Hey streamers 👋
A new Disney+ experience in MENA, WWE arriving on Netflix in Japan, and Dubai+ reaching one million registered users.
Here’s your 5-minute roundup of streaming news and insights to start the week. Enjoy the read!
⚙️ TECH: Disney+ will launch its new app experience across the region on October 6. Announced in Riyadh, the update brings more personal recommendations, international travel access and improved parental controls. More in The Lab’s Pick.
🤼 SPORTS: Netflix became the streaming home of WWE in Japan on October 1, with weekly shows, major live events and archive programming. More in my Analysis section.
📊 BROADCASTER: Dubai+ has passed one million registered users. The service has introduced more than 10 original titles since launch, while selected programmes are also reaching passengers through Emirates’ ICE entertainment system. More in my Analysis section.
🏢 BUSINESS: David Ellison has revealed that the combined Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery group will be called Skydance, with the merger scheduled to close on October 6. The Paramount and Warner Bros. studio brands will remain for streaming.
📚 MEDIA: Alan Wolk has launched The Age of Feudal Media, a book exploring how shared mass culture has fragmented into communities with their own creators, references and sources of truth. He’s asking a useful question for streaming platforms: how do you reach new viewers when each audience lives in a different media world? Can’t wait to receive my copy!
🏆 AWARDS: The inaugural SHAIKE Film Festival in La Ciotat, France, has announced its winners, with Tunisian filmmaker Zoubeir Jlassi taking Best TV Series Pilot for Boussadia. The Grand Prix went to A Message for the Butterfly by Zuxin Hou and Mark Wachholz, with other awards recognising animation, documentaries, short films, advertising and music videos.
Disney+ updates how MENA viewers discover and watch content
What happened?
👉 At its September 29 event in Riyadh, Disney+ announced a new app experience for customers across the region. The rollout begins on the evening of October 6, with changes to content discovery, viewing while travelling and family controls.
Key details:
More personal recommendations: Suggestions will adapt to individual viewing preferences over time.
Viewing while travelling: Customers will be able to stream while visiting Europe, the United States and other supported destinations.
More control for families: Enhanced parental controls and Junior Mode, known in Arabic as عالم الصغار, offer a dedicated space for younger viewers.
Why it matters?
🎯 A strong catalogue gives people choice, but recommendations help them find something they want to watch. Travel access removes frustration, and family controls help parents manage the experience. The real test comes after launch: a smooth transition, useful recommendations and viewers returning more often.
Netflix brings WWE’s weekly viewing habit to Japan
👉 Netflix’s WWE offer in Japan began on October 1. It includes Raw, SmackDown and NXT, major live events and archive content. Weekly live broadcasts begin on their respective schedules, with Japanese and English commentary.
📍 WWE gives fans an ongoing story to follow. Weekly shows build towards bigger events, while the archive provides something to explore between them.
💡 For me, the practical point is frequency. A big event can attract attention, but regular programming could help keep people watching afterwards. I would track how often WWE viewers return, whether they explore other Netflix titles and how their retention compares with other subscribers.
Dubai+ reaches one million registrations. What comes next?
👉 Dubai Media shared the milestone at its October 1 event for advertisers, agencies and partners. Dubai+ has passed one million registered users, giving the broadcaster a growing base of accounts for its streaming service.
📍 More than 10 originals have been introduced since launch, and selected programmes are available through Emirates’ ICE. That gives Emirati and Arab productions another opportunity to reach viewers.
💡 This is where I would look next: monthly active viewers, repeat visits and the titles that bring people back. Regular viewing tells us whether a service is becoming part of someone’s routine.
CABSAT opens today in Dubai, bringing together professionals across content, broadcasting and media technology. See you there?
📅 October 5–7, 2026
📍 Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai
I’m posting live here!
🏎️ Schumacher ’94 - The Birth of a Legend (Netflix): Michael Schumacher’s first World Championship win roars to life through personal interviews and archival footage of the legendary 1994 Formula 1 season.
🏎️ In 2019, Formula 1: Drive to Survive premiered on Netflix. The documentary series takes viewers behind the scenes of Formula 1, following drivers, team principals and the rivalries that shape each season. Beyond the racing, it reveals the pressure, ambition and difficult decisions inside the paddock. A different way to discover the sport, and the people behind the helmets.
