How Kids watch TV in Middle East?
How Kids watch TV in Middle East?
The Streaming Lab - MENA #13
Hey 👋 - Yann here.
This is the 13th issue of The Streaming Lab - MENA.
Each Saturday, I analyse 1 topic to better understand the OTT market in the Middle East & North Africa.
Before we start talking about kids content, can you tell me what would you like to read in the next newsletters?
Enjoy the show!
Local SVOD services offer premium kids content to entertain and educate children of all ages in a safe environment. I’ll show you below:
Who are the niche services for kids in the MENA region
What are the kids content offerings on local SVOD platforms
What are the Must-Have kids features
Who are the niche services for kids in the MENA region?
Majid Universe
Abu Dhabi Media launched end of last year Majid Universe, a niche OTT service for kids with more than 800 hours of content, Live and TV Shows, games, and magazines.
Children will find all the Majid characters and other premium content: My Little Pony, Charley Goes to School, Peanuts, Mick the Mini Chef, Pablo, Anitta, Freej, Mansour, Zakia and Hikayat Abo Al Thurafaaand or bedtime stories from Amoona.
The user interface and all the content available are in Arabic. The Majid Universe app is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV,and Smart TVs.
The subscription is AED 16.99/month ($4.63) in the UAE, SAR16.99 ($4.53) in Saudi Arabia and EGP 39.99 in Egypt ($2.55). There is also an annual plan available with 35% discount.
PG Kids
Progressive Generation Studios launched PG Kids on January 1st this year with 1,600 hours of original content.
All original content has been developed based on a scientific approach to stimulate creative thinking and the development of young minds.
TV series: Child of the Sun, City of letters, Mr. Labeeb, Dr Majeed, Friedns, Farm Tale, Tales of Wool, Rascals, Origami World, with Laith and Sami,
Edutainment: Salma and the Numbers, Question of the Day with Salam, Madrasati, The Happy Family, Letter and drawing, Let’s learn, History of Muslims inventions, etc.
PG Kids website is available in English and Arabic but the iOS only supports Arabic for now. Most of the video content is in both Arabic and English. You can access PG Kids on the web, iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Samsung TV and Google Chromecast.
PG Kids have 4 packages: Silver ($4,99/month with 1 screen), Gold ($6.99/month for 2 screens), Platinum ($7.99/month for 4 screens) and Diamond: ($79.99/year for 4 screens).
Roya Kids
Roya Media Group launched Roya Kids last year, an App designed for children aged from 1-8 featuring songs, stories, shows and games.
Let’s focus on the titles available on the shows section: The Smurfs, The Kids from Seagul Street, Invention Story, Suzy’s Zoo, Raven the Little Rascal, Vroomiz, Eena Meena Deeka, Roobot Trains, Karim and Jana, Ahlan Simsim, Yo Yo, Kit & Kate, etc.
The user interface is in Arabic & English but the video content is mainly in Arabic. Roya Kids is available on the website and iOS and AndroidGoogle Apps.
Roya Kids offers 3 packages: Free Plan (1 screen at the same time, Monthly Plan ($2,99 with 4 screens and exclusive content), Annual Plan ($26.99 with 4 screens and exclusive content).
Spacetoon Go
Spacetoon launched Spacetoon Go in 2020, with more than 5,000 episodes.
The service provides a large Arabic library with international cartoons, as well as a selection of series and films, all in original Arabic language. The content is categorized by planets:
Abjad Planet for educational programs: MIA The Mouse, Moonzy, Pocoyo, etc.
Bonbona Planet for preschool programs: Little People, Teletubbies, Caillou, Franklin, Thomas & Friends, etc.
Sports Planet for sports series and programs: Beybattle Burst Rise, The Prince of Tennis, Kuroko’s Basketball, Yomamushi Pedal, Motorise, Slam City, etc.
Movies Planet for animated movies: Detective Conan, Mazinger Z Infinity, Enchantimals, Bob The Builder, Team Hot Wheels, YoKai Watch The Movie, etc.
Science Planet for educational science programs: Secret Millionaires Club, Operation Ouch!, The Magic School Bus, The Fixies, etc.
