previous executive positions at Comcast, OpenTV Incorporated,
ACTV Incorporated and Intellocity USA. Holding over 40 patents relating to digital video, advanced advertising, interactive television and digital devices, Reynolds has been a business and technology leader across many facets of the video and advertising landscape.
From left: Director Amr Salama and Executive Producer Tarek Nasr.
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Asharq TV transforms remote production with TVU Networks
Asharq TV recently deployed TVU Networks’ Remote Production Solutions (RPS) to ensure good connectivity. With studios in Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo and Washington, Asharq TV faced a complex broadcasting landscape where traditional multi-camera remote productions buckled under the weight of regional connectivity challenges.
The network needed a robust solution that could bridge geographical distances, manage unpredictable internet infrastructure, provide both cost efficiency and dependable performance, and maintain broadcastquality bi-directional transmissions across multiple international locations. TVU RPS helped leverage public IP networks to deliver performance on a par with or exceeding expensive dedicated
internet connections, while also offering a secure VLAN tunnel to operate IP-based peripherals such as talkback systems, tally lights and remote cameras.
“We maintain consistent sub-second latency across our studios, with 100% uptime even over public internet connections,” said Omran Abdallah, Senior Director of Engineering and Digital Technology, Asharq News
Services. “We broadcast four hours daily from our Riyadh studio and three hours from Cairo, all through TVU RPS, at a fraction of the cost.”
The solution helped during the US elections, where it successfully conducted three days of continuous broadcasting between Washington, DC and its main studio without requiring dedicated fibre or satellite connections.
MBC STUDIOS PLANS FILM ADAPTATION OF BEST-SELLER JAHIM AL-ABIRIN
MBC Studios will adapt the best-selling novel Jahim Al-Abirin (Travellers’ Hell) by Saudi author Osamah Almuslim into a feature film. Saudi filmmaker Hana Al-Omair will direct the film and production is slated to begin in H1 2025, with filming taking place in the Kingdom. Almuslim will adapt the screenplay from his original work. The
film will be released in cinemas across Saudi Arabia and the wider Arab region.
The partnership is part of a broader agreement to adapt more of his novels into both television and film. In recent
years, the writer has emerged as one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinguished authors, carving out a unique literary style and earning acclaim for his work in the horror, fantasy and suspense genres. His novels have received wide praise and enjoy a strong following among readers throughout the country and across the Arab world.
From left: Asharq’s Director of Engineering and Digital Technology Omran Abdallah and Emad Qawasmi, MD, TVU Networks MENA.
From left: Fadi Ismail, Ali Reda Jaafar (MBC Studios), Hana Al-Omair and Osamah Almuslim.
OSNtv and Synamedia partner to launch new Connected TV ad services
Synamedia and OSN Group have launched a new Connected TV (CTV) advertising proposition. Powered by Synamedia Iris, the service aims to provide advanced targeted advertising across linear broadcast channels.
OSNtv’s platform attracts highly engaged, brand-conscious audiences, delivering ads alongside high-quality
ARET APPOINTS NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Italian video and audio company ARET has announced the appointment of Suraj Pal as its new Business Development Manager, based in Dubai. Pal has previously worked with Sony Middle East, Wipro Technologies and Al Jazeera. He has completed several radio and TV production and broadcasting projects from conception to operational handover.
content that enhances brand perception. With adskipping restrictions and fewer ads than other CTV platforms, OSN ensures a higher share of voice (SOV) for partner brands, increasing ad recall and reducing ad fatigue.
Nielsen research shows OSN’s DTH households are highly sought-after, with above-average disposable income, making them
difficult to reach through free-to-air TV or streaming platforms. The partnership seeks to leverage these strengths to deliver greater value to partner brands. It also offers premium ‘big-screen’ TV advertising to luxury brands and niche advertisers that traditionally rely on digital-only campaigns. OSNtv’s DTH settop boxes will provide
the foundation for this ad insertion. Synamedia Iris’s modular SaaS architecture integrates seamlessly with OSNtv’s existing ad ecosystem, working in tandem with the Magnite SpringServe ad server. Together, these technologies enable digital-like targeting, programmatic capabilities and granular reporting for linear broadcast inventory.
MBC GROUP COMPANIES TO CREATE CONTENT FOR TIKTOK
MBC Group companies
MBC Media and MBC Media Solutions (MMS) have signed MoUs with TikTok to leverage the expertise of both companies.
Under the first MoU, MBC Media will create content across verticals including entertainment, lifestyle and music. The partnership reflects “both companies’ commitment to innovative content creation to meet the diverse needs of audiences in the rapidly evolving KSA market”, according to a statement.
The second MoU will see MMS become the official advertising partner of TikTok in Saudi Arabia. MMS is MBC’s in-house
commercial advertising and sales arm. The agreement will see MMS provide advertisers access to TikTok’s ad formats in the Kingdom through an advertising reselling programme. MMS is already familiar with this role, as it has been the official reseller of TikTok in Egypt since May 2023. MBC Group and TikTok have worked together
in the past through initiatives like 2021 film-making competition #FilmOnTikTok in collaboration with MBC Group’s educational and training arm, MBC Academy. In 2023, TikTok and MMS renewed a partnership that allowed TikTok advertisers to pair their advertising with unique MBC content throughout Ramadan.
MEDIA LEADERS EMBRACE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
At the recent BroadcastPro ME summit, MENA media chiefs discussed key topics including changes in advertising strategies, the evolving SVOD market, the role of GCC regulators in media, the rise of AI, the impact of data on content acquisition, and the competition between regional and global streaming players. We bring you the highlights
Even as digital platforms drive growth and video dominates a fragmented space, industry leaders are turning to more technology-driven solutions, partnerships and adaptable business models to achieve efficiencies that ensure long-term returns. In the MENA region, frontrunners are navigating transformative changes and setting realistic horizons for success.
This shift in strategy was explored during an interactive session moderated by Karim Sarkis, Partner at Strategy&, with a distinguished panel consisting of Bassil bin Abdullah Al Mouallimi, Chief Strategy Officer at SRMG; Elie Habib, CEO of OSN+; HE Mohamed Al Mulla, Group CEO of Dubai Media; and Roman Shimansky, CEO of Yango Play.
