In the webinar I hosted about FAST MENA, I had the pleasure of discussing with Nadine Samra from Weyyak and Jordan Warkol from OTTera. We delved into how FAST is shaping up in the MENA region, its current state, and its potential future.
Nadine, from Weyyak, provided valuable insights into how their platform is leveraging FAST, emphasizing its strategic role in offering a diverse array of content, especially the Arabic-dubbed Indian content which is a significant part of their library. She described FAST as a way to provide a linear TV experience within a streaming service.
For Weyyak, it's not just about the additional content but also about enhancing their advertising opportunities and revenue streams. Nadine's forward-thinking approach and her openness to partnerships and collaborations were clear indicators of Weyyak's dynamic strategy in the evolving streaming landscape.
Jordan from OTTera shared his expertise on the broader potential of FAST in MENA, highlighting the critical role of understanding local preferences and languages. He talked about OTTera's comprehensive solutions for streaming and FAST channel playout, and their focus on expanding Tarfeeh TV with diverse, relevant content to meet the region's needs. His insights into the adaptability and growth strategies necessary for success in MENA's varied markets were especially enlightening.
We discussed the pivotal pillars of FAST — content, distribution, and monetization — and how they interact and influence the streaming ecosystem in MENA. Both Nadine and Jordan agreed on the significant growth potential in the region, emphasizing the need for platforms and providers to understand and cater to local audience preferences.
The conversation was not only insightful but also set the stage for further discussions on the future of FAST in MENA, underlining the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of the streaming industry. The webinar concluded with anticipation for the upcoming second part of this discussion at DICM 2023, which promises to delve deeper into the developments and changes that will have taken place in the FAST landscape by then.
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FAST in MENA Part 1 - The Streaming Lab x DICM