⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🏆 CREATORS: YouTube and FIFA have launched the first-ever YouTube FIFA Creator Cup, bringing together creators, athletes and celebrities for a live football event during the World Cup. More in The Lab’s Pick.

📈 INSIGHTS: New research from Bango found that 41% of Americans don’t know where they can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026. At the same time, 18% plan to subscribe to a new platform specifically for the tournament. More in my Analysis section.

⚽ STREAMING: Streaming platforms are using the FIFA World Cup 2026 to promote much more than live matches. More in my Analysis section.

✈️ INFLIGHT: Emirates will stream all 104 FIFA World Cup matches live onboard its flights through Sport 24 on its ice entertainment system. Coverage will run from the opening match to the final, allowing passengers to follow the tournament in real time while travelling.

🤝 BUNDLE: talabat and TOD by beIN have launched a bundle giving users access to all 104 matches alongside a talabat pro annual subscription. The offer shows how lifestyle bundles are becoming a key growth strategy for streaming platforms in MENA.

📊 INSIGHTS: Ipsos Synthesio has launched a live social media tracker for the FIFA World Cup 2026, allowing users to monitor conversations, trends and sentiment in real time throughout the tournament. The dashboard tracks fan reactions, emerging storylines and social buzz across teams, players and key moments.

🌍 AFRICA: Orange and New World TV have partnered to bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 to Max, Orange’s super-app. The agreement will make all 104 World Cup matches available across nine African markets, expanding access to premium sports content for millions of football fans across the continent.

👟 ADS: Nike has launched a new World Cup campaign featuring football stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland alongside celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Travis Scott, LeBron James and Ted Lasso.

YouTube brings creators to the World Cup

What happened?

👉 YouTube and FIFA have announced the first-ever YouTube FIFA Creator Cup, a live football match featuring creators, athletes and celebrities. At the same time, YouTube unveiled a global roster of creators who will cover the FIFA World Cup 2026 from inside the tournament.

Key details:

• The Creator Cup will take place in New York on July 12 and will be streamed exclusively on YouTube.

• More than 20 creators from around the world will attend matches and create content throughout the tournament.

• Coverage will include matchday experiences, local culture, food, travel and behind-the-scenes moments.

• The selected creators represent a combined audience of more than 350 million subscribers.

Why it matters?

🎯 The World Cup is no longer just a broadcaster’s event. FIFA is now giving creators an official role in how fans experience the tournament. For MENA, it’s also great to see Noor Stars representing the region on one of the biggest global creator programs ever launched around a sporting event.

41% of Americans don’t know where to watch the World Cup

👉 New research from Bango found that 41% of Americans don’t know where they can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026, showing growing confusion as sports rights become fragmented across multiple platforms.

📍 The study also found that 18% of Americans plan to subscribe to a new streaming service specifically for the tournament, rising to 36% among Gen Z and 37% among Millennials.

💡 As sports rights become increasingly distributed across broadcasters and streaming platforms, discoverability is becoming as important as the content itself. For many fans, finding the match may soon be harder than watching it.

Streamers are using the World Cup to promote more than Football

👉 Streaming platforms around the world are using the World Cup to showcase a wider range of content, from football documentaries and original series to video games and daily analysis shows.

📍 Netflix is launching an official FIFA World Cup video game with daily updates based on real tournament results, while platforms such as Prime Video, Disney+, Shahid orAl Mashhad are expanding their football-related content with documentaries, archive content and dedicated World Cup programming.

💡 The World Cup is becoming much more than a live sports event for streamers. It’s a marketing moment that helps platforms drive engagement across their broader content libraries and keep fans connected between matches.

🎤 CANNES LIONS is back

Cannes Lions, the world’s largest event for the advertising, marketing and creative industries, returns to Cannes, France, from June 22–26, 2026.

If you’re attending, don’t miss the invitation-only Ipsos Lounge Series: TikTok x Ipsos – Re-Energizing The Mid-Funnel, where Ipsos and TikTok will explore how brands can keep consumers engaged throughout the purchase journey.

🤣 The Hot Seat / Dans La Sauce, with Paul de Saint Sernin, Marcel Desailly, Christophe Dugarry, Frank Leboeuf, Emmanuel Petit, Robert Pirès, Presnel Kimpembe, Steve Mandanda, Blaise Matuidi, Adil Rami, Samuel Umtiti, Hakim Jemili, Waly Dia, Kheiron, Pablo Mira, Kyan Khojandi (Netflix): Comedians hold nothing back as France’s 1998 and 2028 World Cup champions take the hot seat in a brutal football roast.

⚽ On July 12, 1998, France defeated Brazil 3–0 in the FIFA World Cup Final to win its first-ever World Cup title. Played at the Stade de France in front of more than 80,000 fans, the match saw Zinedine Zidane score two iconic first-half headers before Emmanuel Petit sealed the victory in stoppage time. More than just a football match, France–Brazil 1998 became a defining moment in French sporting history, uniting the nation and cementing a generation of players as legends of the game. More than two decades later, it remains one of the most memorable World Cup finals ever played.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min!

🤖 AI: Hasbro has launched a new AI studio that allows companies to license characters such as Optimus Prime, Mr. Potato Head or Cobra Commander for AI-powered experiences. It includes partnerships with original voice actors to create new interactive formats while maintaining brand control over iconic IP. More in The Lab’s Pick.

📱 MICRODRAMAS: FOX has reformatted Season 3 of Farmer Wants a Wife into 101 vertical episodes for Holywater’s My Drama app. The experiment tests how traditional TV content can be repackaged for mobile-first audiences. I take a closer look in my Analysis section.

🎬 CREATORS: A new generation of YouTube creators is finding success in Hollywood, with films such as Backrooms, Obsession and Iron Lung outperforming much bigger studio productions at the box office. I'll explain why this matters in my Analysis section.

⚽ WORLD CUP: talabat and TOD by beIN have partnered ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, offering a complimentary one-year TOD subscription to users who sign up for or renew a talabat pro annual plan. The bundle combines live World Cup streaming with delivery across the MENA region.

🎵 MUSIC: MBC Group has launched MBC Mood, a new music channel dedicated to Arabic music, entertainment and live performances. Available across TV, digital platforms and social media, the channel will connect audiences with a modern, interactive viewing experience.

⚽ FOOTBALL: FIFA+ is now exclusively available on DAZN, bringing 8,500 live matches per year, FIFA archives and original content to the platform. The move strengthens DAZN’s ambition to become the global home of football.

⚽ WORLD CUP: FIFA has awarded ‘Z’ the rights to broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and other FIFA competitions in India through 2034. The tournaments will be available across UNITE8 Sports channel and Zee5.

👀 ADVERTISING: Ad-supported plans now account for 48% of all SVOD subscriptions in the U.S., according to Antenna. They also represented 59% of new streaming subscriptions in Q1 2026.

Hasbro Launches AI Studio to Bring Its Characters into Interactive Experiences

What happened?

👉 Hasbro has launched Sixth Wall, a new AI studio designed to bring its iconic characters into AI-powered experiences through a new licensing model called Behavioral Licensing.

Key details:

• Sixth Wall allows partners to license not just a character’s image, but also how it thinks, speaks and behaves in interactive environments.

• The system is powered by CharacterOS, Hasbro’s proprietary platform that preserves character personalities, voice traits and safety guardrails.

• Hasbro has partnered with ElevenLabs to make select characters available through its AI voice marketplace.

• Initial characters include Optimus Prime, Megatron, Cobra Commander, Mr. Potato Head and the cast of Clue, all supported by authorized voice performances.

Why it matters?

🎯 Rather than fighting unauthorized AI versions of its brands, Hasbro is creating an official framework that allows companies to integrate iconic characters into chatbots, games, customer experiences and interactive storytelling while maintaining brand control and compensating voice talent.

FOX Experiments with Microdramas Using Farmer Wants a Wife

👉 FOX has reformatted Season 3 of Farmer Wants a Wife into 101 vertical episodes of less than two minutes each for release on Holywater’s My Drama app.

📍 FOX, which invested in Holywater last year, describes the launch as an experiment to understand how audiences engage with short-form vertical storytelling.

💡 Media companies are beginning to test whether existing TV shows can be repackaged for mobile-native audiences, creating new distribution opportunities from existing content libraries.

YouTube Creators Are Becoming Hollywood’s Next Hitmakers

👉 A new wave of YouTube creators is finding success in Hollywood, with films such as Backrooms, Obsession and Iron Lung generating strong box office results despite relatively modest budgets.

📍 These filmmakers spent years building audiences on YouTube, refining their storytelling skills and developing loyal fan communities before making the jump to theatrical releases.

💡 YouTube is evolving into a talent pipeline for Hollywood, giving studios access to creators who already understand audience engagement and can bring millions of fans with them to the cinema.

🤖 SHAIKE Film Festival bridges traditional and AI-powered filmmaking

The inaugural SHAIKE Film Festival will take place on October 2–3, 2026 in La Ciotat, the birthplace of cinema and home to the world’s oldest movie theater.

The event will showcase both AI-assisted and traditional films, highlighting storytelling regardless of the tools used to create it. It has also launched a trailer competition offering a $3,000 prize and a VIP trip to the festival.

🐻 Hoppers, from Daniel Chong and Jesse Andrews (Disney+): Scientists have discovered how to ‘hop’ human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined.

👽 In 2004, the live-action adaptation of the manga Gantz brought one of Japan’s most provocative sci-fi stories to television. Created by Hiroya Oku, the series follows Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, two young men who die in a train accident only to find themselves trapped in a deadly game orchestrated by a mysterious black sphere known as Gantz. Combining science fiction, action, horror, and psychological drama, Gantz gained a cult following for its dark themes, moral dilemmas, and graphic storytelling, helping establish it as one of the most influential sci-fi franchises to emerge from Japan in the 2000s.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min!

🧒 ADVERTISING: LUMEE, the joint venture between Hasbro and Animaj, has signed a deal with Disney Advertising to represent selected Disney YouTube channels. The move creates one of the largest family-focused advertising ecosystems on YouTube. More in The Lab’s Pick.

🤣 CONTENT: MBC Shahid has acquired the global rights to Aam Jarrib (Tryin’), a stand-up special from Lebanese comedian John Achkar. It is the first title in a new slate of six Arabic comedy specials developed under the Shahid Originals banner. I take a closer look in my Analysis section.

