FAST in MENA Series - Special Ramadan 2024
FAST in MENA Series - Special Ramadan 2024
Ramadan Ma’na GCC, STARZ ON Shabiyaat Al Cartoon, Ramadan Ma’na series, Freej channel, Roya Kitchen, WrestleMania, ChefMan, The Great British Menu, IPL Best of 2023, GB News, NOW ROCK, NOW 70s
Hey streamers 👋
Welcome to my “FAST in MENA Series”, monthly articles exploring the local FAST platforms across Middle East & North Africa. Stay tuned for the most recent FAST channels updates and trend analysis, delivered directly to your inbox on the last Monday of every month.
Today’s program
This issue's a bit special as we are right in the middle of Ramadan. Perfect chance to see what FAST channels the streamers in the MENA region have lined up for us this holy month!
Recent updates and trends in MENA FAST
New FAST channel launches
Spotlight channel: “Ramadan Ma’na Series” on Shahid
And… Action!
This newsletter is supported by Cleeng, a SaaS platform specialising in Subscriber Retention Management for Media & Entertainment.
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Recent updates and trends in MENA FAST
For the third month in a row, there's been a drop in the number of FAST channels available on local platforms within the MENA region. While most of the platforms have cut their channel offerings, there's one exception: STARZ ON stood out by adding 8 new channels in March compared to February.
As I've highlighted several times, the focus of this series isn't just on counting the available channels. What's key is understanding the quality of these channels, as well as how the local platforms monetize and navigate this complex business model.
In celebration of Ramadan, Shahid launched 2 popup channels: Ramadan Ma’na_GCC and Ramadan Ma’na_series. Meanwhile, STARZ ON launched 2 cooking channels in partnerships with Roya Media Group: Roya Kitchen and Chefman.
Last week also kicked off IPL 2024, and to mark the occasion, STARZ ON launched a FAST channel titled “IPL Best of 2023”: A great way to catch some of the iconic moments from IPL 2023.
Take a look at my updated chart showing the number of FAST channels on local platforms from January 2023 to March 2024. STARZ ON is now the leading FAST platform in MENA, followed by Shahid and Roya TV.