Action Planet for action series: Detective Conan, Transformers Cyberverse, Blazing Team, Gormiti, etc.
Space Power Planet for teenagers and young adults: My Hero Academia, Game On, Dragon Ball Super, Poco’s Udon World, Made in Abyss, Hunter x Hunter, Megalobox, Hetty Feather, etc.
Comedy Planet for comedy series: Falfool, Om Nom, Chop Chop Ninja, Molang, Naruto SD Rock Lee, etc.
Zomoroda Planet for series and programs for girls: Love Diana Adventures, My Little Pony: Pony Life, Littlest Pet Shop, Rainbow Ruby, Masha and the Bear, etc.
Adventure Planet for adventure series: Octonauts, The Moshaya Family, The Smurfs, Calimero, Transformers Rescue Bot Academy, The Moji Cons
Mum Stoon: Blippi wonders, Dr Mum, Hapee Capee, Little Red Bus, Cocomelon, etc.
Spacetoon Go is only available on iOS and Android Apps with a user interface and the video content in Arabic.
Three packages are currently available: Basic (free with ads and limited content), Plus ($2.99/month - $26.99/year with ads and unlimited content) and Pro ($4.99/month - $44.99/year without ads and unlimited content).
Kids content offerings on local SVOD services
Jawwy TV
Jawwy TV doesn’t provide a specific section for Kids. However, subscribers can create kids profiles based on ratings: Family, PG, 15 or 18.
There is one content corner gathering On Demand titles from Cartoon Network and Boomerang: Thomas & Friends, Monster Beach, Looney Toons Cartoon, Mr. Magoo, The Tom and Jerry Show, Ben 10, Grizzy and the Lemmings, etc.
Jawwy TV also offers 11 TV channels for kids: Baby TV, Tiji, Fix & Foxi, Duck TV, Rotana Kids, ZooMoo, Disney Junior, Nicktoons, Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network Arabic and Boomerang
OSN+
OSN+ also allows users to create profiles based on content ratings: Family, PG, 1( or 18.
Here are some examples of kids content available:
Kids Series: Paw Patrol, The Smurfs, The Adventures of Paddington, TMNT, Super Wings, Coco Melon, Transformers Rescue Bots, Thomas & Fiends, Peppa Pig, Rugrat, My Little pony, Mansour, etc.
Kids Movies: Sing 2, The Big Red Dog, How to train your dragon, Megamind, Bee Movie, Rumble, Kung Fu Panda, Minions, Despicable me 2, The Secret Life of Pets, etc.
And some classics: Babe, Spirit, The Adams Family, Flipper, Harry Potter, etc.
StarzPlay
StarzPlay doesn’t provide Kids profile but a Kids section with a unique bright User Interface.
You can find there shows from eJunior (Olive & tom, peppa Pig, Ben & Holly’s, Cocomelon, Blippi, Caillou, Go Astro Boy), Nickelodeon (Paw Patrol, Spongebob, Dora the Explorer, TMNT), and Lego titles (Lego super heroes, Jurassic Park, Lego Firends, City Adventures, Ninjago).
There are also 2 packages offering Kids content:
Learn & Play: Da Vinci is included with StarzPlay entry package: The Magic of Houdini, Genius, Look Kool, Who’s There?, Infotoy, Addison, etc.
Majid TV (9.99 AED/month): Moghamarat Sindbad, Rehla, Freej, Zakia, Al Nakeeb Khalfan, etc.
Shahid
Shahid displays a kids section next to TV Shows, Movies and Sports. Users can also create a kids profile showing only age appropriate content. Finally, there is an option to enable Kids mode on the iOS App with additional parental controls.
The Kids profile offers a unique User Interface with a focus on characters and a strong mix of shows, movies or nursery rhymes.
Some shows available: Ben & Holly’s, Timmy time, Little Furry, Shaun The Sheep, Poppy Cat, Lego Superheroes, Paw Patrol, Spongebob, Dora The Explorer, The Loud House, TMNT, Blaze, Top Wing, The Penguins of Madagascar, The Smurfs, Bob The Builder, etc.