Market dynamics have set the panel on a journey of reinvention – a public service broadcaster modifying revenue-generating strategies, another embarking on an audio-video streaming merger, a third leading a shift from traditional to digital, and the fourth building a super app. While audiences don’t multiply in the real world, their outlook remains robust, a clear sign of the industry’s resilience.
Asserting that reinvention is not merely coincidental but in fact a necessity, Sarkis drove the panel to re-examine and review some of their strategies. With younger audiences engaging on newer apps and technology, staying connected is important as disruptors, began Roman Shimansky, CEO of Yango Play. “In terms of local content we are striving to be the strongest in the region, and when we launched our super app in the Middle East last year, the approach was to stay relevant by bringing cool new local content that people can enjoy.”
The merger of technology and audience content preferences within a multi-territory region paves the way for
numerous opportunities in the sector. While building a product from scratch is extremely challenging, it is rewarding to watch the subscriber base grow and to realise that the region offers opportunities for those who take risks.
“Anghami was born a tech company and is the first of its kind in the region,” said Elie Habib, CEO, OSN+. “After merging with OSN+, we completely revamped the platform. Anghami has access to a wealth of data on user behaviour in the region,
We are trying to transform the perception of the subscription business by creating a huge share of content available for free over the internet
ROMAN SHIMANSKY, CEO, YANGO PLAY
allowing us to understand whether customers prefer an all-in-one solution, whether we should complement other services and more. We’re planning to build on these insights, putting the customer first, leveraging our content library and executing mutually beneficial strategies.”
In the pursuit of more effective adaptation strategies and in response to fluctuating consumer habits, public broadcasters have revisited their advertising revenue models.
“We have moved to a digitalcentric mindset,” said Mohamed Al Mulla, Group CEO of Dubai Media.
“Another important parameter for us was reviewing our position in the ecosystem and value chain, undertaking new initiatives, and not depending on a single revenue stream.
“We recently launched Dubai Studios to boost content, create IPs and, most importantly, build partnerships beyond the standard ones we have.”
Dubai Media has also launched Dubai Events, where live TV shows like X Factor, broadcast through both
HE Mohamed Al Mulla, Group CEO, Dubai Media.
linear TV and streaming platforms, will include a live, in-person experience.
“During DSF 2025, X Factor will not just be seen as a TV format but also as an on-the-ground activation experience,” said Al Mulla.
Through these initiatives, Dubai Media aims to expand its presence and create additional avenues for revenue.
For companies deeply rooted in traditional print, finding supplementary revenue streams seems to be the natural way forward. As owners of legacy media and its means of distribution, the decentralisation of distribution has required a shift in the way companies work and function.
“Content is the focus now and we are competing for attention with everyone that has an account on social media,” remarked Bassil bin Abdullah Al Mouallimi, Chief Strategy Officer at SRMG. “That really transforms everything – the whole process of creating content, the technology and systems used to the talent you have, and policies. It is a different industry than it was 10 years ago, altering two interconnected features, advertising revenue and subscription models.”
With growth in revenue, reach and engagement rising from remodelled pathways towards profitability, companies have been placing shorter
timelines for accomplishing target audience goals. “Our growth has been significant; we see it in the numbers, in terms of unearthing the value that a legacy company has which was buried and archived. Suddenly it’s valued at tens of millions of dollars if you use generative AI properly, so we are unearthing that treasure trove,” said Al Mouallimi.
Today, local platforms compete against international giants as consumers flock to a load of content breaking in for attention. In this regard,
local players have the upper hand as they thrive on Arabic content, have a higher segment of sports content viewers, which is fundamental to the region, and have bundling capabilities.
“International players need local support, and the value balance must be clearly demonstrated. The shift from classical advertising revenue to an SVOD or consumer-funded platform may not fully offset the overall cost of the business. The key to navigating this challenge lies in the partnerships we build, which must be focused on creativity,” said Al Mulla. “We view our objectives realistically and aim to achieve them within the next five years.”
To transform operational strategies as everything becomes quicker and faster, it is imperative for companies to test, learn, adapt and listen to data, said Shimansky. “This approach allows us to create something that customers will genuinely enjoy, instead of relying on estimated guesses.
“We are working to transform the perception of the subscription business by offering a significant share
Roman Shimansky, CEO of Yango Play.
Karim Sarkis, Partner, Strategy&.
of content for free over the internet. From the consumer’s perspective, the subscription represents collective funding for the future of great content that can entertain everyone. We believe we are four to five years away from the point where this shift will gain significant momentum.”
As businesses navigate various strategies to increase income, adsupported models are essential but insufficient for achieving profitability. Advertising alone is not enough; a subscription base must also be part of the equation, said Al Mulla.
“The consumer will pay if you offer premium content or live events. We don’t want to lose advertising revenue or subscription revenue – our goal is to generate income from both. There will come a day when the consumer ends up paying for the ad embedded in the content. Our challenge lies in creating content with innovative ad placements that the consumer welcomes without noticing it is a paid ad.”
Current advertisements mirror what happens on TV, but the next set of advertisements will be inserted via Gen AI within the actual TV shows, which is possibly the future of content consumption, said Habib.
“By leaving room for advertisers to be engaged and mindful of the price for the consumer, revenue is made from the ecosystem. We’ve been in a freemium model in music where we make money on subscription and advertisement. But we have also launched an events wing that handles events related to artists and a production outfit that partners with artists to produce their music, as well as design ads for brands associated with them.”
Although global streamers try to increase subscription in the MENA, local players have the advantage of local roots and connectivity.
Bassil
bin Abdullah Al Mouallimi, Chief Strategy Officer at SRMG.
“When we started creating a network, we wanted to tie up with the telcos because it was essential for our growth and in the massive advantage they have with something as simple as getting people to pay an operator they trust. Localisation is not simply about writing from right to left – it is about having a foot on the ground
Content is the focus now and we are competing for attention with everyone that has an account on social media
BASSIL BIN ABDULLAH AL MOUALLIMI, CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, SRMG
and creating content for people in the region,” said Habib. “Anghami is the only big music player that has created content. And based on the heap of data we have, we believe we understand the region better than other creators who have simply distributed content.”