📱 MICRODRAMAS: Peacock has acquired a package of microdramas from ReelShort, marking another sign that short-form vertical storytelling is moving into the mainstream. I’ll explain why this matters in my Analysis section.

💃🏽 REALITY: Desi Bling, produced by Dubai-based Different Productions, reached #1 on Netflix in both the UAE and India within 48 hours of launch. The reality series also entered Netflix’s Top 10 in more than 15 countries.

🇪🇬 CTV: WATCH IT is launching eight FAST channels on LG Smart TVs and expanding its integration across five MENA markets, reinforcing the growth of connected TV and ad-supported streaming in the region.

🎭 MICRODRAMAS: Second Rodeo Productions will present its latest findings on the microdramas at Cannes Lions. The panel follows the success of its musical microdrama PLAYBACK and will explore emerging opportunities, audience trends, and the future of vertical storytelling.

🎙️ PODCASTING: Spotify, YouTube, SiriusXM and other industry players have formed a taskforce to create a shared definition of podcasting and standardize ad measurement across platforms.

🤖 AI: YouTube is making its AI-generated content labels more visible across both long-form videos and Shorts. The platform will now display AI disclosures directly on videos and introduce automated detection systems that can apply labels when photorealistic AI content is identified.

Disney Expands Its YouTube Advertising Strategy Through LUMEE

What happened?

👉 Disney Advertising has signed an agreement with LUMEE, the joint venture between Hasbro Entertainment and Animaj, to represent advertising inventory across selected Disney YouTube channels.

Key details:

• LUMEE now represents inventory from Disney, Hasbro and Animaj.

• The combined portfolio generated more than 100 billion YouTube views in 2025.

• The partnership focuses on premium, brand-safe family audiences.

Why it matters?

🎯 YouTube has become one of the world’s largest destinations for kids and family content, yet advertisers still struggle to navigate a fragmented ecosystem. By bringing together Disney, Hasbro and Animaj, LUMEE is positioning itself as a centralized marketplace for premium family inventory.

If successful, this could become a blueprint for how media companies package and monetize content on YouTube.

MBC Shahid Brings Arabic Stand-Up Comedy to Streaming

👉 MBC Shahid has acquired the global rights to Aam Jarrib (Tryin’), a stand-up special from Lebanese comedian John Achkar, filmed live at the iconic L’Olympia in Paris.

📍 The special is the first title in a new slate of six Arabic stand-up comedy specials developed by Front Row Filmed Entertainment under the Shahid Originals banner.

💡 Global streaming platforms have turned stand-up comedy into a major content category. With this deal, MBC Shahid is betting that Arabic stand-up can evolve from a niche format into a premium streaming genre with regional and international appeal.

Peacock Bets on Microdramas with ReelShort Deal

👉 Peacock has acquired a package of microdramas from ReelShort, including titles such as Straight A Pregnancy, Fated to My Forbidden Alpha, and Call Boy I Met in Paris.

📍 The move comes as microdramas continue to attract millions of mobile viewers in the U.S. through one- to two-minute episodes.

💡 What started as a niche format in China is rapidly becoming a global content category. Peacock’s investment signals that major streaming platforms increasingly view microdramas as a complement to traditional long-form entertainment rather than a separate market.

🤖 MARS AI FESTIVAL explores the future of AI-powered storytelling

Mars AI Festival has launched a new film festival dedicated to AI and hybrid filmmaking, inviting creators to experiment with emerging cinematic formats and storytelling techniques.

The festival focuses on one-minute films around the theme “Imagine Desirable Futures”, welcomes all genres, and offers a €10,000 production grant to support new creative projects. Submissions close on June 1, 2026.

👽 The Boroughs, with Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard and Denis O’Hare (Netflix, 8 episodes): In a seemingly perfect retirement community, a crew of unlikely heroes must stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have: time.

📼🏡 A few decades ago, Desperate Housewives premiered on ABC. Created by Marc Cherry, the series follows a group of women living on the seemingly perfect Wisteria Lane, where secrets, scandals, and unexpected twists hide behind suburban life. Blending comedy, mystery, drama, and satire, Desperate Housewives became a global phenomenon in the 2000s, helping redefine serialized television and paving the way for a new generation of character-driven ensemble dramas.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🎙️ MBC Shahid takes a big step into AI-powered dubbing

👉 MBC Shahid just released Hofrat Jahannam with English lip-synced dubbing, alongside English and French dubbed versions.

📍 The project has been in the works for 3 years, with continuous testing and iteration to make dubbed content feel more natural and immersive for international audiences.

💡 If the experience keeps improving, this could become a major shift for how Arabic content is distributed and discovered globally.

🌅 Netflix enters the live daily show space with The Breakfast Club

👉 Starting June 1, Netflix will stream The Breakfast Club live every weekday at 6 a.m.

📍 The show mixes interviews, cultural commentary, and music industry conversations, and will air simultaneously on radio and Netflix for a global audience.

💡 After investing in live sports, events, and video podcasts, the platform is now entering the live daily content space traditionally dominated by TV and radio.

🎧 Spotify’s next era: AI-generated content and personalization

What happened?

👉 Spotify used its Investor Day to outline its roadmap toward 1 billion users and $100 billion in annual revenue by 2030, with AI playing a central role in the strategy.

Key details:

• AI-generated personalized podcasts based on users’ preferences, emails, and schedules.

• New AI-powered creative tools for user-generated covers, remixes, and audio experiences.

Why it matters?

🎯 Spotify wants to become a personalized AI-powered media layer where content is generated, adapted, and surfaced differently for every user in real time.

📱 WATCH IT tests vertical series with Qalb Maftouh

WATCH IT premiered Qalb Maftouh, a new original series built around the micro-drama format and designed for mobile-first viewing habits.

The Egyptian production mixes mystery, suspense, and social drama across 60 short episodes lasting between 90 seconds and 3 minutes.

📺 Samsung launches StreamPass to bundle streaming platforms in MENA

Samsung is rolling out StreamPass, a new entertainment offering designed to bring multiple streaming services together across its TV and audio ecosystem in MENA.

The service includes partnerships with OSN+, STARZPLAY, WATCH IT, Yango Play, and Anghami, with different subscription bundles tied to Samsung TVs.

💰 Big Tech dominates the 2026 Upfronts

This year’s Upfronts highlighted how companies like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon are becoming the new centers of gravity for advertising and entertainment industries.

Tech platforms are increasingly positioning themselves around AI-powered advertising, audience data, personalization, and creator ecosystems.

⚽ LaLiga launches AI-powered kids series with WSC Sports

LaLiga unveiled Goalitos, its first original animated series for children, developed with WSC Sports using generative AI technologies.

The weekly series combines football news, education, and storytelling through short multilingual episodes distributed across LaLiga’s digital ecosystem, including YouTube.

🤖 Paramount creates a dedicated Consumer AI division

Paramount hired former Google and GM executive Barak Turovsky as EVP and Head of Consumer AI, reinforcing the company’s push to integrate AI across its streaming and media businesses.

The new role will focus on AI-powered personalization, content discovery, monetization, and platform intelligence across Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

🏖️ MBC STUDIOS highlights the global rise of Arab cinema at Cannes

MBC STUDIOS hosted a panel at the 2026 edition of the Cannes Film Festival focused on the growing international momentum of commercial Arab productions.

The discussion brought together executives, producers, filmmakers, and actors to explore the evolution of Arab cinema, from bigger ambitions and maturing production ecosystems to changing audience habits driven by streaming platforms like Shahid.

💃🏽 Desi Bling, with Tejasswi Prakash, Karan Kundra, Dyuti Parruck, and Pamala Serena (Netflix, 6 episodes): Glitzy parties and delicious secrets rule the lives of ultra-wealthy Indian expats as they spare no expense or drama.

⛰️⛰️ A few decades ago, Twin Peaks premiered on ABC. Created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, the series follows FBI agent Dale Cooper investigating the murder of Laura Palmer in a mysterious small town. Blending psychological drama, surrealism, crime, and supernatural elements, Twin Peaks redefined television storytelling in the early 1990s and became one of the most influential cult series of all time, paving the way for modern prestige TV.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🎙️ Kris Fade launches “One on One” with global ambitions

👉 At The Power of Podcast event organized by Next Audio, Kris Fade introduced his new podcast One on One and shared a clear goal: reach the Top 20 worldwide.

📍 The strategy goes beyond MENA: he wants to build a format from the region that can work globally and be sold internationally.

💡 Creators in MENA are starting to think bigger: not just local audiences, but exportable formats that can compete on a global stage.

🤖 M6+ becomes first French streamer on ChatGPT

👉 Groupe M6 has partnered with OpenAI to bring its streaming platform M6+ directly into ChatGPT, allowing users to access its full catalog through a simple conversation.

📍 This marks a first in France, turning ChatGPT into a new discovery and access layer for audiovisual content.

💡 Streaming is entering the era of conversational discovery, where AI interfaces become a key battleground for audience attention, not just apps and platforms.

📱 Netflix launches “Clips” to boost mobile discovery

What happened?

👉 Netflix is expanding its vertical video strategy with a new mobile feature called Clips, a personalized feed designed to drive engagement and content discovery.

Key details:

• A vertical video feed similar to TikTok or Shorts, but fully integrated into the Netflix app.

• Includes clips from existing shows and movies, as well as new original content.

• Strong focus on personalization: each user sees a different feed based on their behavior.

• Future plans include clips from podcasts and live events

Why it matters?

🎯 Netflix is adapting to changing viewing habits, where short-form video dominates mobile time. Instead of competing with TikTok, it is integrating similar mechanics to improve discovery within its own ecosystem.

📰 Brut. launches 24/7 linear channel across TV platforms

Brut. is launching a dedicated linear channel, available on Orange, Bouygues Telecom, Molotov, TCL and LG Channels.

The channel will run 24/7 with over 140 hours of content refreshed monthly, including reports, documentaries, interviews, and explainers.

📺 YouTube TV adds full multiview customization

YouTube is rolling out a new feature on YouTube TV, allowing users to fully customize their multiview experience.

Users can now mix and match content across subscription, using a new builder with filters like sports, news, and shows.

📊 YouTube ad revenue reaches $9.88B in Q1 2026

YouTube generated $9.88 billion in ad revenue in Q1 2026 (+10.7% yoy), while paid subscriptions across YouTube Premium and Google One reached 340 million.

The platform continues to scale across ads and subscriptions, with million hours watched daily and more channels publishing Shorts every day.

