tv everywhere_news 21/04/2015 20:33 Page 4
Starz launches
MENA SVoD service
lobal media and
entertainment company
Starz has confirmed
details of the Starz Play Arabia
launch in April across 17
countries. The first
international Starz Play is a
new, premium content, directto-consumer multiplatform
subscription video service
developed in conjunction with
the Parsifal Entertainment
Group for select markets in the
Middle East and North Africa
(MENA). As part of Starz Play
International initiative, Starz
Play Arabia marks the first time
that Starz has extended its
flagship
brand in a
service
outside of
the United
States.
Starz Play Arabia débuts in 17
countries and territories throughout
the region with a particular early
marketing emphasis on the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC)
countries, including: Bahrain,
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab
Emirates. Other countries where the
service is available include: Algeria,
Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan,
Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania,
Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia.
Starz says the SVoD service is
optimised for the respective Middle
East and North Africa markets, and
is rich in original programming and
other blockbuster movie, premium
series and kids content from other
partners. Starz Play Arabia extends
the Starz Play brand, currently used
in the United States for the Starz TV
Everywhere offerings, and initially
offers more than 3,000 movies and a
wide selection of TV series for
$13.99/month, a 30-day free trial,
and no monthly contractual
obligations. The SVoD service will
be available on PCs and Macs,
iPhones, iPads, and Android devices
at launch.
“Starz is very pleased with the
launch of the world-class Starz Play
G
Arabia partnership in the Middle
East and North Africa. This is the
first time a STARZ-branded service
has been launched outside of the
United States,” said Chris Albrecht,
Starz CEO. “Taking the STARZ
brand to these markets with the
latest video distribution technology
represents an innovative opportunity
to grow the Starz business. Starz
Play Arabia has a strong content
foundation in place anchored by the
growing worldwide portfolio of
STARZ Original series programming
and leveraged with a smart mix of
other premier licensed product
through our relationships within the
industry.”
Starz Play
Arabia
president and
chief operating
officer Maaz
Sheikh said
the service had a “unique
opportunity” to fill a market need
and offer the growing Internet savvy
population of the region the best in
TV and movie content, at an
affordable price point, and with
high-value convenience and control.
“We have aggregated a compelling
collection of great original
programming including STARZ
Original series and movie content
from around the world. Our content
will be presented in a culturally
sensitive way and will be a showcase
technologically, with a strong
consumer value proposition.”
“We are very pleased with the
prospects of Starz entering the
MENA markets. Starz Play Arabia is
a compelling business opportunity to
sell a high-quality Starz Play service
direct-to-consumers and, potentially,
through incumbent video and
telecommunications infrastructure
providers as a must-have premium
add-on,” added John Penney, chief
strategy officer for Starz. “Starz will
continue to be aggressive and
innovative in leveraging its original
programming portfolio to identify
and establish new, global revenue
growth opportunities for the
company.”
TVCatchup ruling could enable
PSB retrans fees
An entertainment lawyer has suggested that
one consequence of the recent Court of Appeal
decision that, if successful, would have allowed
TVCatchup (TVC) to stream Public Service
Broadcasting (PSB) channels on mobile, could
be that public service broadcasters (PSBs)
would be able to charge retransmission fees.
The UK Court of Appeal, though, has referred
the cross appeal
brought by ITV,
Channel 4 and
Channel 5,
regarding the extent
to which Internet is
cable and can take
advantage of
Section 73 of Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
to the Court of Justice of the European Union
(CJEU). Section 73 allows cable operators to carry
the main PSB channels without permission and in
2011, the High Court agreed with TVC that
Internet was cable for this purpose.
Separately, the EU has instigated infringement
proceedings against the UK government
�concerning Section 73 as the EU believes that
Section 73 does not comply with EU laws.
Earlier in 2015, the [Upper Chamber] House of
Lords indicated a desire to repeal Section 73 in its
entirety, recently describing the provi ͥ