Movies: Secret of the Cave, Paddington, Lanterns Tales, Escape from Planet Earth, Lego The Indominus Escape, etc.
Shahid also provide 5 Linear channels for kids: MBC 3, Spacetoon, Gulli, Rotana Kids and Tiki.
Switch TV
Switch TV doesn’t offer a specific section for Kids or the option to create Kids profile, but their content offering targeting children is strong, both on Linear and On Demand.
Kids TV package (7.99/week - 24.99/month): Cinemachi Kids, Boomerang HD, English Club TV, Disney Junior, MBC 3 HD, Disney XD, Cartoon Network, Baby TV, Nickelodeon, eJunior, Cartoon Network Arabic, Cartoon Netwoek Hindi, Mult, Nicktoon, Tiji, Spacetoon, Majid Kids, Chithram
Kids Movies (AED 7.99/week - AED 24.99/month)
Action: Lego scooby do, jurassic park, super heroes, ninjago, Ultraman
Anime: Sally, Assateer Fi Qadem Al Zaman, Captain Majid Al Shabah, Pokemon XY, Heidi, Moghamarat Sindibad, Sonic X, Flona, Beybattle Burst
Adventure: Geronimo Stilton, Totally Spies, Hot Wheels in the city, Barbie it takes two, Lego Ninjago, Lego Friends, Lost in Oz, Mansour
Comedy: The Thundermans, Coach me if you can, Oggy and the cockroaches, Henry Danger, The Loud House, etc.
Educational: Morphle, Blippi Wonders, Coco Melon, Timmy Time, Tee and Mo, Teletubbies, Abby Hatcher Monster Catcher, Learn with eJunior, Go Astro Boy Go!, Tik Tak, Peppa Pig, etc.
Songs: PinkFong, Sing with Blippi, Kiwi TV Songs, Papi Mami Songs, etc.
UAE: National Day Celebrations
TOD
TOD, the new SVOD service from beIN Media group is not all about Sports. The platform also offers a kids section and an option to create profiles dedicated to kids.
Local shows: See Jeem, Fekra, Fafa, Kanz Al Qeraa, The Journey, Hourouf Wa Rousoum, Taallam, etc.
Educational: Science Xplosion, Healthy eating, Almokhtabar, Kids Planet, etc.
Teens: Robin Hood, 5 & IT The Psammy, Princess Sissi, etc.
Pre-School: Franklin & Friends, Willa’s Wild Life, Misho And Robin, Brewster The Rooster, Molan, Funny Planet, etc.
Weyyak
Weyyak kids content offering is limited to a carousel with limited titles: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Abkari Al Mokhtabar, Koki, You Need Character, Ahla SMSM 2, Adam W Mish Mish, Ibn Battuta, Book Box, Sherm, Babbs Beach, Eena Meena Deeka, Oscar The Balloonist, and Digswell.
What are the must-have kids features?
Here is a list of features that can add value to a kids content offering:
Allow kids profile
Design a kids User Interface
Set maturity ratings
Authorize Parent PIN code
Offer Multi Audio
Control the hours watched
Apply a countdown
Lower the light
Lock the screen
Set the parental controls across all devices
But we must not forget, those features are here to help parents, they should not replace them.
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In conclusion, most of local SVOD services feature a large kids content offering. However, it looks like they share a lot of international series. That is why niche kids services already stand out from the OTT crowd, as they offer exclusive and original content.
I’m sure we’ll see very soon more kids content produced in MENA. A good example is the recent agreement between Shahid and Barajoun to produce five original, Arabic-language animations over the next three years.
That’s all for today, the kids content offerings coming from local players in MENA. I know there is a lot of contenr coming from international players and I’ll probably focus on them in another edition.
See you online next week. Until then, enjoy the first episode of House of the Dragon on OSN+ on Monday 5am.
- Yann
Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you with:
If you want to learn more about OTT in MENA, I’d recommend starting with my market report:
→ The local OTT ecosystem in MENA: Learn everything about the local streaming services in the region. Get full access here.
License premium FAST & On Demand content on TVToday.
Hire top streaming experts for short-term assignments on OTTpro.