📺 Roku’s low-cost streamer Howdy passes 1M subscribers

Roku’s $2.99/month service Howdy has surpassed 1 million subscribers, with strong early growth and retention, according to Antenna.

The service is benefiting from its low price point and ecosystem integration, with over 50% of early users still subscribed.

🎧 Spotify reaches 293M premium subscribers, hits record profit

Spotify ended Q1 2026 with 293 million premium subscribers and record profitability, driven by price increases and continued user growth.

Spotify’s model shows how streaming platforms are balancing subscription growth, pricing power, and engagement, while investing in AI to move from passive listening to more interactive experiences.

🎬 LA Vertical Drama Market returns for its 2nd edition in Hollywood

The LA Vertical Drama Market will take place from May 7–10, 2026 at FAB Factory Entertainment in Hollywood, bringing together creators, producers, and platforms focused on vertical storytelling.

The event will feature panels, labs, pitching sessions, and networking opportunities, highlighting the rapid growth of vertical formats and the emergence of a more structured ecosystem for short-form, mobile-first content.

🏎️ My Road To Red Bull, with Isack Hadjar (TOD, 3 episodes): From a small French karting club to the brightest stage in motorsport: the rise of Isack Hadjar. The family behind the dream, the years of sacrifice, the rivals who became friends, and a rookie season the entire Formula 1 paddock would be watching.

🎭 A few years ago, The Mandalorian premiered on Disney+. Created by Jon Favreau, the series follows a lone bounty hunter navigating the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic. Blending Western and sci-fi influences, it helped define Disney+’s launch, introduced iconic characters like Grogu, and became a global hit, showcasing the power of franchise-driven streaming content.

As a gift, here is the final trailer for the upcoming movie The Mandalorian and Grogu.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

📺 France Télévisions partners with YouTube to expand streaming reach

👉 The French broadcaster announced a partnership with YouTube to distribute thousands of hours of news and content, aligning with its “streaming-first” strategy.

📍 The deal includes access to news programs, channel curation, original digital-first content, and the use of YouTube’s AI tools to combat misinformation.

💡 Broadcasters are leveraging platforms like YouTube, turning them into critical partners for reach, monetization, and audience engagement.

📊 elCinema releases Ramadan 2026 OTT insights report

👉 elCinema tracked 16.5M users, 44M pageviews, and 2.4M clicks across 28 streaming platforms during Ramadan.

📍 The data shows major disconnects: the most-clicked show scored just 3.5/10, while top-rated titles (up to 9.0) captured minimal attention, highlighting “hidden gems” vs. “viral but flawed” content dynamics.

💡 Platforms that better surface high-quality titles can unlock significant value, especially in peak periods like Ramadan.

🏡 Samsung TV Plus launches “House of Creators”

What happened?

👉 Samsung TV Plus introduced House of Creators, a new FAST channel aggregating top French YouTubers into a linear, TV-like experience.

Key details:

• The channel features 13 major creators across genres like food, true crime, science, and entertainment.

• Built as a generalist, family-friendly channel with scheduled programming.

• Available first on Samsung Smart TVs in France, with plans to expand to other connected TV platforms and ISPs.

• Positioned as complementary to YouTube, bringing creator content into a shared, lean-back viewing environment.

Why it matters?

🎯 By “linearizing” YouTube content, STV+ unlock discovery, co-viewing, and incremental reach on the big screen where algorithms are less dominant.

🎁 stc expands Netflix bundle in Saudi Arabia

stc extended its partnership with Netflix, making Netflix free for Baity fiber subscribers via stc tv.

MENA Telcos are increasingly acting as aggregators, making bundles a key driver of growth and retention.

📊 VideoWeek launches 2026 Video & TV Advertising Buyer’s Guide

VideoWeek released a new guide to help advertisers navigate the growing complexity of video and TV.

The report covers key topics like convergent TV, performance TV, and cross-platform strategies.

🇮🇳 HBO Max launches in India via JioHotstar

HBO Max is entering India through a distribution deal with JioHotstar, offering its full catalog via a dedicated hub on the platform.

Rather than going direct-to-consumer, WBD is leveraging a local partner with scale and market knowledge. In complex markets like India, distribution partnerships remain a faster and lower-risk path to reach audiences.

🇦🇺 Microdrama is gaining traction in Australia

Microdrama is becoming more important in Australia, with a dedicated panel at Cairns Crocodiles bringing together platforms, broadcasters, and creators.

Data from FlareFlow shows strong performance, with high engagement and around 20% of users paying.

🤖 YouTube expands AI deepfake protection tools

YouTube is opening its deepfake detection system to actors, creators, and public figures, allowing them to flag and request removal of AI-generated content.

The tool works as an opt-in system and builds on YouTube’s Content ID logic. As AI content grows fast, protecting identity is becoming a key priority for platforms.

🇦🇪 CABSAT rescheduled to October 2026 in Dubai

CABSAT, the largest broadcast event in MEASA, will now take place from October 5–7 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City, with an updated floor plan and expanded program.

The event will highlights key industry shifts, from virtual production and AI to microdrama formats. But we’ll all have to wait for it…

💄 Euphoria, with Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney, Jacob Elordi and Alexa Demie (OSN+, 8 episodes): Five years have passed for the former students of East Highland High, and life for them has underwent serious changes.

🦾 30 years ago, Neon Genesis Evangelion premiered in Japan. Created by Hideaki Anno, the series follows teenagers piloting giant biomechanical robots to protect humanity from mysterious beings known as Angels. Blending action, philosophy, and psychological themes, it redefined anime storytelling, later gaining global recognition through streaming and becoming one of the most influential series in the medium.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

📊 Wio launches cashback offer on streaming subscriptions

👉 Wio, a UAE neobank, launched “Binge All Month, We’ll Pay the Bill” for its Family customers, offering cashback on streaming subscriptions.

📍 Users can get cashback on platforms like Netflix, OSN+, STARZPLAY, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Premium and Spotify if they meet a minimum spend, pay with their Wio card, and stay within the AED 150 cashback cap.

💡 Banks can help drive subscriptions and reduce churn, while users benefit from lower costs and easier access to multiple platforms.

🏟️ ESPN expands globally on Disney+

👉 ESPN is now available on Disney+ across 53 countries in Europe and Asia-Pacific, bringing its total reach to around 100 markets worldwide.

📍 Subscribers can access live sports, studio shows, and original content alongside entertainment, all within one app. The offering includes major leagues like NBA and NHL, college sports, and ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentaries.

💡 Adding sports helps increase engagement, attract new audiences, and reduce churn by combining entertainment and live content in a single ecosystem.

The Ipsos Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook is now available.

Based on data from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt, this report shows how audiences watch, subscribe, and engage during Ramadan.

What insights will you get?

• The streaming landscape in MENA

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• How platforms compete and stand out

• Where people watch news during the day

• If microdramas are growing in MENA

Access the report overview to see the insights you can unlock, and how they can improve your content, pricing, and marketing for the rest of the year and for Ramadan 2027 👇

Get your report overview TODAY!

📱 ReelShort enters Southeast Asia with telco deal

What happened?

👉 ReelShort partnered with Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand’s leading 5G provider, to launch its first telco bundle in Southeast Asia.

Key details:

• The co-branded package gives AIS users full VIP access to ReelShort for just ~$1/month, vs ~$17 standard price.

• The offer includes ad-free viewing, daily episodes, and is bundled with 5G connectivity.

• ReelShort brings a large catalog (~3,000 titles), including dubbed and subtitled Thai content.

• Thailand is the first step in a broader expansion strategy across Southeast Asia.

Why it matters?

🎯 Microdrama platforms are now scaling through telco partnerships. Low pricing + distribution through operators can accelerate adoption in mobile-first markets.

💸 Yango Play supports its viewers in UAE

Yango Play launched a “Proud to call the UAE home” campaign, offering 30 days of access for just AED 1 to users in the UAE.

Streaming is also a way to follow the news, understand what’s happening, and stay connected, while still offering an escape with a series.

🌍 Paramount Skydance confirms Middle East backing for WBD deal

Paramount Skydance confirmed that funds from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar are backing its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

The move highlights the growing role of MENA investors in global media, as sovereign funds continue to invest in major entertainment and technology assets.

🎮 Netflix expands into kids gaming with Playground app

Netflix launched “Playground”, a new app designed for kids under 8, combining games and characters from popular shows like Peppa Pig and Sesame Street.

The move shows how Netflix is going beyond video, building a broader ecosystem for younger audiences where watching, playing, and learning happen in one place.

🎨 Fremantle launches first native AI series with Art Awakens

Fremantle unveiled Art Awakens, a short-form series created by its AI studio Imaginae, using generative AI to bring iconic paintings to life.

The project shows how AI is starting to be used as a creative tool, opening new ways to tell stories while staying connected to traditional artistic content.

⚖️ Netflix faces legal pushback on price increases in Europe

A Rome court ruled that Netflix applied price hikes between 2017 and 2024 without sufficient justification, opening the door for potential refunds to users in Italy.

The decision shows how pricing strategies are coming under closer scrutiny, with regulators and consumers challenging how platforms increase subscription fees.

🇵🇹 Europe’s streaming industry gathers in Lisbon

StreamTV Europe will bring together platforms, broadcasters, FAST players, advertisers, and tech leaders for a three-day event in Lisbon from April 13–15.

The event reflects the need for closer collaboration across the ecosystem, as industry leaders meet to share insights, challenge strategies, and shape the next phase of streaming in Europe.

🦹‍♂️ The Boys, from Eric Kripke (Prime Video, 8 episodes): Homelander controls America through fascist terror, imprisoning dissenters in Freedom Camps. Butcher, Hughie, Annie and The Boys mount a desperate resistance against insurmountable odds to stop his tyrannical rule.

📺 21 years ago, The Office (US) premiered on NBC. Developed by Greg Daniels and adapted from the original UK series by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the show follows the everyday lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Using a mockumentary style and character-driven humor, it became a long-term success, later finding a second life on streaming and turning into one of the most watched and rewatched series globally.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

📊 FlixPatrol launches its own Streaming Guide

👉 FlixPatrol, known for tracking Top 10 globally, is launching a Streaming Guide feature covering major platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV+, Paramount+, and SkyShowtime across selected European markets.

📍 The feature aggregates what’s new, trending, and leaving platforms, with advanced search and performance data.

💡 Owning both insights and discovery positions FlixPatrol not just as a data provider, but as a discovery layer on top of streaming ecosystems.

