• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • TV/Radio Deals
  • Film partnerships
  • New appointments
  • Production
  • TV Channels
Cashing in on the stream

Cashing in on the stream

July 22, 2024
How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

May 20, 2025
Ad 1 Ad 3
How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

May 20, 2025
Asghar Farhadi to lead screenwriting and directing masterclass in Dubai

Asghar Farhadi to lead screenwriting and directing masterclass in Dubai

May 20, 2025
The expanding role of AI in broadcast

The expanding role of AI in broadcast

May 20, 2025
Qualcomm and e& join forces to advance UAE’s 5G and edge AI

Qualcomm and e& join forces to advance UAE’s 5G and edge AI

May 20, 2025
Sonos debuts in Saudi Arabia as headline sponsor of SLS Expo 2025

Sonos debuts in Saudi Arabia as headline sponsor of SLS Expo 2025

May 20, 2025
Fionnuala Halligan joins Red Sea Film Foundation as Director of Int’l Programmes

Fionnuala Halligan joins Red Sea Film Foundation as Director of Int’l Programmes

May 20, 2025
TwelveP Animation and Powerkids Entertainment to co-produce first international animated series from Abu Dhabi

TwelveP Animation and Powerkids Entertainment to co-produce first international animated series from Abu Dhabi

May 20, 2025
Sony Pictures Television signs deal with Turkey’s Sinema TV

SunStreet and Harbor House partner to expand Gulf media presence

May 20, 2025
Strata Manufacturing delivers first batch of 24 T-Foils for SailGP’s F50

Strata Manufacturing delivers first batch of 24 T-Foils for SailGP’s F50

May 19, 2025
Qatar launches national initiative to mark ITU’s 160th anniversary

Qatar launches national initiative to mark ITU’s 160th anniversary

May 19, 2025
Vuz secures IFC investment in $12m pre-series C round

Vuz secures IFC investment in $12m pre-series C round

May 19, 2025
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Archive
  • Directory
  • Contact
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
BroadcastPro ME
  • News
    • All
    • Analyst Reports
    • AV
    • Cinema Theatres
    • Esports
    • Film partnerships
    • International News
    • Mergers/Acquisitions
    • New appointments
    • OTT/Video Streaming
    • Podcasting
    • Production
    • Satellite/Comms
    • TV/Radio Deals
    How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

    How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

    How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

    How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

    Asghar Farhadi to lead screenwriting and directing masterclass in Dubai

    Asghar Farhadi to lead screenwriting and directing masterclass in Dubai

    Qualcomm and e& join forces to advance UAE’s 5G and edge AI

    Qualcomm and e& join forces to advance UAE’s 5G and edge AI

    Fionnuala Halligan joins Red Sea Film Foundation as Director of Int’l Programmes

    Fionnuala Halligan joins Red Sea Film Foundation as Director of Int’l Programmes

    TwelveP Animation and Powerkids Entertainment to co-produce first international animated series from Abu Dhabi

    TwelveP Animation and Powerkids Entertainment to co-produce first international animated series from Abu Dhabi

    Sony Pictures Television signs deal with Turkey’s Sinema TV

    SunStreet and Harbor House partner to expand Gulf media presence

    Strata Manufacturing delivers first batch of 24 T-Foils for SailGP’s F50

    Strata Manufacturing delivers first batch of 24 T-Foils for SailGP’s F50

    Qatar launches national initiative to mark ITU’s 160th anniversary

    Qatar launches national initiative to mark ITU’s 160th anniversary

    Vuz secures IFC investment in $12m pre-series C round

    Vuz secures IFC investment in $12m pre-series C round

    Trending Tags

    • broadcast
    • MENA broadcast
    • ConnecTech2019
  • Tech Features
    • All
    • CASE STUDIES
    • New Media
    • REVIEWS
    • TV/Radio Deals
    • Updates from FOMEX
    • Virtual Production Series
    The expanding role of AI in broadcast

