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The Middle East
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The Middle East This month Wotsat looks at free TV from the Middle East
Religion and politics make a heady mix
Toolkit What you need to receive free TV from the Middle East n Free-to-air DVB digital satellite receiver n 60cm dish with universal LNB aimed at Hot Bird (13°E) n 120cm dish with universal LNB aimed at Badr 4 (26’E) n See Channel Check for dish sizes required on other satellites
Satellite TV in the Middle East varies from the most conservative state-controlled channels to the relatively progressive news, drama and entertainment emerging in Iraq and Qatar, and the clash of state-controlled channels with foreign media in Iran. Before the 2003 invasion, the only TV channels in Iraq not run by the state were those serving the Kurds in the North. Today, Iraqi TV serves a diverse population, with TV channels for Assyrian Christian and Turkmen groups, as well as several local channels, not to mention sports channels, a diversity of news choices and more progressive entertainment channels like Alsumeria. In Iran, all locally produced TV channels are state-controlled, although those citizens who own a satellite dish (despite regular crackdowns) can access a diverse selection of views on several Farsi-language TV channels broadcast via Hot Bird. The traditionally liberal media sector works more subtly within Iran itself, producing popular dramas like 2007’s Zero Degree Turn, a love story set amid the Holocaust. The
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series was at odds with Iran’s official stance of Holocaust denial, containing underlying anti-Israeli messages while at the same time promoting inter-religious harmony. Even this might not have been allowed on the official channels farther south in the heart of the Arab world, where a Bahrainbased version of Big Brother was shut down for allowing single men and women to share a house. Yet Arabic channels are packed with romantic soaps, particularly at Ramadan, when viewing soars and the most expensive TV shows – dramas, talent shows and high-stakes game shows – are aired with advertisers integrated in ways that would leave British commercial TV channels salivating at the product placement. Many popular Middle Eastern soaps are produced in Syria, now a powerhouse for drama production, although the emirates of Qatar and Bahrain are keen to build media hubs of their own. Qatar’s Al Jazeera is probably the Middle East’s best-known TV channel, growing beyond news in English and Arabic to encompass most TV genres. In the subscription sector Orbit and Showtime take the lion’s share of lucrative imports, not only in local versions of Pop Idol and Deal Or No Deal, but in hit US series like Lost, and English Premier League football. They’re even introducing highdefinition and PVRs, although the free channels are unlikely to follow suit.
Next on Euro Spotlight
An unusually informal female presentation style
Five of Middle Eastern TV’s most popular shows
Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Sama Dubai Popular cartoon show based on the idea of uniting different characters from around the Arab world in one place under the same conditions.
Bab Al Hara
MBC (pan-Arabic) The Neighbour’s Gate chronicles the family dramas in a neighbourhood in Damascus, Syria, in the inter-war period under French rule.
Zero Degree Turn
Jame-Jam1 (Iran) Popular love story about a Muslim man and a Jewish woman seeking to survive the Holocaust.
Amani Lel Sayidat
Alsumeria (Iraq) A Ramadan drama series telling the stories of six Iraqi women who were compelled to leave their country.
Stars of Science
(pan-Arabic coverage) Dragon’s Den meets Pop Idol – 16 students from 11 Arab countries face the challenges of creating and marketing an innovative new product.
n Free TV from Asia
Al Jazeera is one of the key news channels
The setting gives this away – if the script above doesn’t
Euro spotlight See Channel Check page 56 for frequencies
Free Middle Eastern TV Free Bahraini TV CHANNEL
GENRE
Bahrain Sports 1 & 2 Bahrain TV Bahrain TV Channel 55
Sports General entertainment General entertainment
Alwatan TV & Plus Ethraa Funoon 1 & Plus Ghiras TV Iqraa TV u KTV1, 2, 3, & 3 Plus Kuwait Space Channel u Rawasy TV
GENRE
NOTE all channels on Badr 4, 26°E, except: m Eutelsat Sesat, 36°E, u also Hot Bird, 13°E, t also Eutelsat W6, 21.6°E
Note: All channels on Badr 4, 26°E
Free Iranian TV CHANNEL
Alalam News Channel* Alkawthar TV Andisheh TV BBC Persian TV Channel One Didar Global TV EBC1 IPN Iran TV Network Iranian Cinema Channel IRIB Quaran IRINN Jame-Jam TV Network 1 & 2 Live Channel Mohajer International TV Nejat TV Pars TV PEN Press TV* • b PMC Sat7Pars T2 Tapesh TV Tasvir Iran
