FAST in MENA - November 2023
FAST in MENA - November 2023
🆕 STARZ ON unveils groundbreaking AVOD and FAST business models
Hey streamers 👋
Welcome to the 78th edition of The Streaming Lab, a weekly newsletter exploring the trends that matter to streaming professionals. If you are not already a subscriber, sign up and join 2,000+ others who receive it directly in their inbox every Monday.
Today’s program
This article is the 11th edition of the FAST in MENA series.
What’s new in MENA?
The FAST channels in MENA - November 2023
DICM Talks 2023: FAST in MENA Part 2
And… Action!
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What’s new in MENA?
This month, one of the top local platforms joined the FAST race: STARZPLAY. Or should I say now “STARZ ON”.
STARZ ON introduces AVOD & FAST next to the existing SVOD, Ad-Supported SVOD & TVOD models. As you can see below, STARZ ON quickly positioned itself as one of the major FAST platform of the region, with already almost 50 FAST channels.
And quantity is definitely not their only objective. STARZ ON brought to Middle East & North Africa several premium FAST channels with strong IPs, such as DAZN Combat, Baywatch, Fear Factor, Comedy Dynamics, Wipeout Xtra or Nacelle Pop.
It looks like Sports is a key part of STARZ ON content strategy, with already almost 10 Sports FAST channels, including Fight TV, Drive+Speed, Automotion, Bike, Powder, Surfer or Billiard+.
STARZ ON also distributes Arabic FAST channels to meet expectations from local audiences: Souad Hosny, Al Zaeem, Oyoun El Nass, Watan A Watar, Khalijiyat, Jar El Qamar, Tarab, and many regional News & Entertainment channels.
The platform created unique channels focused on several genres: STARZ ON LOLZ, STARZ ON STUNTZ, STARZ ON BELLZ, STARZ ON THRILLZ, STARZ ON CHILLZ, STARZ ON LIVEZ. And many more will be released regularly ;)
The cherry on the cake? STARZ ON launched a pop up channel in partnership with Cricbuzz, offering the live matches of the T20 India vs Australia series. The two countries resumed their cricket rivalry four days after the World Cup final. What team are you this time?
The Fast Channels in MENA - November 2023
Here’s the updated number of FAST channels available on MENA local services in November 2023. As a reminder, I consider a FAST channel any streaming linear programming available for free to consumers, with commercials.
My main observations:
Shahid
Shahid removed 8 channels from its existing portfolio, and added 2 new ones, including:
Otroq Babi Channel: It’s a “hate at first sight” story between Aida and Rakan. Watch how fate will transform their enmity into an unbreakable bond they can never let go of!
Till Death Channel: From mind-bending revenge plans to a dark past full of secrets and an intricate web of unsolved mysteries, prepare to join Reem and Sahar on their twisted journey.
STARZ ON
I listed above several FAST channels launched on STARZ ON. Here are my favorite so far:
Powder: Powder Magazine, the most trusted name in skiing, features original series, documentary films, in-depth features and more - covering every aspect of skiing.
Nacelle Pop: NacellePop, 24/7 - one stop destination for unique collection of pop culture-focused documentaries, animated series, and hard-to-find classic TV shows. (Yes, they have Denver The Last Dinosaur 🦕)
Fear Factor: Fear Factor is the ultimate adrenaline rush, a true test of stamina and guile for those willing to put their body and soul on the line for $50,000.
El Shasha
The streaming TV service owned by Rotana launched 2 new channels this month:
Rotana Comedy: Laugh out loud with the diverse comedy programs offered by Rotana Comedy, which feature comedic TV series and movies from around the world. These programs target comedy lovers and are very popular in the Arab world.
Romance: A channel showing romantic films that attract lovers of romantic stories and inspire human emotions and feelings. Watching these films is an opportunity to relax, enjoy the spirit of romance, and express emotional feelings through cinematic art
DICM Talks 2023: FAST in MENA Part 2
As I promised last week at DICM 2023, I’m sharing with you the deck I presented during the DICM Talks FAST in MENA Part 2. Thanks again to my guests Nadine, Ahmed, Fares and Shujah and the DICM team Aseel, Irina, Michael and Sophie.
Last minute bonus, the team at DICM distributed a FAST survey developed by BB Media. You can download below the survey results.
That’s all for today, the state of FAST in MENA in November 2023. If you enjoyed this breakdown, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues!
I hope everyone has a great week, see you online next Monday. Until then, enjoy Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV+. After the world-shattering revelation that monsters are real, two siblings follow in their father's footsteps to uncover their family's connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch.
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