    The expanding role of AI in broadcast

    The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

    The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

    Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

    Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part IV

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part III

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

    SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

    Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

    Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

    Media leaders embrace digital transformation

    Media leaders embrace digital transformation

    Broadcasting beyond borders

    Broadcasting beyond borders

    Trending Tags

    • Videos
      Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

      Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

      Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

      Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

      Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

      Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

      Reema Omari

      Reema Omari on Universal Satcom’s growth and connectivity solutions

      Mustafa Afifi

      Mustafa Afifi of Rivada Space on Outernet’s impact in the Middle East

      Don

      ST Engineering iDirect CEO Don Claussen on Mideast ties and satellite strategy

      KSASummit

      Transforming Arabic Content: Studios, Producers and Regional Impact

      Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

      Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

      The Power of Podcasts & Audio Streaming in Saudi Arabia

      The Power of Podcasts & Audio Streaming in Saudi Arabia

    • Opinion
      YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

      YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

      Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

      Sport’s Growing Grip on MENA Media

      MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

      MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

      Integrate ME 2023 brings its inaugural edition to successful conclusion

      Empowering the next generation of content creation and live broadcasting with AV PRO

      Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

      Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

      Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

      Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

      Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

      Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

      Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

      Saudi Arabia emerges as the epicentre of Media & Entertainment in 2025

      Film and Beyond: Leapfrogging into the global screen industry

      Film and Beyond: Leapfrogging into the global screen industry

      Staying Safe and Ensuring Continuity with Cloud Playout

      Staying Safe and Ensuring Continuity with Cloud Playout

    • Interviews
      • All
      • Lounge
      Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

      Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

      New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

      New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

      Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

      Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

      UAE Pro League flips the field

      UAE Pro League flips the field

      Bringing the wild to the Middle East

      Bringing the wild to the Middle East

      Shades of success

      Shades of success

      Navigating the news wave

      Navigating the news wave

      From archive to asset

      From archive to asset

      Clarity in motion

      Clarity in motion

      Using AI to keep history real

      Using AI to keep history real

    • Products
    • Magazine Archive
      • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
      • PRO Directory
    • Events
      • News from Events
      • Upcoming Events
      DICM

      DICM

      IBC Show

      IBC 2025

      MPTS

      CABSAT2025

      CABSAT2025

      NAB Show

    No Result
    View All Result
    BroadcastPro ME
    • News
      • All
      • Analyst Reports
      • AV
      • Cinema Theatres
      • Esports
      • Film partnerships
      • International News
      • Mergers/Acquisitions
      • New appointments
      • OTT/Video Streaming
      • Podcasting
      • Production
      • Satellite/Comms
      • TV/Radio Deals
      How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

      How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

      How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

      How the UAE is forging a new frontier in space technology

      Asghar Farhadi to lead screenwriting and directing masterclass in Dubai

      Asghar Farhadi to lead screenwriting and directing masterclass in Dubai

      Qualcomm and e& join forces to advance UAE’s 5G and edge AI

      Qualcomm and e& join forces to advance UAE’s 5G and edge AI

      Fionnuala Halligan joins Red Sea Film Foundation as Director of Int’l Programmes

      Fionnuala Halligan joins Red Sea Film Foundation as Director of Int’l Programmes

      TwelveP Animation and Powerkids Entertainment to co-produce first international animated series from Abu Dhabi

      TwelveP Animation and Powerkids Entertainment to co-produce first international animated series from Abu Dhabi

