• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • TV/Radio Deals
  • Film partnerships
  • New appointments
  • Production
  • TV Channels
Is pay the future of free TV?

Is pay the future of free TV?

December 18, 2015
Abu Dhabi’s CMA and NG9 Group sign $15m production deal

Abu Dhabi’s CMA and NG9 Group sign $15m production deal

July 26, 2025
Ad 1
MAD Solutions acquires distribution rights to Yemeni film ‘The Burdened’

Zawya Cinema screens Yemeni film ‘The Burdened’

July 25, 2025
NASA launches mission to study Earth’s magnetic shield

NASA launches mission to study Earth’s magnetic shield

July 25, 2025
Ejunior partners with Cartoon Network MENA

Ejunior partners with Cartoon Network MENA

July 25, 2025
Sparkle and Algérie Télécom sign MoU for new subsea cable

Sparkle and Algérie Télécom sign MoU for new subsea cable

July 25, 2025
Mediagenix to demo integration of Spideo personalisation tech at IBC

Mediagenix to demo integration of Spideo personalisation tech at IBC

July 25, 2025

Saudi Film Commission launches second film community initiative across four cities

July 25, 2025
Africa24 Group partners with Ivorian MMA Federation

Africa24 Group partners with Ivorian MMA Federation

July 25, 2025
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Media Regulation launches Media System project 

CJ ENM launches subsidiary in Saudi Arabia to drive Middle East expansion

July 24, 2025
Aselsan to share space tech with Azerbaijan in strategic partnership

Aselsan to share space tech with Azerbaijan in strategic partnership

July 24, 2025
IBC2025 launches Future Tech hub for innovation and talent

Appear to exhibit VX software and X Platform integration at IBC 2025

July 24, 2025
Custom Consoles MDesk-Technical HA workstation to make IBC debut

Custom Consoles MDesk-Technical HA workstation to make IBC debut

July 24, 2025
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Magazine Archive
  • Directory
  • Contact
Saturday, July 26, 2025
  • Login
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
    Abu Dhabi’s CMA and NG9 Group sign $15m production deal

    Abu Dhabi’s CMA and NG9 Group sign $15m production deal

    MAD Solutions acquires distribution rights to Yemeni film ‘The Burdened’

    Zawya Cinema screens Yemeni film ‘The Burdened’

    NASA launches mission to study Earth’s magnetic shield

    NASA launches mission to study Earth’s magnetic shield

    Ejunior partners with Cartoon Network MENA

    Ejunior partners with Cartoon Network MENA

    Sparkle and Algérie Télécom sign MoU for new subsea cable

    Sparkle and Algérie Télécom sign MoU for new subsea cable

    Saudi Film Commission launches second film community initiative across four cities

    Africa24 Group partners with Ivorian MMA Federation

    Africa24 Group partners with Ivorian MMA Federation

    Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Media Regulation launches Media System project 

    CJ ENM launches subsidiary in Saudi Arabia to drive Middle East expansion

    Aselsan to share space tech with Azerbaijan in strategic partnership

    Aselsan to share space tech with Azerbaijan in strategic partnership

    Tunisian film ‘Agora’ to hold world premiere at Locarno Film Festival

    Tunisian mystery thriller film ‘Agora’ to screen at Zawya Cinema

    Trending Tags

    • broadcast
    • MENA broadcast
    • ConnecTech2019
  • Tech Features
    • All
    • CASE STUDIES
    • New Media
    • REVIEWS
    • TV/Radio Deals
    • Updates from FOMEX
    • Virtual Production Series
    Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

    Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

    Playing to win

    Playing to win

    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

    Trending Tags

    • Videos
      FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

      FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

      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

    • Opinion
      Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

      Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

      Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

      Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

      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

    • Interviews
      • All
      • Lounge
      Sand, sweat and high stakes

      Sand, sweat and high stakes

      All eyes on AIUIa

      All eyes on AIUIa

      Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

      Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

      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

    • 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
      Abu Dhabi’s CMA and NG9 Group sign $15m production deal