Anghami is currently focused on creating video originals, with OSN+ launching its first Original miniseries The Fashionista in January. Knowing the customer better and aligning with partners are both key to defining whether regional or international players are successful. “For all platforms that operate globally, the Middle East is another region to source revenue, so everything goes back to the earlier point about having a deeper connection with the region to emerge winners,” said Shimansky. Growing a customer base is not easy, and while big organisations have
an advantage playing to worldwide audiences, they have challenges of their own. “They can spend, they can impress, but the game is to sustain,” said Al Mulla. “These players need secondary markets, and in effect they will need to partner with someone strong on the ground. And telecom operators are not going to agree to normal rates; they will carry substantial bundled rates.”
Sustainability, however, is all about content and less about distribution.
“If you don’t have the content that sits on a distribution platform, you’re not going to get eyeballs. Arabic content that is produced globally is around 1.5%. That industry needs to grow and develop. From scriptwriters to producers, post-production and everything around, the ecosystem needs to exist prior to us saying whether our distribution platform is going to work,” said Al Mouallimi.
Room for growth opens the possibility for consolidations, although not all players are driven by this need.
“It is important to partner in order to be impactful,” said Al Mulla.
“Sometimes, companies don’t want to sell their content or IPs for various reasons, such as maintaining control over audiences with whom they have a direct affinity. Still, doing it alone is challenging, and you need someone like us to activate the ecosystem rather than compete. Our assets are not for sale, but we will play a vital role in energising the creative industry and adding value.”
As part of these efforts, Dubai Media recently partnered with the International Emmy Awards to host a judging session for the awards in Dubai. “We recently signed a fiveyear partnership agreement with the International Emmys wherein Dubai Studios will be part of the World Television Festival and the annual
International Emmy Awards to be held in New York from 2025 to 2029.
“We also plan to bring the Academy Day soon to Dubai. We expect to see some leading studios, content creators, producers, directors from across the world come to Dubai for a fourday knowledge and culture sharing experience. We want to create access for Arabic content in the international market and take our stories to a global audience,” stated Al Mulla.
Acquisitions are a strategy pursued by some companies when it makes commercial sense. “Market diversification fosters healthy competition, but strategic acquisitions are still an important
Human ambition is unlimited and as long we have the ability to create, AI will warrant that exploration
ELIE HABIB, CEO, OSN+
tool,” said Al Mouallimi. “Since acquiring 51% of Thmanyah three years ago, it has become the largest Arabic podcast globally, creating mutual benefits for both parties.”
With streaming profitability dependent on monetisation standards implemented by platforms, data insights reveal that people prefer watching shorter series. “From the time-spent perspective, short-form is popular and an indication of how long-form content will be produced in the future, in terms of editing and engaging audiences from the first episode,” said Shimansky.
Audience data is important but not a guarantor of content success. Data-driven organisations are mindful of that when building algorithms, said Habib.
“We can mine data to see whether a song will grow and become successful from ingestion, and the same can be done to video, but ultimately whatever you project is based around the content. Secondly, it is about how it reaches the audience – are we delivering it on the right platform? Are we distributing it in a way to reach the intended audience?”
Elie Habib, CEO, OSN+.
Data is at the very centre of Yango Play, said Shimansky. “It’s in our culture, and the beauty of our industry is that there’s room for magic when it comes to content. It’s the spark in a story that touches you, but there’s no real code that exists to what works. Data simply allows that storytelling to be done efficiently – the genre, who should be cast and the marketing, which is well-tested against the data.”
Data, alongside Gen AI, channels analytics, content recommendations and subtitling into post-production and beyond. AI offers an improved version of user trends and patterns, comprehends tasks faster, detects inconsistencies or incoherences. The idea is to think deeper and create something tailored to industry needs. It understands storylines and can easily rewrite or dub, as is being done with a lot of Turkish content that is Arabised to cater to the nuances of a Saudi, Syrian or Lebanese audience.
Present-day examples of AI-
Our challenge lies in creating content with innovative ad placements that the consumer welcomes without noticing it is a paid ad
HE MOHAMED AL MULLA, GROUP CEO, DUBAI MEDIA
created content show strains of human touch. “While it gives complete answers when you navigate it towards a specific subject matter, it still requires that human touch, but that will go away in time,” said Al Mouallimi. The extent of its scope and usability will be determined by how companies apply it. “Human ambition is unlimited and as long we have
the ability to create, AI will warrant that exploration,” said Habib.
In sports, especially, machine learning has been applied to map games and provide instant highlights or personalised performances immediately after a match. “It is really about value generation,” said Al Mulla. “AI is only as good as the programmer, and going back to the point about limitless human ambition – we remain at the centre of what we create.”
Backed by bolder initiatives and AI-powered enhancements at the forefront of technology, the future will be about steering investment towards a common goal of increasing base. It will be about believing in content, shaping it and distributing it, and keeping an ear to the ground to build something uniquely innovative to the region. Risk and disruption will keep the industry abuzz, and as regional players secure firmer agendas, it will be a foothold for them to gain traction.
In a burgeoning OTT landscape, content players design and invest in methods that guarantee satisfactory revenue streams and allow customer engagement which promises long-term loyalty. With increased spend on streaming services, local and global platforms harness data to find lucrative avenues to increase retention.
Talking scale and scope, the expert panel moderated by Noor Play’s Chief Commercial Officer, Raghida Abou-Fadel, brought together Hugues Jedele, Senior Manager Strategy and Investments, beIN Media Group; Ramon Bello, Head of TV, Ooredoo Qatar; Dr William Page, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, 1001; and Zahra Zayat, Chief Commercial Officer, evision | e& life.
Businesses no longer rely on government backing to optimise products and are instead spending capital to build market share. As content monetisation gets more complicated, Abou-Fadel wished to understand how acquisitions renew revenue paths, and the advantages telecom companies gain from merging with e-commerce portals.
Seeing an opportunity in the market to bridge e-commerce and entertainment, e& life’s acquisition of Careem SuperApp helped its ambition of scaling up consumer digital offerings.