      Sony Pictures Television signs deal with Turkey’s Sinema TV

      SunStreet and Harbor House partner to expand Gulf media presence

      Strata Manufacturing delivers first batch of 24 T-Foils for SailGP’s F50

      Strata Manufacturing delivers first batch of 24 T-Foils for SailGP’s F50

      Qatar launches national initiative to mark ITU’s 160th anniversary

      Qatar launches national initiative to mark ITU’s 160th anniversary

      Vuz secures IFC investment in $12m pre-series C round

      Vuz secures IFC investment in $12m pre-series C round

      Trending Tags

      • broadcast
      • MENA broadcast
      • ConnecTech2019
    • Tech Features
      • All
      • CASE STUDIES
      • New Media
      • REVIEWS
      • TV/Radio Deals
      • Updates from FOMEX
      • Virtual Production Series
      The expanding role of AI in broadcast

      The expanding role of AI in broadcast

      The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

      The power of podcasts and audio streaming in MENA

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part IV

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part III

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part II

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

      SMF and FOMEX bring top industry leaders together in Riyadh – Part I

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      Media leaders embrace digital transformation

      Media leaders embrace digital transformation

      Broadcasting beyond borders

      Broadcasting beyond borders

      Trending Tags

      • Videos
        Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

        Ignacio Gonzalez-Nuñez on Eutelsat’s new offering and market leadership

        Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

        Francesco Cataldo on iKO Media Group’s CABSAT showcase and broadcast trends

        Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

        Deepraj Sandhar on Ross Video’s Middle East growth and broadcast tech trends

        Reema Omari

        Reema Omari on Universal Satcom’s growth and connectivity solutions

        Mustafa Afifi

        Mustafa Afifi of Rivada Space on Outernet’s impact in the Middle East

        Don

        ST Engineering iDirect CEO Don Claussen on Mideast ties and satellite strategy

        KSASummit

        Transforming Arabic Content: Studios, Producers and Regional Impact

        Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

        Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive

        The Power of Podcasts & Audio Streaming in Saudi Arabia

        The Power of Podcasts & Audio Streaming in Saudi Arabia

      • Opinion
        YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

        YouTube in Ramadan: The silent giant

        Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

        Sport’s Growing Grip on MENA Media

        MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

        MEASA’s media and communications innovations set new benchmarks beyond regional boundaries

        Integrate ME 2023 brings its inaugural edition to successful conclusion

        Empowering the next generation of content creation and live broadcasting with AV PRO

        Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

        Decoding the Ramadan Drama Phenomenon: What Makes a Winner?

        Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

        Reviving cultural identity through native storytelling in Abu Dhabi

        Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

        Why it’s game on for broadcasters of live sport

        Evision’s transformation proves that business acumen and passion drive success

        Saudi Arabia emerges as the epicentre of Media & Entertainment in 2025

        Film and Beyond: Leapfrogging into the global screen industry

        Film and Beyond: Leapfrogging into the global screen industry

        Staying Safe and Ensuring Continuity with Cloud Playout

        Staying Safe and Ensuring Continuity with Cloud Playout

      • Interviews
        • All
        • Lounge
        Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

        Breaking barriers, building futures: The new face of IABM

        New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

        New Leadership, Same Strategy, Sharpened Focus

        Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

        Creating Captain Shedeed: A superhero with Arab roots

        UAE Pro League flips the field

        UAE Pro League flips the field

        Bringing the wild to the Middle East

        Bringing the wild to the Middle East

        Shades of success

        Shades of success

        Navigating the news wave

        Navigating the news wave

        From archive to asset

        From archive to asset

        Clarity in motion

        Clarity in motion

        Using AI to keep history real

        Using AI to keep history real

      • Products
      • Magazine Archive
        • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
        • PRO Directory
      • Events
        • News from Events
        • Upcoming Events
        DICM

        DICM

        IBC Show

        IBC 2025

        MPTS

        CABSAT2025

        CABSAT2025

        NAB Show

      No Result
      View All Result
      BroadcastPro ME
      No Result
      View All Result
      AMT Ad SimplyLive Ad ibc Ad Rossvideo Ad
      Home Case Studies OTT Features

      Cashing in on the stream

      Kalyani Gopinath by Kalyani Gopinath
      July 22, 2024
      in OTT Features, Roundtables
      Cashing in on the stream
      ShareTweetPostEmail

      Industry experts gathered for a roundtable organised by BroadcastPro ME and Cleeng in Dubai to discuss how to future-proof their OTT services.