      Abu Dhabi’s CMA and NG9 Group sign $15m production deal

      MAD Solutions acquires distribution rights to Yemeni film ‘The Burdened’

      Zawya Cinema screens Yemeni film ‘The Burdened’

      NASA launches mission to study Earth’s magnetic shield

      NASA launches mission to study Earth’s magnetic shield

      Ejunior partners with Cartoon Network MENA

      Ejunior partners with Cartoon Network MENA

      Sparkle and Algérie Télécom sign MoU for new subsea cable

      Sparkle and Algérie Télécom sign MoU for new subsea cable

      Saudi Film Commission launches second film community initiative across four cities

      Africa24 Group partners with Ivorian MMA Federation

      Africa24 Group partners with Ivorian MMA Federation

      Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Media Regulation launches Media System project 

      CJ ENM launches subsidiary in Saudi Arabia to drive Middle East expansion

      Aselsan to share space tech with Azerbaijan in strategic partnership

      Aselsan to share space tech with Azerbaijan in strategic partnership

      Tunisian film ‘Agora’ to hold world premiere at Locarno Film Festival

      Tunisian mystery thriller film ‘Agora’ to screen at Zawya Cinema

      Trending Tags

      • broadcast
      • MENA broadcast
      • ConnecTech2019
    • Tech Features
      • All
      • CASE STUDIES
      • New Media
      • REVIEWS
      • TV/Radio Deals
      • Updates from FOMEX
      • Virtual Production Series
      Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

      Breaking free from the hardware cycle: Cloud collaboration in post-production

      Playing to win

      Playing to win

      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

      Trending Tags

      • Videos
        FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

        FOR-A’s award-winning HVS-Q12: A quantum leap in switcher design

        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

      • Opinion
        Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

        Survival of the Smartest: Cloud Playout as a Strategic Weapon

        Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

        Bridging the Latency Gap with Broadcast in a Streaming World

        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

      • Interviews
        • All
        • Lounge
        Sand, sweat and high stakes

        Sand, sweat and high stakes

        All eyes on AIUIa

        All eyes on AIUIa

        Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

        Grass Valley scales up with software and IP workflows

        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

      • 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 ibc Ad
      Home Interviews

      Is pay the future of free TV?

      Guest Columnist by Guest Columnist
      December 18, 2015
      in Interviews
      ShareTweetPostEmail

      Senior executives look at whether the entry of more pay TV operators will make the FTA proposition less lucrative for the stakeholders Imagine you were the CEO of a free-to-air television network in the Middle East, working on your strategic plans. What would your outlook be? Is the sector on the path to recovery? Will […]

      panel 4Senior executives look at whether the entry of more pay TV operators will make the FTA proposition less lucrative for the stakeholders

      Imagine you were the CEO of a free-to-air television network in the Middle East, working on your strategic plans. What would your outlook be? Is the sector on the path to recovery? Will there ever be enough advertising revenue to sustain an industry, or is the answer to switch to the subscription revenues of pay-TV?

      That was the debate tackled by the CEO panel at the BroadcastPro Summit recently. The pro-FTA side was represented by:

      • Mukund Cairae, CEO of Zee Network Middle East, a group that runs a commercially successful FTA business in addition to licensing pay-TV channels

      • Carl Von Doussa, GM of Channels at Imagenation Abu Dhabi, which is about to launch the newest FTA channel in partnership with Discovery

      • Sarah Al Jarman, General Manager – Dubai One at Dubai Media Inc, a stalwart of the FTA industry

      On the other side, the proponents of the pay-TV movement were:

      • Hamad Malik, Head of Marketing at beIN, a premier sports pay-TV network that has just launched its entertainment offering

      • Sanjay Raina, GM of Fox International Channels in MENA, who took the decision to switch his Fox Movies and Fox channels from FTA to the newly launched beIN Entertainment network from November 1

      • To provide a perspective on the piracy threat to pay-TV revenues, the panel included Mark Mulready, Senior Director – Cyber Services & Investigations, Irdeto.

