News

May 27, 2020

The Netflix original will start streaming from June 11.

MultiChoice partners with One Africa Global Foundation to host virtual concert

May 27, 2020

The funds raised from the concert will be used for accessible, functional medical equipment, COVID-19 testing stations and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to minimise exposure to the virus.

Cartoon Network rolls out new CN Together feature for kids in MENA

May 27, 2020

Content for the new feature will be updated every week throughout the summer.

WarnerMedia to launch Toonami in Sub-Saharan Africa

May 26, 2020

The channel Toonami offers top-rated series such as DC Comics’ Batman, Superman, The Green Lantern, Young Justice and The Justice League.

Karlovy Vary to screen 16 films at 96 theatres across Czech Republic

May 25, 2020

Each of the selected works will have only one exclusive screening, which will take place at all participating theatres at the same time.

MBRSC and Nat Geo to release UAE astronaut mission documentary

May 24, 2020

The documentary charts the journey of Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi as they prepare for their iconic journey, fine-tuning their bodies mentally and physically and learning to adapt to microgravity...

Arada to launch Sharjah’s first drive-in cinema experience

May 23, 2020

Screenings at Movie Nights at Aljada will take place on a daily basis from 8 pm and will be free to enter on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sharjah Media City launches new Freelancer package

May 23, 2020

The package comes in support of professionals across the media industry, at a cost-effective price.

Abu Dhabi’s Flash Entertainment to host virtual Eid celebration concert

May 23, 2020

The concert will premiere on May 25 at 8 pm KSA and 9 pm UAE time on Flash Entertainment website.

Travel Africa Network to launch HD channel via Hotbird

May 22, 2020

A multi-year contract with Eutelsat will enable Travel Africa Network to broadcast content to Europe and the MENA region.

Abu Dhabi Media and VICE Media Group to launch online youth content platform

May 22, 2020

Lamma, which translates as ‘gathering’ in English, aims to champion and support the Arab youth, enabling them to connect and explore new possibilities.

TVU Networks joins consortium for live coverage of NASA’s manned space flight

May 22, 2020

TVU will deploy its IP-based TVU Grid solution to help with the global distribution of multiple live video pool feeds positioned to cover the launch of the commercial craft’s dragon...

Sony sells teen spy series ‘Alex Rider’ to StarzPlay in ME, 99 other territories

May 21, 2020

This follows last week’s announcement that the series will be airing on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from June 4.

MUBI offers subscribers free access to content library

May 21, 2020

The content is available on the MUBI website and soon will also be available on its Apple and Android apps.

BeIN announces new content lineup for Eid Al Fitr

May 21, 2020

The content will be showcased on beIN channels over the coming days including beIN Movies, beIN Drama, beIN Series, beIN Gourmet.

MBC among top 20 media firms with 2.5bn social video views in April: Tubular Labs

Tubular Labs’ top five currently comprises The Walt Disney Company, ViacomCBS, Comcast, WarnerMedia and TheSoul Publishing.

Disney announces series of horror shorts from 20th Digital Studio

These 10 two-minute horror shorts are scheduled to be screened in competition in Cannes at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.

Nickelodeon and OSN to launch ‘SpongeBob’ pop-up channel

The channel will air 24/7 episodes of the popular children’s show until June 13, exclusively available via OSN.

VSN introduces VSN Play VoD platform

The platform will be available from today and will have video content generated by the company.

Etisalat Group CEO Saleh Al Abdooli resigns

Al Abdooli cited unknown personal reasons for stepping down from his position.

Haifaa Al-Mansour’s film ‘The Perfect Candidate’ to premiere on OSN Store

The film will launch also on linear channels this July to coincide with the occasion of Eid Al Adha.

StarzPlay ties with Zain to boost subscriptions in KSA, Kuwait and Iraq

This partnership aims to provide easier payment options for StarzPlay’s existing and would-be subscribers with easy access to its content for Zain customers.

BookMyShow introduces virtual stand-up comedy series ‘Ha Ha Ha-Bibi’ in UAE

Co-curated with Comic On Nights, headline acts in May and June include Vir Das, Amit Tandon, Jeeveshu Ahluwalia and more.

Disney’s head of streaming quits and joins TikTok as CEO

TikTok's national and regional leaders will remain in their roles with their current responsibilities, reporting to Meyer, who will be responsible for the global business.

MBC Group condemns attack on studios in Iraq

The attack is said to have been politically led in response to an episode that was aired on MBC 1 channel on Thursday, May 14.

MBC’s VOD platform Shahid now available on TCL Android TVs

Users can find the Shahid app either via the launcher bar (home screen) or download it through Google Play.

IBC2020 cancelled due to COVID-19

The event organisers said they "cannot guarantee that we will be able to deliver a safe and valuable event to the quality expected of IBC".

Saudi sovereign-wealth fund buys stake in Facebook, Boeing and Disney

The fund now has managed to secure a portfolio of nearly $10bn in US-listed stocks.