      In the relentless pursuit of profitability, OTT platforms contend for larger subscriber bases, less churn, better efficiency through automated processes and hyper-monetisation modules. By introducing more flexibility on the SMS side to support diverse business models such as hybrid monetisation alongside SVOD, and leveraging data insights collected from various touchpoints, platforms can better predict churn. Data insights become a valuable tool in deciphering operational strategies to sustain growth as platforms juggle workable mechanisms.

      Barry Mehdizadeh, Product Director, Shahid, MBC Group.

      At a discussion on subscriber retention management, improving revenue streams and customer lifetime values, mitigating churn rates, enhancing cost efficiency and increasing ROI were explored and debated.

      Moderated by Alexis Gai, SVP, Sales & Revenue, Cleeng, and Joachim Bergman, COO, Cleeng, the panel comprised Barry Mehdizadeh, Product Director, Shahid, MBC Group; Faraz Arshad, CTO, StarzPlay; Heba Al Samt, Awaan Manager, Dubai Media; Joe Al Khawand, Head of MENA Content Production, Yango Play; Karim Morgan, Head of Digital Technology, Asharq News; Melvin Saldanha, VP Technology, OSN; Nadine Samra, Chief Business Officer, Weyyak; and Peter Van Dam, COO, SPL Media House.

      Drawing on the importance of profitability, Alexis Gai maintained that every strategy is valid depending on the phase that a company is at. Netflix and Disney invested heavily in subscriber growth before positioning themselves as dominant players. Although there is no secret recipe, players in the MENA region have looked for services to offer in the continuous search for new ways to generate revenue while optimising their TCO.

      Faraz Arshad, CTO, StarzPlay.

      Profitability is an important element of any organisation, agreed Faraz Arshad, CTO of StarzPlay. “After a certain number of years, you have to show your investors if the desired profitability is coming in. At StarzPlay, we diversified our offerings; where we used to be VOD-centric, we shifted gradually towards live sport and now offer AVOD-, TVOD- and SVOD-based services.”

      Whether privately owned or government-led, the goal is to be profitable; and as businesses grow, managing customers, their subscription, their churn and the cost of acquisition becomes demanding, and the need of a reliable technology provider is even more critical.

      Joachim Bergman, COO, Cleeng.

      According to Melvin Saldanha, VP of Technology at OSN, the company’s primary focus lies in customer management, content consumption analysis, audience targeting via technology, and leveraging successful models of subscription video on demand (SVOD) and ad-supported platforms. He likened the current landscape to traditional TV of two decades ago, where there were limited channels, pay-per-view and TVOD (transactional video on demand). This historical cycle is now re-emerging in the OTT (over-the-top) realm. Saldanha emphasised the growing demand from advertising partners for integrating advertising revenue, indicating a collective industry shift in that direction, though he acknowledged that full realisation of this trend has not yet been achieved.

      Different segmentations and multiple components come into play towards a possible profitable path, together with compliant and flexible subscriber management systems, all of which are possible in entertainment but much less so in live sport, countered Peter Van Dam. With prohibitive costs and multiplied renewal spend, sport is a different ball game.

      Joe Al Khawand, Head of MENA Content Production, Yango Play.

      “You have daily passes, monthly passes, event passes, and even that’s difficult because you want to see at the beginning of the season what you pay for, and against that you want to see subscriptions. The day passes they have in NFL for instance is a completely unique model, one that all leagues would love to have, but difficult.”

      LTV on sport is not comparable to entertainment, and the moment a season or league is over people will churn, “unless a new league is happening within the same genre”, commented Arshad. “For us, it’s contributing to our profitability, which is why as a company we are investing in multiple leagues with the same genres.”

