Pro 2021

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INTRODUCTION

Forging new ground in streaming models The MENA region is an area with a rich

many of the principal services

tradition of stories and storytellers,

saw strong growth in subscribers

but one that had formerly and for

with significant improvements in

a variety of reasons not yet fully

viewership metrics across the board.

achieved its full potential of creating

Although there is still significant

narratives that can travel the world.

room for growth in the region, as

The region is now at the cusp of

2021 makes its way out, the battle for

witnessing a sea-change as producers,

subscribers and viewer’s attention is

incumbent giants, new services

increasingly becoming more pitched.

and creatives are all increasingly

Alongside user acquisition there

investing time, energy and funds to

will necessarily have to be a focus on

forge new ground in the increasingly

limiting churn. Content has always

dominant model of streaming. These

been the fundamental driver for

streaming services are the spark in a

streaming success, but one category

combination of younger demographics,

will become of even more critical

faster technological adoption, and

importance for subscription services

democratised access, fueling a chain

trying to provide value to their

reaction that will continue to have

audiences -- Original Programming.

significant impact on the industry. The key word for 2021 is evolution

A Crowded Market

as audiences, the industry and the

The OTT industry in the MENA has

region continue to adapt to the

undergone rapid development in

fallout from the ongoing global

recent years with a flurry of new

pandemic that upended all previous

entrants, exits and relaunches. On

plans and paradigms. 2020 bore a

the one hand, there was the demise

real catalysation of digital adoption

of icflix (one of the first homegrown

with profound impact to content

services of the region) and the retreat

rights windowing and entertainment

from the region and eventual exit of

consumption globally. In the MENA

iflix (an international service from


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