      Von Doussa kicked off the session with his assertion that pay-TV penetration in the Middle East will simply not reach significant levels and that FTA remains the only efficient means of reaching a large audience in the near future. The best way to rise above the cluttered FTA space is to create content that is relevant to the region’s audience.

      Al Jarman added that networks that are backed by governments, such as DMI, do not only consider commercial comparisons between FTA and pay-TV. While they are open to considering subscription-based channels on a case-by-case basis, the need to reach a large audience remained an important factor in support of FTA distribution.

      Cairae gave a spirited defence of FTA by highlighting how Zee has managed to carve out a profitable niche for itself even when faced with direct competition from MBC in the Bollywood space. While Zee operates both FTA and pay-

      TV channels in the region, it has no intention of abandoning the FTA arena.

      This wholehearted support of FTA was vigorously countered by Raina, who made a bold prediction that the coming 12 months will see many more FTA channels abandon the sector and switch to pay-TV by joining the beIN entertainment network. While Fox maintained an FTA partnership with Abu Dhabi Media through the National Geographic Abu Dhabi channel, its decision to switch Fox Movies and Fox to the pay-TV bouquet of beIN was not taken lightly. For Raina, the over-arching dominance of the FTA space by one large media group made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to generate a profit. He added that the situation was exacerbated by the lack of widespread measurement systems in the region, making it harder to oust the incumbent.

      Naturally, it was expected that beIN’s Malik would clearly support the move to a pay-TV model. beIN is aiming to acquire 10m subscribers over the coming years. However, his assertion that FTA channels were knocking on beIN’s door to the extent that they had to convince beIN why it should add them to its network instead of the other way round was certainly confident. If that is true, the statement is an eye-opener when it comes to the state of mind of FTA channels in the region.

      While each side had a clear vision for why they were in FTA or pay-TV, Mulready from Irdeto highlighted some of the piracy challenges facing pay-TV through a revealing quiz. He showed the attendees several screen shots of websites and asked them to guess which were pirate and which were legitimate. Needless to say, most of the room couldn’t guess all five correctly. He also showed how easily and cheaply one could obtain pirate decoders in the wholesale Chinese market. In conclusion, while legal enforcement and technology are essential, piracy can only be defeated by offering consumers choice and value.

      Tags: BroadcastPro SUmmitCEOKarim SarkisMukund CairaeSanjay RainaSync media

      Related Posts

      Film and Beyond: Leapfrogging into the global screen industry

      Film and Beyond: Leapfrogging into the global screen industry

      February 5, 2025
      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      January 20, 2025
      Monetising content in a competitive regional market

      Monetising content in a competitive regional market

      January 9, 2025
      Media leaders embrace digital transformation

      Media leaders embrace digital transformation

      January 7, 2025
      Navigating the Technological Tsunami: Strategic Leadership in Media

      Navigating the Technological Tsunami: Strategic Leadership in Media

      September 27, 2024
      Stephen Beynon to step down as OneWeb CEO

      Stephen Beynon to step down as OneWeb CEO

      August 20, 2024

      Related News

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      Transforming the entertainment experience with tech

      January 20, 2025
      Monetising content in a competitive regional market

      Monetising content in a competitive regional market

      January 9, 2025
      Get ready for the BroadcastPro Summit and Awards 2022

      Get ready for the BroadcastPro Summit and Awards 2022

      November 4, 2022
      Back to the future – Tech Panel

      Back to the future – Tech Panel

      March 19, 2021
      Diversity drives innovation and growth in business

      Diversity drives innovation and growth in business

      December 21, 2019
      Content creators explore where content is heading in the MENA region

      Content creators explore where content is heading in the MENA region

      December 20, 2019
      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

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Create New Account!

      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