News Religion – Islam General entertainment News General entertainment General entertainment General entertainment General entertainment General entertainment Movies Religion – Islam State news service General entertainment General entertainment General entertainment Religion – Islam General entertainment Music News in English Persian Music Channel Religion - Christian General entertainment General entertainment General entertainment
NOTE: all channels on Hot Bird, 13°E, except: * also Badr 4, 26°E, • also Intelsat 10, 68.5°E, b also Eurobird 1, 28.5°E
Free Iraqi TV CHANNEL
Al Baghdadia* Al Fayhaa TV Al Forqan TV m Al Sharqiya TV* Al Forat Sat TV g Al Iraqiya Sports Al Iraqiya TV m * Alhurra Iraq* Alsumaria s Baghdad TV Channel a t Beladi Satellite TV g Iraq Economic TV] Ishtar TV Kurdsat Salah Addin Turkmeneli TV a Zagros TV o
GENRE
Local – Baghdad News News News Religion – Islam Sports News US-sponsored news General entertainment Local – Baghdad Current affairs Business Assyrian Christian affairs Kurdish affairs Local – Sala Adin Turkmen affairs Kurdish affairs
General enterainment Culture & history Movies & comedy Education Religion – Islam General entertainment State information Poetry
Free Omani TV CHANNEL
Majan Oman TV Satellite u
GENRE
General entertainment General entertainment
NOTE: all channels on Eutelsat W6, 13°E, except: u also Hot Bird, 13°E
Free Qatari TV
NOTE all channels on Badr 4, 26°E, except: m Eutelsat Sesat, 36°E, u also Hot Bird, 13°E, l also Astra 1, 19.2°E, g also Eutelsat W2A, 10°E, q also Hispasat, 30°W, b also Eurobird 1, 28.5°E
Free Saudi Arabian TV
Satellites
CHANNEL
Al Ekhbariya Al Fanoos TV Al Riyadiah Satellite KSA2 u Saudi Arabian TV1 u Wataniah TV Channel
GENRE
News Children’s entertainment Documentaries News in English Live news events Sport Sport Pre-school children General entertainment Religion - Islam
GENRE
State news General entertainment Sport Entertainment in English General entertainment Islamic education
Free UAE TV CHANNEL
GENRE
NOTE all channels on Badr 4, 26°E, except: u also Hot Bird, 13°E, ] only Eurobird 9, 9°E
Free Kuwaiti TV
Free Yemeni TV
Free Jordanian TV CHANNEL
Al Haqiqa u Al Ordoniyah u Shada TV Toyor Al-Janah] W TV]
CHANNEL
Al Arabi Cultural Al-Adala TV m Alanwar TV u Alrai TV t
GENRE
Religious healing General entertainment General entertainment Children’s entertainment Music
GENRE
Arabic culture Current affairs Religion - Islam General entertainment
42°E Turkey’s satellite programme is a source of great national pride, with two satellites at its main position of 42°E, and three older satellites (1B and 1C) in occasional use for news feeds at 31.3°E – Turksat 1A was lost when its Ariane launcher exploded in 1994. The current main fleet is cunningly designed with East and West beams, so broadcasters can always reach Turkey with high power, but can also choose to reach either Europe (and North Africa on 3A), or Central Asia and the Middle East all the way to the Chinese border, making Turkey a regional communications powerhouse and serving its widespread diaspora. n Turksat
CHANNEL
Al Jazeera m u l Al Jazeera Children’s b u Al Jazeera Documentary u Al Jazeera English b g u l q Al Jazeera Mobasher u Al Jazeera Sport 1 Al Kass Baraem u Qatar TV u Shaer al Rasoul
Abu Dhabi Al Oula Europe b u Abu Dhabi Al Riyadiya u Abwab TV Al Arabiya u CNBC Arabiya DM TV Dubai One Dubai Racing Dubai Sports 1 & 2 Dubai Sports 3 u Dubai TV Dubai TV Europe u Dunia TV EZ Shop u Jawna MBC Maghreb Al-Arabia u ME Shop u Noor Dubai Orient TV PMC u Sama Dubai u Sharjah TV u The Media Office s Zoal TV
NOTE: all channels on Hot Bird, 13°E, except: * also Badr 4, 26°E, m also Eutelsat Sesat, 36°E, g also Eutelsat W2A, 10°E, s also Eurobird 2, 25.5°E a also Turksat, 42°E, t also Eutelsat W6, 21.6°E, ] Eurobird 9, 9°E, o also Atlantic Bird 1, 12.5°W
Footprint
CHANNEL
Sheba TV Yamaniya & Yemen TV
General entertainment General entertainment Car sales News Business news Decision makers’ TV Local – Dubai Horse racing Sport Sport Local - Dubai Local – Dubai General entertainment Shopping Youth TV News Shopping Social issues Syrian entertainment Persian pop music Local – Dubai Local – Sharjah News North African ent’ment
n Turksat 2A
Launched: Ariane 4, Kourou, January 10, 2001 Launch mass: 3,535kg Manufacturer: Alcatel Space Spacebus 3000B3 Transponders: 32 Ku-band EIRP: 52dBW Beams: West (Turkey & Europe), East (Turkey, Central Asia & Middle East) n Turksat 3A
Launched: Ariane 5, Kourou, June 13, 2008 Launch mass: 3,110kg Manufacturer: Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B2 Transponders: 24 Ku-band EIRP: 52dBW Beams: West (Turkey, North Africa & Europe), East (Turkey, Central Asia & Middle East)
GENRE
Religion (Islam) General entertainment
NOTE: all channels on Badr 4, 26°E, except: s only Hellasat 2, 39°E, u also Hot Bird, 13°E, b also Eurobird 1, 28.5°E
Turksat 3A, West footprint. More at www.turksat.com.tr
What Satellite & Digital TV 3