🤖 OpenAI acquires a media company

👉 OpenAI has acquired TBPN, a tech media platform known for its daily coverage of AI, startups, and builders.

📍 TBPN will continue to operate independently, keeping control over its content, guests, and programming. At the same time, it will integrate within OpenAI’s strategy team to help scale how the company communicates and engages with the ecosystem.

💡 As AI reshapes industries, owning the conversation becomes as strategic as building the technology itself.

As Ramadan is over, Ipsos is finalising a dedicated guide to explain why viewing habits changed during the holy month in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

And with the major conflict affecting the region, understanding audience behavior is more important than ever. It helps streaming platforms adapt their content strategies and better support their viewers.

What insights will you get?

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• Where audiences watch news during the day

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• How audiences react to advertising

• Whether microdramas are gaining traction in MENA

• Ramadan-specific viewer personas

Interested in the Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook? Get in touch to receive full details on the scope and pricing👇

Get the full report details

❌ OpenAI steps back from AI video

What happened?

👉 OpenAI has shut down Sora, its video generation tool, pausing a high-profile partnership with The Walt Disney Company.

Key details:

• The shutdown of Sora reflects internal prioritization at OpenAI, with resources shifting toward core AI products like ChatGPT and automated agents.

• The Disney deal, which included access to IP and enterprise AI deployment, has been paused but not fully abandoned.

• Across Hollywood, AI is both adopted and resisted: creators experiment with it, while unions and talent push back against its long-term implications.

Why it matters?

🎯 For streaming platforms and studios, the question is no longer if AI will play a role, but how far it will go. The winners will be those who integrate AI to enhance creativity and efficiency, without undermining talent or content value.

🔈 OSN+ experiments with AI-driven promo storytelling

OSN+ released a new promo reel using an AI-generated song where lyrics and rhythm are synced with the content showcased.

The approach shows how platforms are starting to use AI not just for efficiency, but to rethink how content is marketed and experienced.

📈 Streaming revenues surpass $150B as platforms shift to monetization

Global streaming subscription revenue reached $157B in 2025, tripling in five years, and is expected to exceed $200B by 2030.

Growth is no longer driven primarily by new subscribers, but by extracting more value from existing users. Hybrid models (subscription + ads) are becoming central, especially in mature markets where user growth is slowing.

🎥 Vertical microdrama production is evolving with more flexible shooting formats

Industry creators are moving away from shooting directly in vertical (9:16), opting instead for wider formats that allow more flexibility in post-production.

What started as a fast, constraint-driven format is becoming more sophisticated, with production techniques adapting to balance speed, quality, and creative control.

🚀 Roku expands Howdy with a standalone mobile app

Roku has launched a dedicated mobile app for Howdy, its low-cost, ad-free streaming service ($3/month), making it accessible beyond Roku devices.

The move confirms Roku’s push to scale a low-price SVOD offer in a market dominated by free ad-supported content.

🎬 Mazda turns to original content to market its new CX-5

Mazda has launched a campaign built around 5 short films across different genres, distributed across platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Hulu, and potentially cinemas.

Brands are moving closer to entertainment, using storytelling formats that can stand on their own rather than traditional ads.

🇺🇸 U.S. TV markets shut down as industry consolidation accelerates

NAPTE and the Realscreen Summit are being discontinued after their 2026 edition, as organizer Brunico Communications exits the U.S. events business.

While the events will stop, related publications like Kidscreen and Realscreen will continue, marking a clear transition from physical markets to more fragmented, digital-first industry interactions.

🔬 Scarpetta, with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis (Prime Video, ): Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Kay Scarpetta returns to her position as Virginia’s Chief Medical Examiner, where she investigates a haunting murder with eerie reminders from her first big case decades ago.

🏰 15 years ago, Game of Thrones premiered on HBO. Developed by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and based on the novels by George R. R. Martin, the series follows the power struggles between noble families across the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. Blending political intrigue, large-scale battles, and complex characters, it became a global phenomenon and redefined premium television, setting new standards for storytelling, production scale, and international reach.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

📈 MBC SHAHID continues to grow as MBC Group reports strong results

👉 MBC Group reported +28.5% revenue growth in FY 2025, reaching SAR 5.4B, driven by the continued expansion of its streaming platform, MBC Shahid.

📍 MBC Shahid revenues grew +28% YoY to SAR 1.38B. Both subscriptions (SVOD +25%) and advertising (AVOD +27%) contributed to growth. The platform also improved retention, expanded internationally, and developed new formats.

💡 Losses are decreasing (SAR 78.7M vs. 129.1M last year), showing a clear path to profitability. For MBC, streaming is becoming the core of its business.

📱 Disney+ adds vertical video to improve mobile discovery

👉 Disney+ has launched “Verts,” a new feature that lets mobile users swipe through vertical short clips from its catalog, with creator content expected in the next phase.

📍 The feature sits in the app’s navigation bar and makes discovery faster and more visual. Users can swipe through scenes, save titles, or jump directly into full playback, with recommendations powered by an algorithm.

💡 For Disney+, vertical video is a way to increase daily engagement on mobile and prepare for short-form and creator-led content.

As Ramadan is over, Ipsos is finalising a dedicated guide to explain why viewing habits changed during the holy month in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

And with the major conflict affecting the region, understanding audience behavior is more important than ever. It helps streaming platforms adapt their content strategies and better support their viewers.

What insights will you get?

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• Where audiences watch news during the day

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• How audiences react to advertising

• Whether microdramas are gaining traction in MENA

• Ramadan-specific viewer personas

Interested in the Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook? Get in touch to receive full details on the scope and pricing👇

Get the full report details

📊 Digital entertainment remains strong during times of crisis

What happened?

👉 A new regional analysis shows that during past crises, digital behaviors increased, with digital entertainment (including streaming) being one of the most resilient sectors.

Key details:

• During uncertain times, people shift to digital habits. Content consumption increases, and home-based entertainment becomes a priority.

• Streaming platforms benefit from higher engagement and better retention.

• Data shows that digital entertainment grew by +65% in previous crises, driven by more time spent at home and the need for easy, on-demand content.

Why it matters?

🎯 In these periods, streaming platforms that offer relevant content like news are better positioned to retain users and grow long term.

📰 SRMG brings its news brands into one network

SRMG has launched SRMG News, grouping all its news platforms under one structure, including Asharq News and several digital publications.

The move centralizes content, technology, and distribution, with a stronger focus on digital, video, and streaming news formats.

🎬 Google invests in microdramas for Google TV

Google and Range Media Partners are developing a slate of short-form vertical series, produced by top Hollywood creators, set to launch on the Google TV app.

The focus is on mobile-first with dozens of microdramas in development across genres like reality, romance, and youth culture.

💰 Amazon upgrades and increases the price of its ad-free tier

Amazon is rebranding its ad-free Prime Video offer as “Prime Video Ultra,” increasing the price from $3 to $5 per month starting April 2026.

The new tier includes 4K streaming, more concurrent streams, and higher download limits.

🎬 Disney sets new direction with streaming at the core

Disney’s new CEO Josh D’Amaro outlined his priorities, focusing on storytelling, technology, and stronger integration across the company.

The strategy puts Disney+ and streaming at the center, with a focus on more interactive experiences and a more unified “One Disney” approach.

🎬 Half of movies leaving Netflix disappear from streaming

A new analysis from Reelgood shows that 51% of movies removed from Netflix do not appear on any other major streaming platform.

Out of nearly 7,800 titles, around 4,000 were not picked up elsewhere, while free platforms like Tubi captured most of the remaining titles.

🇭🇰 HONG KONG: Filmart puts AI at the center of the industry

Hong Kong’s Filmart (March 17–20, 2026) is heavily focused on artificial intelligence, positioning it as a key driver of future growth for film and streaming.

The event features 28 sessions dedicated to AI, covering use cases across production, storytelling, and content creation, alongside emerging formats like microdramas and short-form video, with strong participation from tech players and AI startups.

🏴‍☠️ The Dinosaurs, with Morgan Freeman (Netflix): From the first dinosaurs to the last, this epic documentary series examines their 165 million years on Earth and the forces that shaped their evolution.

🏢 20 years ago, The Office (US) premiered on NBC. Developed by Greg Daniels and adapted from the UK series by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the show follows the daily lives of employees at Dunder Mifflin, a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Mixing mockumentary storytelling with awkward humor and relatable workplace dynamics, the series became one of the most influential sitcoms of its time and found a second life on streaming, where it continues to attract new audiences worldwide.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🤖 CANAL+ adds AI-powered search to its streaming app

👉 CANAL+ announced a partnership with OpenAI to improve content discovery in the CANAL+ App, with the new feature expected to launch in June 2026.

📍 Instead of typing keywords, users will be able to describe what they want to watch in their own words. For example: “a comforting romantic comedy” or “an epic historical series.” The app will then suggest relevant titles.

💡 This shows how AI is starting to change streaming navigation, making discovery faster and more intuitive.

🎬 Banijay and All3Media announce major production merger

👉 Banijay and All3Media have agreed to merge their production businesses in a deal valued at around $8 billion.

📍 The new group will bring together producers behind global hits such as Peaky Blinders, MasterChef, and The Traitors. Each company will hold a 50% stake, with Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti leading the combined company.

💡 By combining their catalogs, IP, and production studios, the two companies will compete more effectively in a global market driven by global streaming platforms.

This Ramadan, Ipsos is preparing a dedicated guide to explain why viewing habits change during the holy month in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

And with the major conflict affecting the region, understanding audience behavior is more important than ever. It helps streaming platforms adapt their content strategies and better support their viewers.

What insights will you get?

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• Where audiences watch news during the day

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• How audiences react to advertising

• Whether microdramas are gaining traction in MENA

• Ramadan-specific viewer personas

Interested in the Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook? Get in touch to receive full details on the scope, timeline, and pricing👇

Get the full report details

📱 COL Group launches “Microdrama in a Box” app solution

What happened?

👉 COL Group will introduce a turnkey solution called “Microdrama in a Box” at Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FilMart).

Key details:

• The solution combines a ready-to-use microdrama platform with a catalogue of vertical series, allowing companies to launch their own app in about 30 days.

• The platform includes a vertical playback engine, gamification tools, advertising and subscription monetization options, and AI-powered subtitles.

Why it matters?

🎯 By packaging technology, content, and monetization tools into one solution, COL Group is making it easier for media companies to launch their own apps.

📦 Orange Maroc bundles streaming and music services

Orange Maroc has launched a new digital lifestyle bundle integrating OSN+, Anghami and Viu into its Yo Max 5G plans.