“Beyond the mobile and data services, companies are competing on every aspect of people’s lives for their time and preferences, from booking their taxis and food deliveries to watching their favourite entertainment,” said Zahra Zayat, Chief Commercial Officer, evision
MONETISING CONTENT IN A COMPETITIVE REGIONAL MARKET
No conference is complete without a discussion on monetisation. Our high-profile OTT discussion at the BroadcastPro Summit explored strategies for content localisation, partnerships, collaborations, user engagement, and the integration of e-commerce with entertainment. We bring you the details
| e& life. “With these acquisitions we are closing the loop through our fintech apps Wio Bank and e&money, which allows us to be available and present in people’s lives through every step of their journey throughout the day.
“We wanted to diversify our monetisation strategies across verticals, leverage the use of AI tools and specifically, in the case of evision and e& life, tools that allow customers to scan different products that are available on-screen on the shows and the series and then create a ‘lookalike’ to integrate with multiple e-commerce platforms.”
This ‘lookalike’ extracts products spread across e-commerce platforms and pushes them on-screen for the viewer to shop while watching. Partnering with Trendyol, evision hopes to revamp the retail experience. By offering something new and exciting and allowing people to benefit by buying different products, the idea is to create an end-to-end ecosystem providing monetisation opportunities and customer stickiness.
While driving sales, understanding data opens a range of monetisation opportunities and prospects, not just on engagement but different new verticals. To enhance viewership and retention, content needs to be robust, but from a strategical telecom point of view it is also about enriching people’s digital lifestyles, remarked Ramon Bello, Head of TV, Ooredoo Qatar.
“It sounds a bit legacy, but specifically we are a provider of connectivity. But it’s about going beyond that, which our customers appreciate because they are using our services for entertainment and other broader aspects of their lives.”
When video streaming services first came into the picture, Ooredoo Qatar decided early on to monetise this opportunity, working with them as potential partners and not treating
them as competitors. With Ooredoo qualifying as a super aggregator, content is a key pillar of its customer retention strategy and an extremely powerful tool to increase customer lifetime value.
“We aggregate content from multiple sources, whether traditional linear, on demand, video streaming streaming services … and offer them both bundled with our fixed and mobile products.”
With customers using more content, the company is familiar with data that can go beyond traditional entertainment and video to other adjacencies in gaming, e-commerce, e-learning, e-health and more. From
People who come for sports content don’t always stay
ZAHRA ZAYAT, CHIEF COMMERCIAL
OFFICER,
EVISION | E& LIFE
the different strategies applied, bundling has proven most effective and successful for the company. “We sell triple-play to maximise value and our ARPU on the high-end packs where we bundle content is always higher, lowering churn,” said Ramon.
A lot of what’s workable depends on market dynamics, and competitors stay aggressive on the lower tier. For a telco, staying relevant at affordable prices requires understanding what customers value beyond pure connectivity.
Ooredoo Qatar has explored content exclusivity as a tool in the telco space, but owing to its expensive nature, it is employed periodically. “As media providers, we don’t compete with OSN or MBC or Shahid,” said Ramon. “They are our partners, and our ambition is to deliver the most complete entertainment solution to our fixed and mobile services customer.”
To boost monetisation, entertainment platforms often resort to select or special sports content to boost audiences. beIN chose the other way by adding entertainment to its bouquet of sport offerings.
“Sports provides those unique moments, and the 2022 World Cup is a good example of that,” said Hugues Jedele, Senior Manager, Strategy and Investments, beIN Media Group. “But sports marketing is a tough job. You don’t own your IP, you participate in multiple tenders, you need to refresh content all the time and develop a relationship with multiple leagues. And despite longlasting relationships, sometimes you are challenged by outsiders.”
Apart from the great moments that sport bestows, it is better still to “grow backed by some IP that you own”. And groups such as beIN are very legitimate to build stories that are respectful and resonate with the local culture and viewership and the principles of the region, which some giants are not able to do well. It launched TOD Studios as a label and has since produced Turkish and Arabic series that are available on the
streaming platform and linear channels.
“Entertainment is a good retention plan; we see some uptake and more engagement on those content,” said Jedele.
Globally, sports rights holders are looking to sell sports to specific countries as opposed to regions. In theory, the best outcome for leagues is to have organised competition in every single territory where some content is available, though logistically this is demanding.
Some global giants do make worldwide deals, which gives them the vision to develop themselves further.
Our ambition is to deliver the most complete entertainment solution to our fixed and mobile services customer
RAMON BELLO, HEAD OF TV, OOREDOO QATAR
“But we have also noticed that this is mostly happening in the USA, where a large majority of the viewership for such properties is based,” said Jedele.
Regionally, beIN targets specific leagues that appeal to individual countries. “Having built up through step-by-step investment, we are the most reliable partner for leagues because of the geographical coverage we provide, which is beneficial for them. It becomes a grey area when we are the larger partner, but we also remain nicheoriented for ROI,” said Jedele.
Sports creates the real-time urgency to watch that drives subscription, which entertainment is incapable of creating. “It boosts acquisitions and reduces the cost of acquisition per customer. People do come for sports, it increases subscriptions, but not all stay for entertainment, so there’s the question of drop-off,” said Zayat. “People who come for sports content don’t always stay.”
Telcos offer sports as an annual pack and monetise through advertising, sponsorships and subscriptions; even so, the drop-off is difficult to manage, Zayat noted.
Raghida Abou-Fadel, Chief Commercial Officer, Noor Play.
Ramon Bello, Head of TV, Ooredoo Qatar.
“We try to bridge the gap by offering other value-added services, which allows customer stickiness. If we are starting at X and moving to 3X, we must be able to land back at 2X after the sports event and not go back to our initial state. That’s why we’re very selective on sports acquisitions. We did it when it was needed and when it made sense in the market, and when we were able to prove a good return on investment,” said Zayat.
Whether sport or entertainment,
all becomes uncertain in volatile regions such as Iraq. Managing the environment with many different models, content pricing and suppliers is challenging, to say the least.
“It is a tough market and piracy in Iraq is practically off the charts,” said Dr William Page, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, 1001. “Nearly every major ISP has an illegal platform, and that covers everyone on this panel. So that’s who we are competing with. We are lobbying the government with our partners to introduce legislation to stop this piracy and to bring Iraq to the rest of the region in terms of content.”