      “In the realm of sports, particularly cricket, e-commerce platforms are forging partnerships and providing subscription services. Their aim is to merge streaming and e-commerce, effectively seeking to integrate the two experiences,” added Saldanha.

      Heba Al Samt, Awaan Manager, Dubai Media.

      E-commerce platforms need live content, and with evolving consumer behaviour the future at a certain point will be people moving away from different apps and staying within one app – the aggregation of content from all partners into one ‘super app’. This app-level integration could modify metadata to present a library of prime content in one app with a single sign-on and single payment mechanism.

      With many parts of the globe experimenting with the model, Dubai Media has been researching and testing a prototype.

      “Super apps will come but there is the need to discuss rights, content acquisition, is it something we introduce today, will people accept it, would I want to read the newspaper on an OTT platform? Would I switch from a movie or a series to play a game? Many questions, and the audience is varied,” stated Heba Al Samt, “and they’re not looking for a service as much as something to keep them entertained.”

      “At Weyyak, we’ve done successful productions and syndicated them for global visibility, but as a production house, the constant challenge is: what’s next?” – Nadine Samra, Chief Business Officer, Weyyak.

      However, it’s about the seamless experience that comes with a super app, stated Yango Play Head of MENA Content Production Joe Al Khawand. “It’s a click away – one icon, one subscription, one single app. Movies, series, music, games within the same app and especially Yango Play, which is powered by AI. The result is a whole new connected experience.”

      A diverse content library is inextricably linked to profitability and most platforms work around enhancing their body of content, aiming to effectively display and make that more accessible. Having exclusive content has its advantages to an extent, but not in the long run, pointed out Al Khawand.

      Nadine Samra, Chief Business Officer, Weyyak.

      “We produced a Saudi sitcom called Sakf El Waled during Ramadan and it did very well, and now we are exploring ways to make it more visible. We have a lot of talent – writers, directors, actors – and they want to be seen as much as possible.” That way, exclusivity is maintained for a while before opening the gate to partnerships to amplify everyone’s content spread.

      “And adding another source of revenue at the end of the day,” said Karim Morgan, Head of Digital Technology, Asharq News. “Artists don’t care so much about the money as much as being seen, and if you limit their reach to a certain subset of platforms or audience, they will find somebody else to produce with.”

      As OTT players explore viable models, have multiple rotating packages and more, the fundamental point is that there is no secret recipe. “That time when we were looking at OTT as an extra service, as a must-have because we needed our content to be viewed by audiences everywhere, that phase has gone. The objective right now is to make money,” said Nadine Samra. “At Weyyak we’ve done successful productions and syndicated them for global visibility, but as a production house the constant challenge is: what’s next?”

      Peter Van Dam, COO, SPL Media House.

      Barry Mehdizadeh, Product Director, Shahid, MBC Group, couldn’t have agreed more. “We have reached a certain maturity, a level where OTT is an entertainment commodity, a value-add service to another service, to a TV, a telco bundle, used by users as their main entertainment TV experience. And now, what’s the next innovation?”

      He added that Shahid offers a full hybrid model beyond SVOD and AVOD “with a set of FAST channels”.

      While challenges come, companies adopt new technologies to tackle churn and retention struggles. Data-centric companies look at data segmentation for their products and identify ‘golden cohorts’ through a mix of watch time and different pieces of content that they aspire to bring closer to all the other cohorts, to limit the probability of churn, said Gai. These insights can be turn into automated marketing campaigns to prevent churn or win back subscribers and maximise return on investment.

      Karim Morgan, Head of Digital Technology, Asharq News.

      Planning profitability by acquiring more market share, businesses leaned towards profit optimisation or cost optimisation. Many OTTs fail because of cost that’s out of control. “Cost of content, whether acquisition or production; cost in marketing (unnecessary spend); and third, technology. If you can control the three, automatically you’ll see the light,” said Morgan.