The packages combine mobile connectivity with access to films, series and music in one subscription.

📺 Banijay expands digital reach through Merzigo

Merzigo has partnered with Banijay Rights to distribute and optimize TV formats across platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

The deal aims to grow audiences for popular shows such as MasterChef, Mr Bean and Survivor through improved thumbnails, localisation, and short-form highlights designed for social media viewing.

🎬 Netflix eyes AI filmmaking tools with InterPositive deal

Netflix is reportedly paying up to $600 million to acquire InterPositive, the AI filmmaking startup founded by Ben Affleck.

The technology uses AI models trained on a production’s footage to assist with post-production tasks such as color grading, lighting adjustments and visual effects.

📉 MultiChoice plans to discontinue Showmax

MultiChoice announced it will discontinue Showmax streaming service after a strategic review of its streaming activities.

MultiChoice, now part of CANAL+, plans to concentrate on a new large-scale streaming platform designed for African and international audiences.

📱 Holywater expands vertical series with Wild Silence

Holywater Tech has announced a new vertical drama, Wild Silence, for its microdrama platform My Drama.

The series stars Maksim Chmerkovskiy in his first leading scripted role and follows two characters reconnecting with their past while isolated in a remote cabin.

🇺🇸 AUSTIN: SXSW brings tech, film and media together

South by Southwest (SXSW) takes place every March in Austin, gathering professionals across technology, film, music and media.

The event features hundreds of conference sessions, film and TV screenings, live music showcases and networking events, making it one of the largest global gatherings for creative industries.

🏴‍☠️ ONE PIECE, from Matt Owens and Steven Maeda (Season 2, Netflix): In ONE PIECE: Into the Grand Line, Luffy and the Straw Hats set sail for the extraordinary Grand Line - a legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn. As they journey through this unpredictable realm in search of the world’s greatest treasure, they’ll encounter bizarre islands and a host of formidable new enemies.

🏝️ 25 years ago, One Piece premiered in Japan. Created by Eiichiro Oda, the anime follows Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew searching for the legendary treasure known as the One Piece. Mixing adventure, humor and long-form storytelling, the series became one of the most successful anime franchises in the world and helped shape global fandom long before streaming platforms brought Japanese animation to a wider audience.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA, in 5 min.

🎁 e& bundles TV and streaming in one plan

👉 e& has partnered with Samsung to launch “All-In TV,” combining a Samsung Smart TV and streaming services into one monthly telecom bill.

📍 The package includes platforms like STARZPLAY, OSN+ and Prime Video, plus installation and warranty, starting at AED 109 per month over 24 months.

💡 This ties devices and streaming into one contract, making upgrades easier while increasing long-term customer lock-in.

⬆️ Shahid upgrades its screensaver for Ramadan

👉 Shahid has launched a new Ramadan screensaver designed to go beyond promoting dramas.

📍 It now includes prayer times, short-form videos, live programs and family content, turning the TV screen into a daily Ramadan hub in KSA, UAE and Egypt.

💡 The goal is to move from a primetime drama platform to a daily companion that fits into viewers’ routines throughout the holy month.

This Ramadan, Ipsos is preparing a dedicated guide to explain why viewing habits change during the holy month in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The report will help streaming platforms understand audience behavior, validate content strategies, and maximize impact during the most important viewing period of the year.

What insights will you get?

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• How audiences react to advertising

• Whether microdramas are gaining traction

• Ramadan-specific viewer personas

Interested in the Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook? Get in touch to receive full details on the scope, timeline, and pricing👇

Get the full report details

🥘 Fatafeat celebrates 20 years with a Ramadan push

What happened?

👉 Fatafeat is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, starting with special Ramadan programming.

Key details:

• The lineup brings back popular chefs with shows like Matbakh Manal Al Alem: Ramadan Edition and Kitchen Tales: Ramadan.

• The channel is using Ramadan-themed branding and adding digital content such as recipes and short cooking videos.

• Programs will air across major regional platforms and streaming services.

Why it matters?

🎯 Fatafeat is using Ramadan to refresh its brand, boost engagement across TV and digital, and stay relevant in a competitive streaming market.

🌙 Ramadan 2026: TOD expands Arabic content

TOD has just rolled out its expanded lineup of Arabic dramas and lifestyle shows for Ramadan.

The slate includes Egyptian and Syrian series, along with TOD originals focused on cooking and family content, designed for Ramadan evenings.

🌙 Ramadan 2026: Yango Play grows its drama lineup

Yango Play has launched its Ramadan slate, including Manaa and Little Steps, its first Gulf original, plus additional series through ART Hekayat.

The platform is also increasing its visibility with a regional brand takeover with Lovin across Dubai, Cairo, Muscat and Kuwait during Ramadan.

🌙 Ramadan 2026: Viu focuses on 12 premium dramas

Viu has released 12 premium Arabic series for Ramadan, all available from day one.

The slate includes social dramas and thrillers such as Ali Klay, along with several Viu exclusives. The platform is prioritizing quality over volume to stand out during the peak viewing season.

🌙 Ramadan 2026: Sharjah TV launches 18 dramas

Sharjah TV has launched 18 Emirati, Gulf and Arab drama series, alongside over 100 entertainment and cultural programs.

The strategy mixes drama, heritage content and multilingual programs, supported by digital streaming on Maraya and interactive quiz shows, aiming to make Sharjah TV a daily Ramadan destination.

🌙 Ramadan 2026: Zee Alwan highlights star-led dramas

Zee Alwan has just premiered its Ramadan lineup, led by Ala Add El Hobb starring Nelly Karim and Sherif Salama.

The slate features well-known actors from Egypt and the Gulf across family dramas and comedies, aiming to attract viewers during the peak Ramadan season.

🇬🇧 LONDON: MIP LONDON opens 2026 marketplace

MIP LONDON will take place from 22–24 February 2026, bringing together media companies, studios and content creators at the IET London and The Savoy.

The event will host meetings, showcases and industry sessions, giving buyers and distributors a place to connect and do business alongside other screenings that week.

🚢 Dara, with Layla Al Muqbali and Abdullah Bin Haider (Dubai+): An Emirati officer and a British detective reopen the case of the sinking of the ship “Dara” off the coast of Dubai in the 1960s. Through the testimonies of passengers and the crew, the truth gradually unfolds one secret, two timelines, and a crime that remains unresolved.

🎯 20 years ago, Bab Al-Hara premiered during Ramadan. Set in 1930s Damascus, the series followed families navigating honor, loyalty and resistance inside a historic neighborhood. Blending heritage and social drama, Bab Al-Hara became a Ramadan phenomenon, dominating primetime for years and defining the era of appointment TV before streaming changed viewing habits.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🚁 The drone era hits the winter Olympics

👉 At the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, drones are changing how people watch live sports.

📍 Drones fly close to the athletes and move at the same speed, capturing angles that traditional cameras cannot get. The result is more dynamic shots, as if viewers are on the track with the athletes.

💡 Drones marks a new step in sports broadcasting, making live coverage more engaging and immersive.

🌍 Africa launches its first vertical drama academy

👉 Africa’s first academy dedicated to vertical micro-drama has officially launched.

📍 The program will train experienced filmmakers to create fast, mobile-first series in 90-second episodes, using AI tools to cut production time and costs. It targets creators across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, and the diaspora.

💡 African creators are strong on open platforms like YouTube, but still rare on paid vertical apps like ReelShort and DramaBox.

🇸🇦 Luma AI opens Riyadh office

What happened?

👉 Luma AI is opening a regional office in Riyadh to support HUMAIN Create and has been named the preferred generative AI partner for Publicis across MENA.

Key details:

• The Riyadh office will help develop Arabic-native AI models in partnership with HUMAIN, including tools trained on local language and regional data.

• Publicis Groupe Middle East will integrate Luma AI’s generative video and multimodal AI tools into its creative and production workflows across the region.

• Luma AI plans to hire local AI engineers, creatives, and commercial teams to support clients in Saudi Arabia and MENA.

Why it matters?

🎯 By combining Arabic-native AI models, large-scale infrastructure, and major agency partnerships, this move could accelerate AI-driven content and advertising production across MENA.

🏔️ Winter Olympics: TOD secures Milano Cortina 2026 for MENA

TOD is streaming the Winter Olympics Milano Cortina 2026 across the Middle East and North Africa (February 6–22).

Subscribers will get live coverage, replays, and expert analysis across major winter sports with multilingual commentary and 4K streaming.

🌙 Ramadan 2026: Shahid Unveils Its New Slate

Shahid has revealed its full Ramadan 2026 lineup, led by Al Hayba: Origins, bringing back the popular franchise with Tim Hassan.

The slate also includes Egyptian comedies, Gulf dramas, and historical series. Shahid aims to drive subscriptions during the most competitive season of the year.

🇬🇧 Sky adds Disney+ and launches streaming bundle

Sky will include Disney+ in its TV subscriptions in the U.K. and Ireland at no extra cost, under a new multi-year deal.

The agreement also introduces a bundle combining Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix, and Hayu in one package, making it easier for viewers to access streaming services.

📱 TikTok: Disney+ posts full High School Musical

Disney+ shared the entire High School Musical movie on TikTok to mark its 20th anniversary.

By putting the full film directly into the feed, Disney+ is using vertical video to boost discovery and re-engage fans, turning scrolling into a new way to promote content.

🎬 Microdrama: Holywater acquires Jeynix

Holywater has acquired AI-assisted VFX company Jeynix and is rebranding as Holywater Tech.

The deal brings advanced tools like face replacement, de-aging, and lip-sync in-house, helping the company produce higher-quality microdramas faster and at lower cost.

🇦🇪 DUBAI: Cinema Akil launches pre-Ramadan film showcase

Cinema Akil has unveiled a February program focused on connection, reflection, and togetherness ahead of Ramadan.

The lineup blends regional films and international classics, including romantic titles and family-focused stories, with screenings taking place at Alserkal Avenue and 25hours Hotel One Central.

⚔️ Badlands (Disney+): Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.

🎯 39 years ago, Predator premiered in theaters. Directed by John McTiernan, the film dropped audiences into the Central American jungle, where an elite military team led by Arnold Schwarzenegger faces an unseen alien hunter. Predator blended action, sci-fi, and survival horror, introducing one of cinema’s most iconic extraterrestrial villains. It quickly became a cult classic and launched a long-running franchise that changed the sci-fi action genre.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🇺🇸 YouTube passed $60B in yearly revenue

👉 YouTube made more than $60 billion in revenue in 2025, from advertising and subscriptions combined.