Being a very specific new model, 1001 is a super aggregator operating in a market where “everything is free”. But things are looking up, and ISPs such as SuperCell have pushed for deals to legalise how content is streamed in Iraq.
Against this backdrop, monetisation strategies are hard and platforms realise that trying to grow individually is difficult – the only way to break the market is by working together. With a powerful straightforward proposition and multiple content offers that provide good value for money, users are
It is a tough market and piracy in Iraq is practically off the charts
DR WILLIAM PAGE, CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER, 1001
then compelled to say yes to a package.
“We have signed with TOD and beIN, with StarzPlay, OSN, Rotana, and done a number of other direct deals. The reason we have been able to make them is because every one of our partners understands Iraq has the potential to be one of the biggest markets in this region,” said Page.
1001 offers D2C and D2B pricing, the latter based on partnerships with ISPs and telcos. D2C is expensive due to the heavy discounting on D2B.
“We tell the telcos and ISPs to take a 1001 subscription. We do all the back-end technical integration work, provide single sign-on for users to log into Alf W Wahed (1001), and we’re supported by Al Sharqiya, who is the biggest broadcaster in the country,”
Hugues Jedele, Senior Manager Strategy and Investments, beIN Media Group.
Dr William Page, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, 1001.
Zahra Zayat, CCO, evision | e& life.
said Page. “We have a large library of our own and users can see our content. They can also see StarzPlay’s content and Rotana’s content on our app, and users get access to premium content on TOD and beIN and some fantastic shows that OSN carry.”
Sharing revenue with partners over subscriptions and other deals is phenomenal value for money for the users and B2B partners, Page revealed. With a dashboard that gives partners an idea of the market, each platform is aware of its exact positioning and how many activations are being made. Working together to fight piracy, the first signs have been positive in legalising and helping one of the most lucrative markets in the region achieve its potential.
Achieving a single sign-on and bringing as much content as possible into one place, simplifying the customer experience with a single relationship, is the common goal, not specific to Iraq. The aim is to build a platform where customers can access all their content without needing to visit multiple platforms, “offering content and simplifying customers’ lives”, said Bello.
B2B sales and partnerships are very important to the growth of activities. On the DTC side, appropriate customer segmentation is necessary to provide flexibility, said Jedele. “We provide the same content to everyone on different levels, depending on affordability – the mobile HD pass and the 4K experience that’s played out on a duration basis, daily, monthly and annual. We use data to target the marketing as accurately as possible to reach out to the good segments.”
The future of OTT (over-the-top) or digital services will essentially involve the integration of data to fine tune interactivity with customers and continuously improve value. This leads
Sports marketing is a tough job. You don’t own your IP, you participate in multiple tenders, you need to refresh content all the time and develop a relationship with multiple leagues
HUGUES JEDELE, SENIOR MANAGER STRATEGY AND
INVESTMENTS, BEIN MEDIA GROUP
to internal ‘platformisation’, where entertainment, e-commerce and other services converge in a digital hub. Supported by platforms, this adds value to the customer experience.
Focusing on futuristic techniques to create value by monetising data is the way forward, rather than relying solely on selling subscriptions and ads. Opening the potential value of customer data and creating a hub that integrates data points from all digital assets into one safe basket, with a lot of encryption, is a space to explore more deeply.
It’s easier to collect data than to understand what to do with it and how to approach it to benefit other services under the business brand. Doing so safely requires a wholly different set of guidelines.
“If you can see that X operates in a particular space, with affinity to certain products, spending habits, viewing preferences and purchasing power, bridging and matching that data across different services becomes
very powerful,” said Zayat. “That’s how we unlock the value of data –securely, of course – while upselling both vertically and horizontally to further boost revenue.
“This encrypted data, when integrated with encrypted data coming from retail media networks and various industries along the chain within a secure environment, becomes a powerful tool. If I’m collecting data from a grocery chain, that ID is available across my other assets, giving me a complete understanding of the customer lifecycle. It’s encrypted and pushed to digital media platforms to facilitate acquisitions and reduce costs. This allows for better customer segmentation, moving from probabilistic data to deterministic data. That’s truly the future.”
Clear audience segmentation gives users a closer, more interested alignment with the advertising they see. AVOD balances revenue but is tough in countries like Iraq where the market is in its infancy. “We try to get advertising to be as specific as we can to the content. AVOD is used at the entry level to get people into the subscription. It is a combination of blended rates, SVOD and AVOD to strategise profitability,” said Page.
As businesses continue to make data-driven decisions that steer content selection, user engagement and pricing strategies, the future is about giving users more value and better experience. It is about harnessing data to adopt e-sports, e-gaming, e-commerce and other looming possibilities. Furthermore, it is important to change perceptions and not be fixated on subscriptions, to be flexible and open to experimenting different business models and to recognise that one rule doesn’t fit all in an OTT world. And most importantly, to exploit the wealth of partnerships.
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TRANSFORMING THE ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE WITH TECH
AI-assisted personalisation and monetisation, optimising CDNs, examining security solutions to safeguard emerging threats in streaming, dynamic broadcasting scalability and streaming flexibility were some of the topics regional CTOs discussed at the recent BroadcastPro summit. We bring you a summary
AI has had a significant impact on the media and entertainment industry, driving production efficiencies, improving recommendations and providing advanced insights into audience metrics, among other benefits. New innovations push the boundaries of technology and regional players are adopting processes that enhance and streamline automation, adding value to the overall personalised consumer experience.
Spearheading a power-packed session on the latest and greatest in data and tech innovations at the BroadcastPro Summit were Suhail Ahmed, CEO of Mediability, alongside Brad Eliot, Chief Technology Officer, IMI; Faraz Arshad, CTO, StarzPlay; Israel Esteban, CTO, beIN Media
Group; Romary Dupuis, Chief Data Officer, Viaccess-Orca; and William Sharp, CTO, Intigral.
Predicted to grow at over 25% a year to $99bn by 2028, AI within the media and entertainment industry is reshaping how content is delivered, personalised and enjoyed. Used for purposes from video editing and advanced effects to selecting winning scripts, organisations use AI-assisted processes to increase retention and revenue.
