OSN to launch BBC First in MENA

OSN will launch BBC First in the MENA region from February 1. The channel will offer British premium drama, including War and Peace, Sherlock and Luther. Two hours of key primetime BBC programming will also be aired with Arabic subtitles as part of the deal. The long-running and hugely popular EastEnders will be brought to OSN […]

Picture Shows: (L-R) Dolokhov (TOM BURKE), Anatole Kuragin (CALLUM TURNER), Anna Pavlovna (GILLIAN ANDERSON), Prince Vassily Kuragin (STEPHEN REA), Helene Kuragin (TUPPENCE MIDDLETON), Pierre Bezukhov (PAUL DANO), Natasha Rostov (LILY JAMES), Prince Andrei (JAMES NORTON), Nikolai Rostov (JACK LOWDEN), Sonya (AISLING LOFTUS), Princess Marya (JESSIE BUCKLEY), Prince Bolkonsky (JIM BROADBENT), Eddie (ADE EDMONDSON), Countess Rostov (GRETA SCACCHI) - (C) BBC - Photographer: Mitch Jenkins — Picture Shows: (L-R) Dolokhov (TOM BURKE), Anatole Kuragin (CALLUM TURNER), Anna Pavlovna (GILLIAN ANDERSON), Prince Vassily Kuragin (STEPHEN REA), Helene Kuragin (TUPPENCE MIDDLETON), Pierre Bezukhov (PAUL DANO), Natasha Rostov (LILY JAMES), Prince Andrei (JAMES NORTON), Nikolai Rostov (JACK LOWDEN), Sonya (AISLING LOFTUS), Princess Marya (JESSIE BUCKLEY), Prince Bolkonsky (JIM BROADBENT), Eddie (ADE EDMONDSON), Countess Rostov (GRETA SCACCHI) – (C) BBC – Photographer: Mitch Jenkins

OSN will launch BBC First in the MENA region from February 1.

The channel will offer British premium drama, including War and Peace, Sherlock and Luther.

Two hours of key primetime BBC programming will also be aired with Arabic subtitles as part of the deal.

The long-running and hugely popular EastEnders will be brought to OSN viewers soon after its UK broadcast. The channel will also be the first place to premiere the BBCs biggest drama titles.

As part of BBC Worldwides global strategy, the channel will replace the pan-regional BBC Entertainment channel with increased investment in content as well as key titles introduced with Arabic subtitles.

Commenting on the deal, Natasha Hussain, Vice President and General Manager for Middle East and Mediterranean at BBC Worldwide, said: The BBC has a strong reputation for its outstanding drama programming. Im delighted viewers in the Middle East and North Africa will soon be able to enjoy the most popular and critically acclaimed dramas coming out of the UK express from their original transmission.

Emad Marcos, Senior Vice President Media Partners & Digital, OSN, added: The addition of BBC First builds on our commitment to bring exclusive content for our subscribers and underlines the exceptional portfolio of programming that we offer to our subscribers in 2016. This is the first of several exciting new premium additions to OSN being announced in the first quarter of this year and reaffirms that we are the number one destination for premium content in the region. We work with outstanding channel partners to bring the very best content.