📍 The platform reached 325 million paid subscriptions in Q4, including YouTube Premium and Google One. Advertising revenue alone hit $11.4 billion in Q4, showing steady growth year over year.

💡 YouTube now works like a global streaming giant, mixing ads and subscriptions at massive scale, and has become one of the strongest growth drivers for Alphabet.

🇫🇷 CANAL+ is building a global streaming power quietly

👉 While big U.S. streamers focus on mergers and cost cuts, CANAL+ is expanding step by step across Europe and Africa.

📍 CANAL+ secured new HBO Max distribution deals in Belgium and Austria and completed its $3B acquisition of MultiChoice. This gives CANAL+ access to 40 million subscribers across 70 countries.

💡 CANAL+ strategy is simple: own local distribution, invest in local content, and control the customer relationship.

This Ramadan, Ipsos is preparing a dedicated guide to explain why viewing habits change during the holy month in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The report will help streaming platforms understand audience behavior, validate content strategies, and maximize impact during the most important viewing period of the year.

What insights will you get?

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• How audiences react to advertising

• Whether microdramas are gaining traction

• Ramadan-specific viewer personas

Interested in the Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook? Get in touch to receive full details on the scope, timeline, and pricing👇

Get the full report details

🇨🇦 A Netflix–WBD deal could hit Canada and MENA

What happened?

👉 The potential acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Netflix could reshape local streaming markets in both Canada and MENA.

Key details:

• In Canada, Crave (owned by Bell Media) depends heavily on HBO content licensed from WBD.

• In MENA, OSN+ faces a similar risk, as Netflix could eventually pull HBO and Warner Bros. titles and reconsider WBD’s minority stake.

Why it matters?

🎯 Local platforms in both regions may need to rely less on studio licensing and more on scale, bundling, and local content to stay competitive against global giants.

📺 Smart TVs: OSNtv is now built into Samsung Smart TVs

Samsung and OSN have launched OSNtv directly on Samsung Smart TVs across MENA, with no box needed.

Viewers can watch live channels and on-demand content straight from their TV, making it easier to access OSN without extra devices.

⚽️ SPORTS: TOD adds MultiView and FanZone

TOD has launched 2 new features to make live sports more interactive across MENA.

MultiView lets fans watch several live matches on one screen, while FanZone adds live polls, predictions, and quizzes during games, helping TOD move beyond passive sports viewing.

📱 SHORTS: Paramount+ moves into short-form video

Paramount+ is preparing a major short-form video push, inspired by TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

The plan would add large volumes of short clips to the app to boost mobile usage and attract younger audiences, following similar moves from Disney+ and Netflix.

📱 SHORTS: Watch Club launches a social microdrama app

Former Facebook executive Henry Soong has launched Watch Club, a new microdrama and social platform backed by Google Ventures.

The app targets young audiences with short drama series designed to spark discussion, reactions, and community features around each show.

📺 CREATORS: A YouTube format airs on French TV

Joyca’s YouTube series Joyca teste des lieux 1 étoile has aired in prime time on RMC Découverte, marking a first for French television.

The episode was shown on TV before being released on YouTube, showing how creator formats are now moving from digital-first to hybrid TV and online distribution.

🇸🇦 RIYADH: Local content is getter better

At the Saudi Media Forum, executives from MBC Group and Starzplay explained how global streaming platforms are raising the bar for local content.

They shared how competition from Netflix, Korean dramas, and Chinese short-form content is pushing Arabic drama to become more professional, more ambitious, and more data-driven, helping local platforms improve storytelling and better connect with audiences.

🇦🇪 DUBAI: Short-form storytelling takes the spotlight

The Content Market Webinars by DICM will host a session titled From Minutes to Moments: The Power of Short-Form Storytelling on February 11.

The webinar will feature Belal El Araby, who will share insights on micro-drama and short-form formats, drawing from his experience across films, series, and digital-first storytelling in MENA.

⛷️ The Winter Olympics (Feb 6-22): Watch the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 from the opening ceremony to breathtaking sport and celebrations of athletes from around the world.

🏔️ 70 years ago, the Winter Olympics were broadcast on TV for the first time. In 1956, the Winter Olympics took place in Cortina d’Ampezzo, becoming the first Winter Games to be televised. For the first time, audiences across Europe could watch winter sports live from their homes, marking a turning point in how global sporting events reached fans and setting the foundation for the media-driven Olympics we know today.

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Today, I’m looking at an (epic) bundle 👇

The new offer bringing together Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+.

Let’s start by saying the obvious: bundles are not new in MENA. But for years, the “bundle masters” in the region were telcos.

The reason is simple: direct carrier billing. Telcos already own the monthly relationship with users, which makes adding subscriptions easy and trusted.

What’s different here is who is leading the bundle.

This time, it’s not a telecom provider. It’s 3 streaming platforms.

With its new Epic Bundle, Shahid positions itself as the gateway, bringing premium local and international platforms under one subscription.

To understand what this really means, I tested the bundle end to end: subscription, payment, and activation.

The full breakdown and my analysis are available to The Lab premium members 👇

Read on to learn about:

1. The bundle explained: How the Epic bundle is structured.

2. The benefits for viewers: What subscribers really get from the bundle.

3. 💡 So What? Why this bundle matters for the MENA streaming market.

1. The bundle explained:

The journey starts on MBC Shahid:

Read more

⏱️ This week’s streaming news in MENA and around the world, in 5 min.

🇦🇪 Awaan is now Dubai+

👉 Dubai+ has launched in the UAE with more than 30,000 hours of family-friendly movies, TV series, live events, and sports.

📍 Dubai+ is a rebrand of Awaan, the former Dubai Media streaming service. The new version puts families first, with age ratings, parental controls, offline viewing, and more local and educational content.

💡 Dubai+ could be the future of streaming from MENA broadcasters: freemium, safe, and local content for families across the region.

📱 Dhar Mann enters microdramas with Fox and Holywater

👉 Dhar Mann Studios is moving into microdramas through a new multi-year deal with Fox Entertainment and Holywater. The studio will produce 40 vertical videos as an initial slate for the MyDrama app.

📍 The content will launch first on MyDrama, then be distributed globally by Fox. Dhar Mann keeps ownership and creative control, and can later share the content on his own YouTube and Instagram channels.

💡 Top creators, major studios, and dedicated apps are now working together to scale vertical series.

This Ramadan, Ipsos is preparing a dedicated guide to explain why viewing habits change during the holy month in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

The report will help streaming platforms understand audience behavior, validate content strategies, and maximize impact during the most important viewing period of the year.

What insights will you get?

• When and how people watch during Ramadan

• How viewers discover content and choose a platform

• What drives subscriptions and churn

• Which content formats work best

• How audiences react to advertising

• Whether microdramas are gaining traction

• Ramadan-specific viewer personas

Interested in the Ramadan 2026 Streaming Handbook?

Get in touch to receive full details on the scope, timeline, and pricing.

Get the full report details

📺 COL Group launches a large-scale microdrama production studio

What happened?

👉 COL Group has launched full operations at its Hengqin–Macau production studio, a facility built to support large-scale production of microdramas and short-form series.

Key details:

• The studio covers 220,000 square meters, with 170,000 square meters dedicated to filming.

• It includes 94 indoor and outdoor sets designed for fast, repeatable microdrama production.

Why it matters?

🎯 Dedicated studios show the market is shifting from small teams to factory-style production built for volume, speed, and scale.

🇪🇬 SHORTS: Shofha launches “Shofha Shorts” in MENA

Shofha has launched Shofha Shorts, new microdramas that are exclusive to the Shofha app.

Each story can be watched in under 2 hours and is built around twists, cliffhangers, and strong drama.

📈 SOCIAL: Viu MENA reaches 1M Subscribers on YouTube

Viu MENA has grown its YouTube channel from 20,000 to 1 million subscribers, reaching more than 406 million organic views.

The growth was driven by a clear content strategy, strong execution, and a focus on scalable formats, showing how YouTube is becoming a key distribution channel for streaming brands in MENA.

🎬 ORIGINALS: WATCH IT announces first international series made in Egypt

WATCH IT has announced its first international original series produced in Egypt.

The series will be filmed in Egypt with an international cast and creative team, and will stream globally on HBO, while Watch IT keeps exclusive rights in Egypt and across MENA.

⚡️ FAST: Creator channels surge across free TV

Creator-led channels on FAST platforms have more than doubled since 2024, as platforms accelerate efforts to reach Gen Z and younger audiences.

This growth shows FAST platforms are scaling distribution faster than content creation, using creator channels as a fast, low-risk way to refresh lineups.

✍️ CREATORS: Substack launches a TV app

Substack has launched a TV app on Apple TV and Google TV, allowing newsletter creators to share videos and livestreams directly with their subscribers on the big screen.

This move is showing how creator platforms are following audiences from phones to living rooms.

🇸🇦 RIYADH: Saudi Media Forum returns for its 5th edition

The Saudi Media Forum will take place in Riyadh from February 2 to 4, bringing together more than 300 media professionals across hundreds of panels and sessions.

The event will focus on the future of media, with global speakers and a Future of Media Exhibition highlighting new trends, innovation, and partnerships in the industry.narrative.

🇬🇧 LONDON: MIP London expands its focus on AI in 2026

MIP London will position AI as a core pillar of its 2026 edition, taking place from 22 to 24 February,

The program will include AI roundtables, keynotes, and panels focused on practical uses of AI in content creation, production, and monetization.

💸 Steal from Sotiris Nikias (Prime Video, 6 eps): A typical day at Lochmill Capital is upended when armed thieves burst in and force Zara and her best friend Luke to execute their demands. In the aftermath, conflicted detective Rhys races against time to find out who stole £4 billion pounds of people’s pensions and why.

🎩 14 years ago, Downton Abbey premiered in the UK. Created by Julian Fellowes, the series invited viewers into the lives of the Crawley family and their servants, offering a richly detailed look at class, tradition, and social change in early 20th-century Britain. Downton Abbey quickly became one of the most successful and widely loved British dramas of its generation.

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⏱️ This week’s streaming media news in 5 minutes.

📺 Netflix Reaches 325M Subscribers, Plans $20B Content Spend

👉 Netflix finished 2025 with more than 325 million subscribers worldwide and plans to spend about $20 billion on content in 2026.