“We are trying to expand existing models to provide more personalised content, based on viewership and geography. Earlier, metadata was expensive, but now with advanced GPUs and the reduced cost of cloud, we’re able to put
metadata into recommendations and surface a greater depth of the library to our customer,” said William Sharp, CTO, Intigral.
Technology is also driving the timeframe for serving ads – how many and when – as well as for being more reactive in real time and “dynamic in terms of monetising specific customer segments. In terms of content, do we want automated content recommendation carousels?
Content editors would like to see their personal input for people to watch, and along with the LLM models bring forward a depth of content.”
“The move towards AI has brought about a noticeable shift in engagement and consumption, and our reporting, including the advanced churn prediction and ROI models, is influenced by this transformation. We are using AI while serving live sports engagement/predictions, compared to FAST and SVOD/ AVOD monetisation, with a more realistic and balanced approach,” said Faraz Arshad, CTO of StarzPlay.
“We developed a hyper-personaliser with an MVP consisting of a couple of carousels, and we can clearly see the shift in engagement, improving the LTV, which is the main driver for the entire OTT industry.
Within three months of going live with AI-driven personalisers, we saw a 400+ percent uplift in consumption, which is phenomenal.
“Refreshed and fully personalised for each user session, data was gathered from usage behaviours such as clicks, impressions and stay events. Combining the metadata provided a new direction for search, engagement and targeting our customers.”
From corporate applications to broadcast user content recommendations, AI paves the path in production in terms of language,
subtitling and dubbing. “We have content in all the continents in several languages; it hasn’t scaled production, but we are looking to tap into those areas,” said Israel Esteban, CTO, beIN Media Group.
“We are using for churn prediction, how to engage better with customers, and an important area is anti-piracy and content protection. I would say in that space we have been using AI earlier, helping teams catch and react faster to content leakage and theft.”
With free-to-air broadcast and ad-supported digital services, IMI is working on personalisation and recommendations across the
Within three months of going live with AI-driven personalisers, we saw a 400+ percent uplift in consumption
FARAZ ARSHAD, CTO, STARZPLAY
group, said Brad Eliot, CTO, IMI.
“Getting first-party data is a bit of a challenge, so we have rolled out our customer data platform and kicked
off an initiative with the National, our English-language digital platform, on registrations to receive first-party data. And then from there, building up profiles to create personalised content. This is in addition to the content recommendations and personalisation services that are already running on our Sky News Arabia platforms.”
Having employed AI for audience measurement and segmentation, targeted advertisements and recommendations, there is also the risk of the black-box algorithm effect. “The user experience has to be more friendly to explain the usage of AI,” said Romary Dupuis,
The challenge is to make one consistent data lake that addresses everyone’s needs efficiently
ROMARY
DUPUIS, CHIEF DATA OFFICER, VIACCESS-ORCA
Chief Data Officer, Viaccess-Orca.
“We used large language models to make it easier for customers, for their audience segmentation by natural language than complicated details based on generic description.”
Large language models are breaking down the barriers that were cumbersome in the early days of robotics when scientists were trying to build humanised interfaces. The past couple of years has shown AI as more of an end-user tool, raising its possibility as a personal assistant connected to APIs that will build an ecosystem towards the super application. “AI transforms
into a user experience, which then evolves into a super assistant, ultimately becoming your super app. AI as a user experience is going to be truly exciting,” said Dupuis.
As the industry inches its ways towards hyper-personalisation in the delivery of content, companies have the opportunity to push the limitations of AI beyond existing behaviour and demographics, and span those frontiers that edge the emotional and mental state of the viewer.
The idea behind a hyperpersonaliser is to train different deep learning models using user consumption behaviour and to build a pathway towards engagement. The goal is to drive customer behaviour even from a cold start and be able to pinpoint exactly what they want to watch. Gradually, a mix of predicted content is introduced, associated with different monetisation models.
“Variations are different when writing deep learning algorithms to support this kind of personalisation, taking into account sentiments, obsession, behaviour and other factors, and that’s the beauty of these algorithms,” said Arshad.
Personalisation was the first step companies took towards driving AI and where the immediate shift in patterns was noted. It is also used heavily in “anything that can help to stay relevant – so yes, start with the safest spot where it is easier to measure the results on the KPIs, and then anything that can help build that profile to the user but staying relevant and cautious,” said Esteban. “Because you’re going to start with something and end up with
Faraz Arshad, CTO, StarzPlay.
Suhail Ahmed, CEO, Mediability.
Romary Dupuis, Chief Data Officer, Viaccess-Orca.
verticals that may be ambiguous.”
As an aggregator, it is about taking data and adapting to the interpretations. “We have a lot of information based on profile, age group, what percentage come, search, browse and leave, and we try to train our models accordingly. It’s an evolution, a learning, and about making changes to adapt and keep persevering with data sets to try and get value,” said Sharp.
Regional perspectives come into
play while customising for certain geographies. “With the large language models, we try to reduce toxic content and prepare the AI to adapt to different cultural points of view,” said Dupuis.
The lack of Arabic content needed to train the large-language models leads to bias. “Because we generate a lot of Arabic content, we’re working with research institutes to help address this and enhance the training of these models in the region,” said Eliot.
Several governments around the world, including in the UK, Australia and here in Dubai, have created AI officers and ministries across different entities as a step towards promoting investment in the sector. The focus in the media and entertainment industry has been on optimisation and enhancements, and balancing the efficiencies that AI brings.
“We are looking at how Gen AI can play a role in generating new content,” said Eliot. “We’ve had some success in creating short-format documentaries that are 100% AIgenerated, from script, video content and voiceovers to transcription.”
People are putting the right strategies in place and adopting AI
for experience, acquisition, retention, search or any vertical they wish to pick. “The big concern right now is governance, which is why governments are establishing agencies to bring some competencies in place. Until then, private LLMs are important to building an IP, or you end up giving your recipes to the whole world,” said Arshad. Security is vital around the data being used. “We need a process, approvals, prioritisation of use cases, etc, because in the end everyone is looking to invest. What is the ROI
Now with advanced GPUs and the reduced cost of cloud, we’re able to put metadata into recommendations and surface a greater depth of the library to our customer
WILLIAM SHARP, CTO, INTIGRAL
Israel Esteban, CTO, beIN Media Group.
William Sharp, CTO, Intigral.
