For those who don’t follow the Arabic version of StartUpArabia, here is the interview with StartUpArabia founder, Mohamed Marwen Meddah, on Al-Hurra TV (in Arabic).
Tag: tv
Info2cell Partners With Future TV To Provide Content To Mobile Phone Users In Saudi Arabia
Info2cell.com, the leading mobile application service provider in the Middle East, has recently announced the signing of a content license and distribution agreement with Lebanon-based Future TV to provide video and MMS clips of hugely popular TV programmes, ‘Rossoom Mutaharirah’, ‘La Yomal’ and ‘Abou Riad’, to mobile phone users in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Through the subscription-based service, which will be launched today, users will receive the content three times per week. Each video clip – video IVR, WAP portal, video push and video streaming – will be up to two minutes long, while the MMS content will be 30 seconds in duration.
Bashar Dahabra, Founder and CEO of Info2cell.com, said,: ‘ We are pleased to sign this important agreement with Future TV which will enable us to provide select clippings from three highly popular TV programmes on the mobile phones of subscribers. Info2cell.com is committed to offering the most innovative and exciting content to its subscribers, in line with current market trends and consumer interests, and this partnership with Future TV perfectly complements our strategy.’
Samir S. Hammoud, Chairman and General Manager of Future TV, said, ‘The viewership for our programmes has been growing steadily in recent years and we are glad that this alliance with Info2cell.com has created another vital channel for subscribers in KSA to view clippings of some of our most watched programmes.’
Last year, Info2cell.com teamed up with MBC channel in Saudi Arabia to offer subscribers, video clips, ring tones, wallpapers and Java games of hugely popular television programmes including ‘Tash Ma Tash’, ‘Beiny o Bainak’, ‘Meznah’ and ‘Stories of the Prophet’.
Small Majority Of Arab Satellite TV Channels Have Online Presence
During April 2008, the Arab Advisors Group examined 377 FTA satellite TV channels broadcasting on Arabsat, Nilesat, and Noorsat satellite systems (targeting the Arab World) to research their online presence. Of the analysed stations, 64.5% (243 channels) have an online presence namely a website or a portal tied to the channel.
Spurred by the increasing uptake of the Internet service in the Arab World, many channels in the Arab TV industry have established an online presence. The Arab Advisors Group analysis reveals that a majority of channels with an online presence have an enhanced presence. An enhanced online presence includes channels that have corresponding portals. The portals portray the channels’ services and the Integration between the satellite channel and its online presence is relatively strong. Moreover, many satellite channels with basic online presence (where the integration between the satellite channel and its content and service availability is relatively weak) demonstrate their intention of enhancing their online services.
A new report, ‘Online Presence of FTA Satellite Channels in the Arab World‘ was released to the Arab Advisors Group’s Media Strategic Research Service subscribers recently. The 40-page report, which has 24 detailed exhibits, provides a detailed analysis of the online presence of FTA satellite channels in the Arab World. The report includes analysis and categorisation of the online presence of 377 FTA satellite TV channels broadcasting on Arabsat, Nilesat and Noorsat satellite systems.
The results of the study show the following:
- A majority of the 243 channels that have online presence lean more towards an enhanced online presence.
- Almost 40% of the satellite channels have online presence but do not aim at generating online revenues.
- A total of 24.6% of satellite channels use their supporting websites or portals as an alternative source of revenue.
- A majority of the channels that have online revenue generating features have an enhanced online presence.
I personally think that there is still a lot of space for the online presence of Arab satellite TV channels to grow and be enhanced, so as to provide more services, content, types of entertainment, added-value and interactivity for the user; complementing the TV offer; and becoming yet another channel of distribution and revenue for the company.
MBC Group and Al-Jazeera are great examples through their online presence and the projects that they’ve been launching on the sides, taking it all a step further, widening and engaging their audiences.
Shoof TV, Arab Media Group’s Video Sharing Service
Shoof TV is an Arab video sharing website, which was intially launched by Arab Media Group, one of the largest media companies in the UAE, back in April 2007.
The site’s content is user-generated, with videos submitted from users all over the Middle East.
Users can upload files in several popular video formats, with file sizes up to 50MB. For larger files they can be sent via regular mail to Shoof TV for inclusion on the site.
Uploaded content is screened for objectionable content before appearing online.
The site visitors can vote on the videos using the ‘Applause’ feature, and also leave their comments on them.
As well as hosting user-generated media content, Shoof TV also hosts a number of competitions, with various prizes, to encourage more talented people from the Middle East to submit and share their content. Winners are selected by a panel of judges and by public SMS voting.
Khadeeja Al Marzooqi, the General Manager of Shoof TV, recently talked about the future plans for Shoof TV, and how a TV station will be launched towards the end of 2008, with 100% user generated content, relying on the clips people uploaded on their website.
# Shoof TV
Accelerator Technology Holdings (ATH) Invests In ShooFeeTV
Accelerator Technology Holdings (ATH) announced its investment in ShooFeeTV, a Jordan based interactive entertainment portal that will be targetting satellite television viewers across the Arab world.
ShooFeeTV will be boosted in its aims to combine mobile, online, and satellite technology in order to become this region’s original multi-platform TV guide.
ShooFeeTV haven’t officially launched their service yet, and typing in their domain name ShooFeeTV.com gives you a simple splash page, even thought they’ve been working on a beta version that has been available online for months now here.
No further details were announced about the deal, its terms or the size of the investment.
A more detailed profile of ShooFeeTV and their service will be published on StartUpArabia soon.
# Source: Accelerator Technology Holdings (ATH)
# Related: Ajabni (AR)