Middle-East and North Africa Digital TV News

Disney+ brings forward EMEA launch date
Jan 21, 2020 – The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International segment has set March 24th as the new launch date for Disney+ in markets across Western Europe. Pricing has also been confirmed at £5.99/€6.99 per month, or £59.99/€69.99 for an annual subscription.
News categories: The Walt Disney Company, Digital TV, Europe, Middle-East, OTT

No growth expected for MENA pay TV revenues
Jan 20, 2020 – According to Digital TV Research, pay TV revenues in the Middle East and North Africa region fell by 12% between 2016 and 2019. Given the hangover from the beIN ban and generally falling ARPUs, revenues in 2025 will still be lower than in 2019.
News categories: Digital TV Research, Simon Murray, Digital TV, Market Research, Middle-East

Eros Now partners with EUROSTAR Group for GCC countries
Jan 8, 2020 – Eros Now (NYSE: EROS) has announced a partnership with UAE-based digital retail giant, EUROSTAR Group. The association enables the large diaspora from the Indian sub-continent and locals across GCC countries to access Eros Now’s content library.
News categories: Eros Now, EUROSTAR Group, Ali Hussein, Shaan Jethwani, Digital TV, Middle-East, OTT

E-Vision selects Synamedia for MENA multi-tenant OTT service
Jan 7, 2020 – Synamedia has announced that E-Vision has selected its Infinite platform for a multi-country, multi-tenant OTT service. The platform is already live in Egypt and will launch soon in Saudi Arabia. Additional markets will follow in due course.
News categories: Synamedia, E-Vision, Yves Padrines, Humaid Rashid Sahoo, CES2020, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Egypt, Middle-East, OTT, Saudi Arabia, UX

Kantar to continue delivering TV trading currency in Israel
Dec 11, 2019 – The Israel Audience Research Board (IARB) have appointed Kantar to operate Israel’s TV trading currency for the next seven years, with the option of an extension until 2030. The existing TV audience measurement service will also be expanded.
News categories: Kantar, Israel Audience Research Board, Eitan Kassif, Rony Aran, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, Israel

Telefónica moves RTVE video and radio content to HOTBIRD at 13°E
Dec 11, 2019 – Telefónica has selected the Eutelsat (Paris: ETL) orbital position of 13°E to broadcast RTVE FTA content consisting of two HD channels: TVE Internacional Europa and 24 Horas, as well as six RNE radio stations. 13°E covers Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
News categories: Eutelsat, Telefónica, RTVE, Philippe Oliva, Francisco Panduro, Digital TV, Europe, Middle-East, Satellite, Spain

VIVA partners with Intigral to introduce Jawwy TV Home STB in Kuwait
Nov 24, 2019 – VIVA has collaborated with Intigral to launch, via its agent NHE Group in Kuwait, a set-top box branded Jawwy TV HOME and available with VIVA's postpaid plans. Intigral is the developer and provider of Jawwy TV, an OTT service in the MENA region.
News categories: VIVA, Intigral, NHE Group, Jawwy TV, Haneen Al-Fulaij, Hamoud Al Rumayan, Digital TV, IPTV, Kuwait, Set Top Box

Partner Communications selects Broadpeak for server-side ad insertion
Nov 13, 2019 – Broadpeak has announced that Partner Communications (NASDAQ and TASE: PTNR) will deploy its server-side ad insertion (SSAI) solution. With other Broadpeak technologies already deployed, Partner Communications will be able to deliver personalized ads within VOD content.
News categories: Broadpeak, Partner Communications, iFeelSmart, Jacques Le Mancq, Ronen Gutmanovitz, Advertising, Big Data, Digital TV, IPTV, Israel, UX

Successful launch of EUTELSAT 5 West B
Oct 10, 2019 – Eutelsat (Paris: ETL) has announced that EUTELSAT 5 West B satellite was successfully launched into super-synchronous transfer orbit by ILS using a Proton Breeze M rocket that lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 12.17 pm CET on October 9.
News categories: Eutelsat, Rodolphe Belmer, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Europe, Middle-East, Satellite