📍 Netflix also shared its ad results for the first time: ads brought in more than $1.5 billion in 2025. In 2026, Netflix plans to grow ads fast and add more licensed movies and series, while still investing heavily in its own Originals.

💡 Netflix is getting bigger on all fronts: subscribers, content, and advertising, making it one of the strongest players in global TV.

📱 Microdrama Apps Drive Streaming Downloads Boom in 2025

👉 Video streaming app downloads jumped in 2025, mainly thanks to the rapid rise of microdrama and vertical-series apps.

📍 According to Sensor Tower, global video streaming downloads grew nearly 40% last year. Microdrama apps more than doubled their downloads, while traditional streaming apps saw a small decline.

💡 Growth is strong, but total viewing time is not rising much, meaning these apps are taking time away from traditional streaming, not adding new time.

📺 BBC Starts Making Shows for YouTube

What happened?

👉 The BBC announced a major new deal with YouTube to create original content made specifically for YouTube’s younger, digital-first audience.

Key details:

• Content will include entertainment, documentaries, kids’ content, news, and sports, starting with the Winter Olympics.

• BBC content will carry ads outside the UK, creating a new revenue stream.

• The BBC plans to expand to up to 50 YouTube channels and invest in training the next generation of UK creators.

Why it matters?

🎯 Younger audiences spend more time on YouTube than on traditional TV. This move shows the BBC is shifting from using YouTube as a promo tool to treating it as a real distribution platform.

🏀 SPORTS: Smashi Sports Secures Exclusive Rights to Bahrain Basketball

Smashi Sports has acquired exclusive live streaming rights for the Zain Basketball Premier League, Bahrain’s top professional basketball competition.

This move supports the league’s growth and strengthens Smashi Sports position as a key platform for local and regional sports content.

🎮 ESPORTS: OSN Adds 7 New Esports Channels

OSN has expanded its TV lineup through a new partnership with eCLUTCH, adding seven dedicated esports channels to OSNtv.

This move helps OSN reach younger, Gen Z audiences and shows how pay-TV players in MENA are using gaming and esports to stay relevant beyond traditional TV content.

🎬 ENTERTAINMENT: Bilibili Anime Arrives in MENA via STARZPLAY

STARZPLAY has signed a new content deal with Bilibili to bring Chinese animation, known as donghua, to audiences across MENA.

This move strengthens STARZPLAY animation offer and targets younger, Gen Z audiences looking for new styles of storytelling beyond traditional series and movies.

📺 TECH: Sony and TCL Plan Home Entertainment Partnership

Sony and TCL have signed an agreement to explore a strategic partnership in home entertainment, focused on TVs and home audio products.

The goal is to build better smart TVs and home entertainment products for a world increasingly driven by streaming and connected viewing.

📺 FAST: Samsung TV Plus Passes 100M Monthly Users

Samsung TV Plus has crossed 100 million monthly active users worldwide, driven by strong growth in FAST channels and live events.

Available in 30 countries with more than 4,300 free channels, Samsung TV Plus shows how FAST is becoming a major driver of scale and engagement in the streaming ecosystem.

🇺🇸 MIAMI: Content Americas Wraps Up With Focus on Reinventing TV

Content Americas has just finished in Miami, bringing together global and regional players from the Latin American and U.S. Hispanic TV industries.

The event focused on how the TV business is changing, with strong attention on microdramas, shorter novelas, soccer stories linked to the 2026 World Cup, and new international co-productions.

🌊 Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2, from Rick Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg (Disney+, 8 episodes): After Camp Half-Blood’s protective border is breached, Percy Jackson embarks on an epic odyssey into the Sea of Monsters in search of his best friend Grover and the one thing that may save the camp — the legendary Golden Fleece. With help from Annabeth, Clarisse and his newfound cyclops half-brother Tyson, Percy’s survival becomes essential to stopping Luke, the Titan Kronos, and their impending plan to bring down Camp Half-Blood — and ultimately, Olympus.

🏝️ 22 years ago, Lost premiered on ABC. Created by J. J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Jeffrey Lieber, the series dropped viewers onto a mysterious island where survival, fate, and unanswered questions shaped every episode. Lost became a global hit, changing how audiences watched TV, fueling online discussions week after week, and proving that serialized storytelling could build obsession, loyalty, and long-term engagement at scale.

🧪 Fresh from The Lab:

Thanks for reading, enjoy your weekend! I’ll be back Monday with my MENA insights.

Not a member yet? Join The Lab 🧪 and unlock the full experience. Here’s what you get as a premium member:

✅ Streaming in Short – Weekly news updates on MENA and global streaming

✅ MENA Insights – Analysis of key streaming trends in MENA, backed by data

✅ Inside The LAB Talks – Real talk from the people driving the streaming media business.

✅ Event Wrap-ups – Smart AI summaries of industry panels and talks

✅ Full Library Access – Read all free and premium articles

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⏱️ This week’s streaming media news in 5 minutes.

🎬 Holywater Raises $22M to Scale Microdramas

👉 Holywater has secured the new funding as competition heats up between microdrama apps in the U.S. and beyond.

📍 Holywater operates My Drama (micro-drama), My Passion (genre books), and My Muse (AI-generated stories). The round was led by Horizon Capital and follows a recent strategic investment from Fox Entertainment.

💡 The competition is now about who can scale fastest and become the default app for microdrama.

🎬 Tunisian Filmmaker Wins $1M AI Film Award with Lily

👉 Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi has won the $1 million AI Film Award for his short film Lily, selected from more than 3,500 submissions worldwide.

📍 The award was presented during the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai, in partnership with Google Gemini. Lily was chosen as the winner after jury review and public voting, alongside four other finalist films.

💡 This shows how AI tools are lowering barriers and giving new voices real visibility and scale.

🎙️ Netflix Moves Deeper Into Podcasts

What happened?

👉 Netflix announced a new push into original podcasts, launching exclusive video shows hosted by well-known talent.

Key details:

• Pete Davidson will host The Pete Davidson Show, a weekly video podcast starting January 30, filmed in a casual, at-home setting.

• Michael Irvin will host The White House with Michael Irvin, a twice-weekly sports talk podcast starting January 19.

Why it matters?

🎯 By creating original, talent-led shows, Netflix is testing podcasts as a new content pillar, designed to keep users coming back between big series releases.

⚽️ SPORTS: SRMG Launches G.O.A.T, a New AI-Driven Sports App

Saudi Research and Media Group has launched G.O.A.T, a new mobile-first sports app built to deliver fast, trusted, and data-driven coverage.

The app focuses first on football and the Saudi Pro League, combining live updates, breaking news, video highlights, and match insights in one place.

📊 MARKET: MENA Media & Entertainment Hits $48B in 2026

The MENA media and entertainment market is expected to reach $48.4 billion in 2026, up from $44.1 billion in 2025, according to Mordor Intelligence.

Growth is driven by streaming, gaming, and digital ads, with more investment in local Arabic content and a clear shift toward on-demand and Connected TV models.

📱 VERTICAL: TikTok Enters Microdramas

TikTok has launched a new “Minis” section that lets users watch microdramas directly inside the app, without downloading a separate service.

The feature includes vertical series using a freemium model. TikTok is also testing discounts, ad-revenue sharing, and even licensing deals to keep viewing and payments inside its ecosystem.

🤝 BUNDLE: Prime Video Adds Free Local TV in France and Spain

Amazon Prime Video has signed new deals in Europe to offer major local TV content at no extra cost for Prime members.

In France, Prime Video now includes M6+. In Spain, Prime members can watch live channels from national broadcaster RTVE.

🎮 GAMING: Peaky Blinders Comes to PUBG Mobile

PUBG Mobile has launched an in-game collaboration with the TV series Peaky Blinders, following a licensing deal with Banijay Rights.

The event adds themed missions, story elements, character skins, emotes, and even the show’s iconic music into the game until February 5, 2026.

What’s the next media and entertainment event you’re planning to attend? Just reply to this email and tell me!

🛡️ A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, from George R.R. Martin and Ira Parker (OSN+, 6 eps): A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros: a young, naive but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits await these improbable and incomparable friends.

🐉 14 years ago, Game of Thrones premiered on HBO. Created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the series pulled viewers into a brutal fantasy world of power, loyalty, and betrayal. Game of Thrones became a global phenomenon, redefining event television and showing how big-budget series could drive culture, conversation, and subscriptions worldwide.

🧪 Fresh from The Lab:

Thanks for reading, enjoy your weekend! I’ll be back Monday with my MENA insights.

Not a member yet? Join The Lab 🧪 and unlock the full experience. Here’s what you get as a premium member:

✅ Streaming in Short – Weekly news updates on MENA and global streaming

✅ MENA Insights – Analysis of key streaming trends in MENA, backed by data

✅ Inside The LAB Talks – Real talk from the people driving the streaming media business.

✅ Event Wrap-ups – Smart AI summaries of industry panels and talks

✅ Full Library Access – Read all free and premium articles

✅ Special Reports – Exclusive insights from local MENA platforms (The Secret Lab access)

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This week, I cover the $1M AI Film Award, a content creator moving into microdrama, and Disney+ pushing deeper into microdrama and AI.

🎬 $1M on the Line: Five AI Films Premiere This Week

👉 Five short films are competing for the $1 million grand prize at the AI Film Award, one of the biggest global competitions for AI-generated films.

📍 The nominated films, Portrait No. 72, Cats Like Warmth, LILY, Heal, and The Translator, will premiere tonight at the 1 Billion Followers Summit. The final winner will be announced on Saturday.

💡 This shows how fast AI filmmaking is growing, with real money, global exposure, and creator recognition at scale.

📱 From Social Media to Microdrama: Hannah Stocking Takes the Lead

👉 Content creator Hannah Stocking stars in Playback, billed as the first musical microdrama made for vertical video.

📍 Produced by Second Rodeo, the series will premiere in early 2026 on My Drama. It follows a songwriter who creates an AI version of herself that becomes famous, forcing her to fight for her real voice and identity.

💡 This shows how creators are moving into scripted microdramas, using vertical formats to reach mobile-first audiences in new ways.

Sports streaming has changed how fans follow leagues, teams, and athletes. Live matches still matter, but fandom now goes far beyond match time.

To understand where sports fandom is going, WSC Sports surveyed fans in the U.S. across Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

Why does this matter for MENA?

Sports rights are spread across broadcasters, telco platforms, and local players. Audiences are young, mobile-first, and very active on social platforms. Live sports are easy to find, but consistent fan experiences across platforms are harder to deliver.