      “Cost optimisation becomes difficult as the content and platform delivery cost is getting expensive, not just for us but for all OTT players. Everything has changed – compute, storage, CDN and the costs never reduce, they only keep growing,” added Arshad.

      Adopting a hybrid approach means optimising the CDN as well as acquiring quantum rights so that customers stay for a longer time. From a sports league standpoint, optimising income to create the best digital football experience for fans is crucial, said Van Dam.

      Alexis Gai, SVP of Sales & Revenue, Cleeng moderated the panel.

      As companies look at ways to improve their business, customer lifetime value (CLV) metrics help them make decisions on promotional strategies.

      “When the customer first comes in, he’s watching 100% so habitually two hours a day, and then after a fortnight that drops by 50%, and then further down. Our goal is to keep him to those two hours a day,” said Saldanha. “We make sure he is always catered to. At OSN we have premium content straight out of Hollywood studios, sometimes same as US hours. And something we learned from the traditional pay-TV business is that of drip-feeds, week on week. With drop-ins, the customer is not going to binge-watch and move away.”

      The importance of personalised communication with existing audiences is central to CLV. OTT platforms do either one of the two extremes, and finding the right balance is key to retention. Another thing that everybody overlooks is UI, said Morgan: “This is why we see platforms like Netflix sustaining the market, even though they may not be operating at a profitability; the UI is so elegant and easy to use, and you have the family plans, segregated accounts, kids only, all these features built into the UI.”

      Melvin Saldanha, VP Technology, OSN.

      StarzPlay has taken a step-by-step approach in increasing lifetime value. “We are not just B2C but also offer B2B2C services. We host different segments and brands within the same app, charging customers and providing them with appropriate entitlements,” said Arshad. “We leverage AI in billing automation, which helps us segment customers and offer a step-down charging mechanism. This allows us to charge our customers at a convenient price point.”

      Hybrid monetisation through automated workflows is beneficial when trying to adapt to categories of customers who subscribe and cancel immediately, optimising the ‘cancellation journey’. For instance, ensuring when a person is about to click and unsubscribe that the right recommendation is made in the right cadence, so that when they come in the next time they are tempted with the offer of an upgrade.

      Companies are also resorting to AI in their call centres that comply with regional identities and nuances, so that the caller feels his issues are understood.

      “Because I’m handling CX and CS, we make sure the sensitivity in the market is kept in mind. Even on social media, we pay a lot of attention to how we express content on promotions, the words we use and the accent,” said Mehdizadeh.

      More call centres are becoming less people-driven; chatbots handle about 30-35% of calls, and when the bot doesn’t have answers it routes the call to a human being.

      The Cleeng team with the roundtable participants.

      “What we have also done to optimise the cancellation journey is get the system to analyse a call; if it picks up a possible withdrawal, it will say we need to serve retention offers instantly,” said Saldanha.

      One of the key metrics to retention is satisfaction, and if a customer is dissatisfied he will most realistically leave. Looking at the best-in-class, the Netflixes of the world, churn metric trend rates is around 2-4%, followed by others at 6-8% and then a host of companies that fluctuate between 10% and 15%. Working on ways to decrease churn rate, everyone agreed the aspiration was to get to the 8%, with content playing a major role.

      “Investment in innovation can work, but without the right content, no matter how much the innovation, the customer will never stay,” said Al Samt. “You can have the best look and feel, interface, services, modules, everything, but if you don’t have the right content, they’re going to watch whatever they want to watch and leave.”

      “In the realm of sports, particularly cricket, e-commerce platforms are forging partnerships and providing subscription services. Their aim is to merge streaming and e-commerce, effectively seeking to integrate the two experiences” – Melvin Saldanha, VP Technology, OSN.