Cancelled sporting events give boost to esports content: GlobalData

Service providers are continuing to charge end users the regional sports network fees, even though live sporting events have been cancelled.

Huawei Video announces new Ramadan series in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt

May 17, 2020

The new content lineup is free to stream for Huawei and Honor Mobile users during Ramadan.

Kalevala World announces TV/VOD drama series in development

May 17, 2020

The first season of the drama series will contain 12 episodes of 50 minutes each.

BCE and FEI team up to provide coverage of past events for equestrian fans

May 17, 2020

More than 16 programmes are scheduled over the next two months.

Emirati film ‘Musk’ to screen at 14th Asia Pacific Screen Awards

May 16, 2020

The film was released in 28 theatres in the UAE, and two theatres in each of Kuwait and Bahrain in 2018.

UAE launches relief programme to support creatives affected by COVID-19

May 16, 2020

Applications will be accepted for a period of seven days starting from May 17 through a unified digital platform.

Radio and Television of Montenegro adopts Riedel technology for studio upgrade

The Riedel network will provide signal transport and communications for RTCG's UHD coverage of the upcoming summer games from Tokyo, Japan.

Sharjah Art Foundation to stream Wael Shawky’s films tomorrow

Part of the Sharjah Art Foundation Collection, the films are the first two works of a trilogy.

Nigeria approves two-month licence fee waiver for broadcast stations

The move is part of the country’s efforts to ease the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the broadcast industry.

Vox announces Drive-in Cinema at Mall of the Emirates

The new cinema experience will be held on the Mall of the Emirates rooftop and will open to the public from Sunday, May 17.

Weyyak launches live TV service on its platform

May 13, 2020

The new platform will include four channels which will stream various shows and films throughout the day.

Net Insight CFO to leave company, successor appointed

May 13, 2020

Pelle Bourn will remain as CFO and member of the executive management team until Joakim Schvedins takes over.

Sharjah International Film Festival adds nine new films to stream for free

The move is in line with SIFF’s commitment to help audiences stay entertained during the lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

WarnerMedia and CANAL+ launch TNT and Cartoon Network in Rwanda

This follows CANAL+ Group’s move to reinforce its English-speaking channel proposition within its pay-TV offer and footprint in the country.

SCISYS Media Solutions rebrands to CGI

CGI news and radio production solutions support remote working and enable journalists to research, structure and plan their deliveries in advance.

Mo-Sys collaborates with Panasonic to launch camera tracker

The AW-UE150 and the Mo-Sys StarTracker module aims to empower AR and virtual studio graphics by creating engaging content with natural depth and changing perspectives.

RFC launches short film competition ‘Quarantine Got Talent’

The deadline for submissions is May 21 and the winner will be announced on May 26 after public voting.

Sushant Rai joins TVU Networks as VP of Sales for South Asia and MENA

Under the new role, Rai will lead strategic sales efforts across all three regions with sales and solutions teams consolidating under his leadership.

Image Nation ties with UAE foreign affairs for virtual film screening series

The event aims to stimulate a global discussion around public diplomacy and demonstrate the influence of documentaries and video content during this unprecedented time.

Leader Electronics equipment to be used for African football tournament coverage

The games are scheduled to take place in January and February at city venues for live transmission across Africa and around the world.

Disney announces plans to make live-action short film based on Eid

The shooting for the film will begin later this year.

ViacomCBS and Google announce expanded distribution agreement

The comprehensive deal will see 14 ViacomCBS cable networks added to YouTube TV, including BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon.

CNN Worldwide appoints Rani Raad as global commercial strategy head

Effective immediately, Raad will report directly to Jeff Zucker, Chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports & President of CNN Worldwide.

Documentary maker Anthony Geffen hosts virtual session for Abu Dhabi book fair

May 10, 2020

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Geffen described how virtual reality and augmented reality will impact all areas of the economy.

Red Bee takes over playout for BBC Persian and Arabic TV News

May 8, 2020

The project and migration took place as planned and on time during the unusual circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Les Brown to make first MENA television appearance on MBC1

May 8, 2020

The American motivational speaker and author is set to appear on “Al Likaa” with Saudi host, Mofeed Al-Nowaiser, on May 8 and 9.

Colors acquires rights to air ‘Mahabharat’

May 8, 2020

The show started airing on COLORS ME from May 6 at 8 pm (UAE).

IBC announces first set of challenges for accelerator programme 2020

IBC has announced an open call for additional participants and champions to apply to be a part of the projects that aim to solve challenges faced by the media and...

Dubai Film and TV Commission starts issuing filming permits again

With certain regulations and guidelines, the order for issuing filming permits will be effective immediately.

Tunisian actor Dhafer L’Abidine stars in Netflix’s new series ‘The Eddy’

The film, which will premiere on May 8, marks L’Abidine’s debut on the streaming platform.

BeIN SPORTS launches ‘beINSPIRED’ podcast celebrating female athletes