So the question is simple: Is sports streaming in MENA ready for the next era of fandom?

In my new whitepaper, I combine WSC Sports’ fan engagement study with The Streaming Lab’s analysis of the MENA sports streaming ecosystem.

Read the full whitepaper here

🤖 Disney+ Moves Into Microdrama and AI

What happened?

👉 Disney+ announced at CES that it will add short, vertical videos to Disney+ in 2026.

Key details:

• Disney+ will launch a vertical, scrollable feed.

• The content is made for mobile users.

• It will include short stories, sports clips, and news.

• Disney is also using AI to help create and personalize video ads.

Why it matters?

🎯 Disney+ is getting ready for an AI-native generation that watches content on mobile and likes short stories. By mixing microdrama-style formats and AI, Disney+ wants to become a daily app, not just a place to watch long shows.

📱 VERTICAL: Viu Launches Vertical Microdramas

Viu has launched Viu Shorts, a new vertical video section dedicated to microdramas.

The feature offers 1–3 minute episodes in multiple Asian languages and is built directly into Viu’s mobile app, using a freemium model alongside its long-form content.

🇯🇴 ROYA: 15 years

Roya Media Group marked its 15-year journey, built on independence, perseverance, and investment in local talent.

Now a full media group, Roya has expanded beyond TV to reach billions of views across platforms, with 2025 described as its strongest year and the start of a new growth phase.

🔁 BRAND: Shahid is now MBC Shahid

MBC Shahid has officially rebranded, becoming MBC Shahid.

The move strengthens the platform’s link to the MBC Group brand, while keeping the same service and experience. The goal is a clearer identity and bigger ambitions for premium storytelling and regional entertainment.

🎧 PODS: Spotify Boosts Monetization for Video Podcasts

Spotify is expanding monetization options for video podcast creators.

The platform lowered entry requirements for its Partner Program and now allows video podcasts hosted outside Spotify to earn money. Spotify says video podcast viewing has nearly doubled over the past year.

👾 TOP: Stranger Things 5 Enters Netflix’s All-Time Top 10

Stranger Things Season 5 has become Netflix’s No. 9 most-watched English-language series of all time, with 105.7 million views so far.

The season still has weeks of counting ahead and could climb higher on the ranking. Its strong launch also pushed all previous seasons back into Netflix’s Top 10, showing the franchise’s lasting global pull.

🇦🇪 DUBAI: 1 Billion Followers Summit Takes Over the City

The 1 Billion Followers Summit is happening in Dubai from January 9–11, 2026, bringing together 15,000 creators and 500 speakers with a combined reach of 3.5 billion followers.

The sold-out event focuses on the creator economy, AI, and short-form video, with major names attending and the $1M AI Film Award being presented during the summit.

🧪 Rick and Morty season 8, from Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland, (Netflix, 10 episodes): To punish Morty and Summer, Rick puts them in a simulation. However, their experience inside the simulation leads to real life repercussions.

🏛️ 13 years ago, House of Cards premiered on Netflix. Created by Beau Willimon, the series pulled viewers into the ruthless world of Washington politics, exploring power, manipulation, and ambition. House of Cards became Netflix’s first major original hit and helped prove that streaming platforms could deliver prestige television at a global scale.

🧪 Fresh from The Lab:

Thanks for reading, enjoy your weekend! I’ll be back Monday with my MENA insights.

Not a member yet? Join The Lab 🧪 and unlock the full experience. Here’s what you get as a premium member:

✅ Streaming in Short – Weekly news updates on MENA and global streaming

✅ MENA Insights – Analysis of key streaming trends in MENA, backed by data

✅ Inside The LAB Talks – Real talk from the people driving the streaming media business.

✅ Event Wrap-ups – Smart AI summaries of industry panels and talks

✅ Full Library Access – Read all free and premium articles

✅ Special Reports – Exclusive insights from local MENA platforms (The Secret Lab access)

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Today, I’m not looking at a crystal ball.

I’m looking at signals 👇

I’m not trying to predict the future.

I’m just listening.

Listening to big announcements in the MENA media ecosystem, like Thmanyah securing the Saudi Pro League rights and launching its own sports platform.

And listening to smaller changes, like Shahid becoming MBC Shahid.

Every year, at the beginning of the year, I collect these signals. Then I try to read between the lines and connect the dots.

Yes, it’s a bit risky.

But being right or wrong is not the point.

What matters is the process.

It forces me to combine data, market observation, and insights.

Here are my 6 signals that could change the streaming media ecosystem in MENA in 2026 👇

Read on to learn about:

1. Homegrown platforms will consolidate to create local champions

2. Bundles will change how streaming media grows

3. Content creators will operate like media companies

4. AI will decide where people watch content

5. Vertical series will grow in MENA, but only if done the right way

6. Local stories will move beyond screens

1️⃣ Homegrown platforms will consolidate to create champions

Today, there are more than 100 active media and streaming platforms across MENA, and around two third of them are local.

That fragmentation will continue, with new niche platforms launching to serve specific audiences and formats.

However, running a large entertainment and/or sports platform is expensive, and in most markets only two or three players can realistically operate at that level.

End of last year, Abu Dhabi Media integrated its streaming service ADtv into STARZPLAY. The broadcaster chose scale and distribution, trusting one of the region’s most successful pure-play streamers, now backed by the telecom e&.

The same logic could work at an even larger level:

In 2026, MBC Shahid could acquire OSN+ and bring together local strength and international positioning, creating a regional champion able to compete next to global streaming giants.

2️⃣ Bundles will change how streaming media grows

A year ago, bundles still felt nice to have. Today, they are starting to feel like a must-have in MENA.

Take Yango Play as a first example.

Read more

This week, I cover Shahid launching a strong streaming bundle in MENA with Disney+ and OSN+, the Oscars moving to YouTube from 2029, and Instagram bringing Reels to the TV screen.

🎬 Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ Launch a New Streaming Bundle in MENA

👉 Shahid has partnered with Disney+ and OSN+ to offer one subscription that includes three streaming apps, available only through Shahid.

📍 Users get 3 services for the price of 2, with one payment and one bill. The bundle brings together Arabic shows and sports from Shahid, global movies and series from Disney+, and HBO content from OSN+.

💡 This shows that platforms try to make streaming simpler and more attractive for users.

🏆 The Oscars Will Move to YouTube From 2029

👉 The Academy has signed a multi-year deal with YouTube to stream the Oscars live and for free worldwide, starting in 2029. ABC will keep the rights until 2028.

📍 The full Oscars experience will be available on YouTube, including the red carpet and behind-the-scenes content, with ads still included. The goal is to reach a larger global audience, with features like subtitles and multiple language options.

💡 For Hollywood, it shows how big cultural moments are moving away from traditional TV to platforms with global reach and younger audiences.

Sports streaming has changed how fans follow leagues, teams, and athletes. Live matches still matter, but fandom now goes far beyond match time.

To understand where sports fandom is going, WSC Sports surveyed fans in the U.S. across Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

Why does this matter for MENA?

Sports rights are spread across broadcasters, telco platforms, and local players. Audiences are young, mobile-first, and very active on social platforms. Live sports are easy to find, but consistent fan experiences across platforms are harder to deliver.

So the question is simple: Is sports streaming in MENA ready for the next era of fandom?

In my new whitepaper, I combine WSC Sports’ fan engagement study with The Streaming Lab’s analysis of the MENA sports streaming ecosystem.

Read the full whitepaper here

📺 Instagram Brings Reels to the TV Screen

What happened?

👉 Meta has launched a new Instagram Reels app for connected TVs, starting with Amazon Fire TV devices. It lets users watch Reels directly on their TV, without using their phone.

Key details:

• The TV app includes channels and categories to browse Reels by interest or creator.

• Reels already generates around $50B in annual ad revenue, even before this TV launch.

Why it matters?

🎯 This move shows that short-form video is moving into the living room, putting Instagram in direct competition with YouTube, Netflix, and TV channels for screen time, and ad budgets.

❌ HOLLYWOOD: Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount’s Offer

Warner Bros. Discovery has officially rejected Paramount’s $108B hostile bid, saying the offer carries high financial and execution risks.

The WBD board said the proposal is less attractive than its agreed deal with Netflix, especially due to concerns around financing, foreign investors, and deal certainty.

⚽ FOOTBALL: All Ligue 1 Matches Move to Ligue 1+ Next Season

From next season, all Ligue 1 matches will be available on Ligue 1+, as the league brings back the game currently shown on beIN Sports.

With 9 matches per round instead of 8, the monthly subscription price is expected to rise to €19.99, with discounts planned for existing subscribers.

🎙️ NETFLIX: Netflix Hires Its First Sports Anchor

Netflix has hired ESPN presenter Elle Duncan as its first on-air sports anchor, marking a new step in its live sports strategy.

She will host sports and cultural live events starting in 2026, adding credibility and a familiar TV face as Netflix continues to expand into live sports.

📱 MICRO-DRAMA: Seera Launches Vertical Series Platform in MENA

Seera has launched a new platform dedicated to Arabic micro-dramas, with short vertical episodes made for mobile viewing.

The app focuses on local stories and talent, filling a gap as global micro-drama apps grow fast in MENA but lack culturally relevant content.

🇲🇦 SPORTS: TOD Expands into Morocco

beIN Media Group’s streaming service TOD has launched in Morocco, ahead of the country hosting AFCON 2025.

The service brings major football rights like the Champions League, Premier League, and LaLiga, with features such as 4K streaming, multi-language commentary, and interactive tools designed to boost fan engagement.

🇦🇪 DUBAI: Fujifilm Short Film Festival Celebrates Regional Talent

The first edition of the Fujifilm Short Film Festival has wrapped up in Dubai, celebrating emerging filmmakers from the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia.

Launched with Cinema Akil and Gulf Photo Plus, the festival featured sold-out screenings, workshops, and awards across narrative, documentary, experimental, and student films, highlighting strong demand for local storytelling and new creative voices.

💥 Fallout from Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Prime Video, 8 episodes): The story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind, and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.

🏙️ 18 years ago, Mad Men premiered on AMC. Created by Matthew Weiner, the series took viewers inside the world of 1960s advertising, exploring power, identity, ambition, and the American Dream. Mad Men quickly became one of the most influential drama series of its generation, redefining prestige television.

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Thanks for reading, and enjoy the holidays! I’ll be back in January with my predictions for the MENA Streaming Media Industry in 2026.

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