      The participants also mentioned a Ramadan trend – a spike at the start of the Holy Month and severe churn after. Whether it’s originals, sequels or popular series, you still face a dip, and that is a fact for any platform that offers Ramadan content, said Al Khawand. The spike stems from the fact that most content providers that cater to Arabic-speaking audiences buy at least 50% of their content prior to the season. “I’ve seen the traffic during Ramadan exceeding the combined traffic from the other 11 months,” said Morgan.

      The solution, everyone agreed, lies in finding the right balance between scheduling new episodes for series and shows, to minimise churn and keep households engaged with content made not just for Ramadan but with a longer innate appeal.

      So where do viewers spend their time? While the Prime video proposition drives e-commerce, YouTube remains the most-watched channel. “That’s probably our biggest challenge. That pie gets divided among multiple OTT providers and then we fight for the smaller portion of the pie,” said Samra.

      “We leverage AI in billing automation, which helps us segment customers and offer a stepdown charging mechanism” – Faraz Arshad, CTO, StarzPlay.

      As increasing competition impacts profitability, higher AVOD and higher subscription remain the two revenue streams. Operators need to also implement better loyalty programmes – early access, a discount, partnership bundles and, most importantly, retention campaigns.

      “The cost of acquisition is much higher than the cost of retaining an existing customer. Focusing on churn is the key to profitability, instead of trying to acquire a new customer when you don’t know how long they are going to stay,” said Morgan.

      Tags: Alexis GaiAsharq newsAVODBarry MehdizadehCleengcontent productionDisneyDubai MediaFaraz ArshadfeaturedpostHeba Al SamtHybrid monetisationJoachim BergmanJoe Al KhawandKarim MorganLive SportMBC GroupMelvin SaldanhaNadine SamraNetflixOSNPeter Van DamRamadan contentSPL Media HouseStarzPlaySVODTVODWeyyakYango Play

      Related Posts

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      May 15, 2025
      Unlock future of media at CABSAT 2025 Content Congress

      Unlock future of media at CABSAT 2025 Content Congress

      May 12, 2025
      Planetcast unveils media distribution solutions at NAB Show

      Planetcast to demo media distribution platform at CABSAT

      May 6, 2025
      Piracy hampers growth of India’s digital media sector: MPA

      Piracy hampers growth of India’s digital media sector: MPA

      May 6, 2025
      E& UAE and Evision launch OTT TV service for SMBs

      E& UAE and Evision launch OTT TV service for SMBs

      March 13, 2025
      Broadpeak to showcase streaming and monetisation solutions at NAB Show

      Broadpeak to showcase streaming and monetisation solutions at NAB Show

      March 6, 2025

      Related News

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      Tech strategies for an evolving modern MENA media ecosystem

      May 15, 2025
      Unlock future of media at CABSAT 2025 Content Congress

      Unlock future of media at CABSAT 2025 Content Congress

      May 12, 2025
      Planetcast to demo media distribution platform at CABSAT

      Planetcast to demo media distribution platform at CABSAT

      May 6, 2025
      Piracy hampers growth of India’s digital media sector: MPA

      Piracy hampers growth of India’s digital media sector: MPA

      May 6, 2025
      E& UAE and Evision launch OTT TV service for SMBs

      E& UAE and Evision launch OTT TV service for SMBs

      March 13, 2025
      Broadpeak to showcase streaming and monetisation solutions at NAB Show

      Broadpeak to showcase streaming and monetisation solutions at NAB Show

      March 6, 2025
      More Related News

      BroadcastPro ME

      • About
      • Advertise
      • Subscribe
      • Magazine Archive
      • Directory
      • Contact
      • Privacy

      Follow us on Social Media

      No Result
      View All Result
      • News
      • Tech Features
      • Videos
      • Opinion
      • Interviews
      • Products
      • Magazine Archive
        • BroadcastPro ME Magazine
        • PRO Directory
      • Events

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Fill the forms bellow to register

      All fields are required. Log In

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In