Brad Eliot, CTO, IMI.
and what are we trying to achieve? So a governance framework is key, and how to implement that across organisations and different departments,” said Esteban.
Even from a development standpoint, governance is crucial since the key component for local OTT players is localisation, which is generally done through in-house development teams and SaaS platforms. “How we add value and differentiate is through localisation, which comes at a cost,” said Sharp. “If you can increase development output by 40-50%, reduce bugs, have automated monitoring, error correction, all of which is fantastic, but you have to have a level of governance and standardisation before we end up putting our whole code bases onto ChatGPT.”
In the context of a super app or a one-stop shop for everything with
aggregated services such as WeChat in Asia, the region hasn’t clearly demarcated a definition. Platforms add on value with games, maps, news and podcasts, anything towards retention and identifying them as super apps. “It has got to be relevant between watching TV and doing something else. It’s a balancing act –
should we merge our properties into one app, one interface, the features of which are beneficial, but will we dissuade customers?” said Sharp.
On the streaming side, aggregation via a super app versus stacking of various streaming services remains the big unanswered question. “Aggregation is nice and convenient, and sport is a great example of that, but only time will tell whether having everything in one place is what people want, versus dedicated streaming services for each sporting code or discipline,” said Eliot.
As more cloud and AI is leveraged, security remains one of the biggest challenges and threats, said Ahmed, and blockchains or NFTs to counter security issues or track rights management is a possibility to consider.
“We have been working for over 20 years on cryptography and moved from content protection to cyber security. There are decentralised content protection systems but whether it’s solving how hackers hack into regular cryptographic systems is not the solution, compared to the investment,” said Dupuis. “We are focusing on an efficient model to detect piracy quickly so as to remediate faster. But exhaustive amounts of data are needed to differentiate between a bug in the
application that is generating licences or someone who’s really hacking you.”
The use of AI is a new exposure in terms of cyber security. As a recommendation engine or to automate operations or make a new user interface, any opportunity comes with risk. “But it is also an exciting area, with a bigger need to address data poisoning, prompt hacking and other security issues,” said Dupuis.
In terms of rights management for certain regions, information from ISPs about who’s accessing what content and being able to then work with authorities to do takedowns would be a step towards battling piracy. DRM solutions involving third-party tools and AI using multiple datasets and models are also making headway towards tackling piracy.
“And this is where we go back to governance,” said Esteban. “What and how do you use AI, and how do you expose it?”
The big focus, especially in Saudi Arabia, is around PDPL (personal data protection law) and the rules
We are looking at how Gen AI can play a role in generating new content
BRAD ELIOT, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, IMI
of GDPR. With the risk of security breach, “we’re seeing an introduction of cloud into KSA, where we identity management solutions and lock down one solution, and then have a hash and tokenised value going out to the rest of our partners and platforms to try and reduce some of that risk,” said Sharp. With the growth of OTT platforms, everyone wants better acquisition and retention through the latest features and the greatest solutions. The future lies in reshaping strategies between aggregated OTT offerings for each user segment, which will help achieve economies of scale. “It’s all about how to make our aggregated product
offerings attractive as an OTT service provider and whether it will be better priced for the customer,” said Arshad.
For telcos, broadcasters and content owners, it’s about data management to optimise operations. “The challenge is to make one consistent data lake that addresses everyone’s needs efficiently,” said Dupuis.
On the content side, using technology to optimise how you acquire, produce and distribute content will be “a key theme moving forward, and to increase the use of virtual and augmented reality in the sets and in the studios”, said Eliot.
While it’s exciting times for the personalised user experience and AI will probably become the ergonomics around applications, governance is at the centre of it all. With that a whole new world of AI development will take shape, and global players will pave the way towards a licensed cost-effective ecosystem of advanced processes that will transform the entertainment experience.
BRINGING THE WILD TO THE MIDDLE EAST
Canadian production studio Blue Ant Media attended the Dubai International Content Market this year to strengthen partnerships and explore growth opportunities in the Middle East. Chiara McKee, VP of Global Channels & Brands for EMEA, spoke with BroadcastPro ME about the company’s vision and strategic direction in the region
What is a Canadian company like Blue Ant Media doing in the Middle East?
Blue Ant Media is a privately held global production studio, rights business and channel operator headquartered in Canada, with offices worldwide. With our diverse portfolio across TV, digital and branded content, Blue Ant Media has been expanding its global presence, including into the Middle East. We entered this market with our flagship brand, Love Nature, through partnerships with local distributors, broadcasters and platforms. Love Nature’s high-quality nature and wildlife programming resonates strongly with Middle Eastern audiences.
What are the main drivers behind your Middle East strategy, and how do you see the market evolving over the next few years?
Our strategy in the Middle East is driven by the region’s increasing demand for premium family-friendly and educational content, the rapid growth of OTT and SVOD driven by digital adoption, and a strong payTV ecosystem. The opportunity to localise content through partnerships with broadcasters and distributors further strengthens this approach. With full ownership of Love Nature’s content rights, we can tailor deals to meet our partners’ specific needs. Moreover, Love Nature’s programming aligns with regional priorities such as sustainability, wildlife conservation and initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030, which enhances its relevance in the market.
What unique challenges do you face in this market?
One of the key challenges is the highly competitive and fragmented media market, where both global and local players fiercely compete in the streaming and broadcast sectors. Blue Ant is focused on
The demand for high-quality environmental and wildlife programming continues to rise, especially with an increasing awareness of sustainability and conservation issues in the region
CHIARA MCKEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL CHANNELS & BRANDS FOR EMEA,
BLUE ANT MEDIA
taking a localised approach, ensuring content resonates with the MENA audience. We are also looking to secure new, vital regional partnerships and continuously adapting to evolving consumer preferences.
How does Blue Ant Media plan to build and strengthen partnerships with regional platforms in the Middle East?
Our plan is to offer customised content solutions that cater specifically to the unique needs of local markets. This approach is part of our broader strategy to enhance our international distribution, particularly through multi-offering partnerships that combine content licensing and channel distribution.
What are your long-term objectives in the Middle East?
