benefit from the extra talent and additional supporting our customers for the introduction
skillsets that Eutelsat offers as well as gain of UHD.”
access to the innovation that drives future
Notwithstanding the problems it might have
services, ensuring we stay one-step ahead had with its senior shareholder, MBC’s CEO
technologically.” Sam Barnett delivered a robust statement at the
DRIVE. Part of that extra drive is to tap ASBU/Selevision Summit in Dubai a week or so
into the growing demand for HD services. after the arrests, saying that not only was MBC
“Viewing trends across sophisticated MENA the undoubted market leading broadcaster
broadcasting markets are evolving fast and, as in the region – and the most successful – but
we go forward, we will embrace the transition also that it would launch “the region’s largest
to High Definition (HD) TV that enables and safest” VoD service for kids, along with
broadcasters to differentiate their content,” its associated Games portal, and that in 2018
confirmed Shoter. “Screens across the region it would be commissioning and publishing its
are getting bigger and HD-ready, as they have own Games (which had already achieved 26m
in other parts of the world. On these new, unique users during Ramadan).
larger screens, SD no longer provides the high-
MBC’s decision to shift its HDTV satellite
quality viewing experience viewers expect. loyalty from the Nilesat/Eutelsat location of
We look forward to accelerating the roll-out 7-8° West, to Arabsat’s ‘hot spot’ at 26° East
of HD across the region, and to preparing and was another strategic move during the year.
“There’s no return on
investment for 4K. I
maintain it is a conspiracy
by the engineers.” – Sam
Barnett, MBC
Dubai-based MBC continues to innovate,
and is expanding its in-house productions.
Its Turkey-based production company has
already won ratings success (in Turkey) and
more cash is going into that division. MBC is
tapping into strong consumer appreciation for
Turkish drama series.
INVESTMENTS. Nor is MBC ignoring
improvements and investments in its own
Dubai facility. A new 25,000 sq. ft. production
unit at Dubai Studio City (DSC), acquired in
2013 and initially planned for an MBC sister
business, has now been fitted out as a truly
state-of-the-art broadcast facility of some
20,000-sq. ft. (plus offices) and become home
Saudi Arabia has now permitted the opening of cinemas
to two MBC channels which have relocated
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