Jordan's first private TV group is back! ATV which initially supposed to start broadcasting two years ago, but was closed by Jordanian authorities, announced that it will resume broadcasting next spring 2009.
The group will launch three channels simultaneously (a news channel, an entertainment channel, a religious channel) under its new ownership structure (Mr. Radi Al Khass purchased 13% of teh channel from previous owner Mr. Muhammad Alyan; even though the current structure is still murky...)
Info from agencies, Al Akhbar newspaper and own sources.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
the most famous shoe
Lebanese channel New TV (famous for its provocative stances) announced today that it was willing to pay for the defense of Mountazar Al Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoe at Georges Bush during his latest Iraqi visit.
Tahssin Khayat -New TV's chairman- also announced that the channel was willing to recruit the Iraqi journalist if he was fired from his job at Al Baghdadiya TV channel.
Tahssin Khayat -New TV's chairman- also announced that the channel was willing to recruit the Iraqi journalist if he was fired from his job at Al Baghdadiya TV channel.
Monday, November 10, 2008
The future of TV in the Arab world
This is my (modest) opinion on the future of Arab TV in the Arab world.
The Arab TV landscape is rapidly changing, and within 5 years we will probably be facing the following scenario.
Two or three major media groups competing in the Free to Air (and probably entering the Pay TV) market. Currently Rotana and MBC are these two major groups.
Each will propose a number of TV channels to their viewers (general entertainment, sports, news, music etc...) thus combining advertising sales.
Three or four groups that will compete with lesser channels, but with one or two key TV programs. Media groups controlling Abu Dhabi TV and Dubai TV will be the leaders in this category.
To service these powerhouses, a concentration in production companies will probably follow. The Arab market can probably sustain 4 to 5 major groups. The financial of production companies are quite complicated, and in front of large clients (MBC vs Rotana for ex) only cash ready production houses will survice.
Media agency representatives will probably stop being the major players they are today in the TV landscape. Large groups such as MBC and Rotana will end up having their own internal media rep agencies (currently MBC is with CHoueiri group and Rotana has its inhouse Rotana Media Services) External agencies will continue to strive on the number of smaller channels and medium sized players.
Audience research (currently controlled by market leader Ipsos) will need to change. The large media groups will have mor epower than the Ipsos like companies. They might at one point decide to build their own joint research tool (or outsource it to companies such as Ipsos)
The future of the audience research will be to manage to combine out of home TV watching with in home traditional TV.
More integration is expected between Media and Telecom firms. Each might enter the market of the other (very long term) but eventually, Telecom firms are to media groups what supermarkets are to Coca Cola.
The Arab TV landscape is rapidly changing, and within 5 years we will probably be facing the following scenario.
Two or three major media groups competing in the Free to Air (and probably entering the Pay TV) market. Currently Rotana and MBC are these two major groups.
Each will propose a number of TV channels to their viewers (general entertainment, sports, news, music etc...) thus combining advertising sales.
Three or four groups that will compete with lesser channels, but with one or two key TV programs. Media groups controlling Abu Dhabi TV and Dubai TV will be the leaders in this category.
To service these powerhouses, a concentration in production companies will probably follow. The Arab market can probably sustain 4 to 5 major groups. The financial of production companies are quite complicated, and in front of large clients (MBC vs Rotana for ex) only cash ready production houses will survice.
Media agency representatives will probably stop being the major players they are today in the TV landscape. Large groups such as MBC and Rotana will end up having their own internal media rep agencies (currently MBC is with CHoueiri group and Rotana has its inhouse Rotana Media Services) External agencies will continue to strive on the number of smaller channels and medium sized players.
Audience research (currently controlled by market leader Ipsos) will need to change. The large media groups will have mor epower than the Ipsos like companies. They might at one point decide to build their own joint research tool (or outsource it to companies such as Ipsos)
The future of the audience research will be to manage to combine out of home TV watching with in home traditional TV.
More integration is expected between Media and Telecom firms. Each might enter the market of the other (very long term) but eventually, Telecom firms are to media groups what supermarkets are to Coca Cola.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The competition continues
In light of the ongoing fight for TV supremacy in the Middle East, Rotana group announced the creation of a number of new channels:
- Aghani (music, specialized in Gulf music)
- a new fox channel (after fox movies) specialized in series
On the other hand, MBC - Rotana's competitor- is also launching a new channel in 2009 - a family channel.
Now all these are Free To Air, as advertising in the Middle East is expected to keep growing....that was before the recession and the drop in the price of oil. What will happen next, is probably even more competition, as the giants of the industry will probably start "eating" the medium sized players.
- Aghani (music, specialized in Gulf music)
- a new fox channel (after fox movies) specialized in series
On the other hand, MBC - Rotana's competitor- is also launching a new channel in 2009 - a family channel.
Now all these are Free To Air, as advertising in the Middle East is expected to keep growing....that was before the recession and the drop in the price of oil. What will happen next, is probably even more competition, as the giants of the industry will probably start "eating" the medium sized players.
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Week in the press
*Tunisian pollster company : Sigma, published a survey on Tunisian TV watching during Ramadan (prime time)
Tunisian TV Channel 1 (Government TV): 46%
Hanibaal TV (Private TV): 22%
Tunisian TV Channel 2 (Government TV): 21%
Others (Arab channels): 11%
* Jordan Children channel launched its new website
*Syrian banned Al Hayat newspaper (Al Hayat is based in London, but is Saudi owned)
Tunisian TV Channel 1 (Government TV): 46%
Hanibaal TV (Private TV): 22%
Tunisian TV Channel 2 (Government TV): 21%
Others (Arab channels): 11%
* Jordan Children channel launched its new website
*Syrian banned Al Hayat newspaper (Al Hayat is based in London, but is Saudi owned)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Various snapshots
- Elaph website interviewed Gabriel El Murr on the subject of the reopening of Lebanon's MTV (see related post) GM denied that the channel was financed by the Lebanese Forces (political party) and said that Qatari funds were sponsoring the channel.
- The Yemeni Embassy in the UAE objected to the broadcasting of the comic series "Hayer tayyer" on Dubai TV, as various sketches made fun of yemenites living in the UAE
- After calling for the murder of Mickey Mouse, cleric Mohammed Mounjed Assbah is now becoming a worldwide star. Western press has focused on this fatwa with various specialized websites and talk shows discussing this latest assault on western culture. Another Saudi cleric issued a counter Fatwa, saying that "murdering Mickey Mouse is stupid and pictures muslims as criminals and ignorant people"
Monday, September 15, 2008
Fatwa on TVs
Saudi Arabia's top judiciary official has issued a religious decree saying it is permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV networks that broadcast immoral content, reported AP. Sheik Saleh al-Lihedan that satellite channels cause the 'deviance of thousands of people'. Al-Lihedan, who is chief of the kingdom's highest tribunal - the Supreme Judiciary Council- did did not specify any particular channels.
(from AME Info)
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