Blue Ant Media’s long-term objectives in the Middle East focus on expanding its regional
presence by localising content and forming strategic partnerships. Over the next five years, we aim to strengthen our position by adapting content to regional preferences, expanding into emerging markets and leveraging partnerships with local broadcasters and distributors.
We hear Love Nature is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. What factors have contributed to the channel’s global success, and how has it evolved over the decade?
Love Nature has evolved from a Canadian HD pay-TV specialty channel into a global natural history brand now available in 110 countries and 29 languages across both pay TV and streaming platforms in HD and 4K. The brand has expanded its presence with commissioning teams in Washington, DC and affiliate sales hubs in the UK, LA, Singapore, Sydney and Toronto. These hubs are key to growing the channel’s reach, now partnering with over 310 affiliates across EMEA, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the US.
Love Nature’s success in navigating the evolving media landscape and fostering global partnerships has enabled it to curate a world-class line-up of original wildlife and nature programming from some of the most renowned natural history producers worldwide.
How does Love Nature adapt its content to the Middle East?
Love Nature adapts its content for the Middle East by focusing on local wildlife, such as desert animals and marine life in the Arabian Gulf. It emphasises themes of conservation and sustainability which align with the region’s growing environmental awareness. The programming is culturally sensitive, family-friendly and safe for all audiences, making it easy to travel across the region.
Who are your key clients in the Middle East?
Blue Ant Media partners with key regional players such as MBC Group, Ooredoo and Etisalat to expand its content distribution across both traditional and digital platforms. By leveraging these leading telecom and media platforms, Blue Ant Media can reach a broader audience and deliver content across multiple channels.
What were Blue Ant Media’s primary objectives at DICM this year?
At DICM, we focused on strengthening partnerships and exploring new growth opportunities in the Middle East. The event offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with key players across the region’s media landscape, including platforms, telcos and content providers. DICM serves as an excellent platform for fostering collaborations that will enable us to better tailor our content to Middle Eastern audiences. We’re excited about the potential for continued growth in this dynamic market.
From your experience, what strategies work best when collaborating with Arab broadcasters and digital platforms?
Successful collaboration with Middle Eastern broadcasters and digital platforms requires cultural sensitivity, local content adaptation, strong partnerships with key players and flexibility in monetisation models to meet the region’s diverse audience preferences.
What trends in the Middle East do you think will shape the future of content distribution and partnerships?
In the Middle East, several key trends will likely shape the future of content distribution and partnerships, especially as digital platforms continue to expand. Distribution will be shaped by increased demand for localised content,
mobile-first strategies, investment in regional production, data-driven personalisation and partnerships between global and regional players, while navigating regulatory challenges and the rise of esports and gaming.
As VP of EMEA Channels and Streaming, what is your personal
vision for Blue Ant Media’s future in the Middle East and beyond?
My vision is to build on our strong portfolio of content, with a particular focus on expanding the reach and partnerships of Love Nature. The Middle East represents a growing opportunity for Love Nature as the demand for high-quality environmental and wildlife programming continues to rise, especially with an increasing awareness of sustainability and conservation issues in the region. Love Nature will continue to forge strategic partnerships with local broadcasters, digital platforms and streaming services to distribute its content, while also exploring coproductions with regional producers to ensure that they reflect the unique wildlife and conservation stories of the Middle East. The channel’s growth will be driven by increasing its presence in both traditional linear TV and the digital space, ensuring we reach new audiences across a variety of platforms, from satellite to OTT.
Chiara McKee, VP of Global Channels & Brands for EMEA.
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Outages can cause loss of ad revenue, declining viewership and reputational damage that can be difficult to repair
Staying Safe and Ensuring Continuity with Cloud Playout
Maintaining an uninterrupted service has always been a crucial requirement for broadcasters, and when operating in a highly competitive environment, service continuity is more important than ever. Outages can cause loss of ad revenue, declining viewership and reputational damage that can be difficult to repair. Viewers are unforgiving, and given that there is endless choice these days, an inopportune service interruption can cause viewers to turn off or over. Broadcasters therefore need to have robust systems in place to prevent outages, no matter the cause, whether cyberattack, equipment malfunction or infrastructure failure.
Of course, needing security mechanisms and disaster recovery systems in place to ensure services stay on air is nothing new – service continuity has long been a requirement for broadcasters. Rather, what has changed is that broadcasters can now use cloud-based infrastructure for all or some parts of their workflows, such as the playout operation, enabling a different approach to security and DR.
Revolutionising Disaster Recovery
In traditional broadcast workflows, DR requires a full, always-on back-up system ready to kick in at any moment. This is costly because it requires duplicate
hardware, physical space, highly educated employees and continuous monitoring and testing. Cloud, on the other hand, eliminates this complexity because it provides high availability and redundancy. Critical data, services and systems can be mirrored across multiple servers or locations, and cloud services offer automatic failover mechanisms to achieve redundancy and high availability. This eliminates the need for broadcasters to maintain expensive back-up hardware, reducing costs while enhancing reliability.
When integrating cloud playout into DR strategies, the operational load on broadcasters is also reduced because the burden of maintaining availability is shifted to the cloud provider.
Protecting Broadcast Operations in the Cloud
Cyberattacks on media services can take many forms, including data breaches, denial of service attacks and ransomware. Cybersecurity is obviously a top priority whether systems are based in the cloud or on-premises, because without the proper security mechanisms a broadcaster’s entire operation could be effectively held hostage. While it may seem intuitive that cloud-based broadcast systems are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks because they are reliant on external
infrastructure, this is actually not the case. Cloud systems are extremely secure because of the advanced technology, rigorous security protocols and continuous monitoring that cloud providers offer. Cloud-based security tools mitigate ever-changing risks and threats and ensure that systems are continuously operating with the highest security standards, something which is challenging to replicate on-premises.
Takeaways
Integrating cloud playout into disaster recovery strategies has a number of advantages over using a traditional hardware-based playout system for disaster recovery. In the event of a service interruption, a cloud playout system can quickly be called into action, and broadcasters benefit from reduced capital expenditure costs as well as high availability, redundancy and advanced security measures. Keeping broadcast operations safe and having an effective disaster recovery system are mission-critical for broadcasters, and integrating cloud playout into disaster recovery strategies can help them achieve that aim, keeping both viewers and advertisers happy.
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