BroadcastPro ME February 2021

ISSUE 127 | FEBRUARY 2021

Licensed by Dubai Development Authority

KEEPING IT REEL

Mapping Kaveh Farnam’s journey from broadcast distributor to globally acclaimed producer

PROINTRO

GROUP Managing Director Raz Islam raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 4 375 5471 Managing Partner Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 4 375 5472 EDITORIAL

Welcome

Editor Vijaya Cherian vijaya.cherian@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 55 105 3787 Assistant Editor Shifa Naseer shifa.naseer@cpitrademedia.com +971 (4) 375 5478 Sub Editor Aelred Doyle ADVERTISING Group Sales Director Sandip Virk sandip.virk@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0) 50 929 1845 +44 (0) 773 444 2526

DESIGN Art Director Simon Cobon Designer Percival Manalaysay CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION Production Manager Vipin V. Vijay vipin.vijay@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0)4 375 5713 Distribution Manager Phinson Mathew George phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 (0)4 375 5476 DIGITAL SERVICES Abdul Baeis Sadiq Siddiqui FOUNDER Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015) Published by

The publisher of this magazine has made

This month, I have moved away from my traditional course to cover an industry dealer who has recently made a name for himself at international festivals. Kaveh Farnam, owner and CEO of Advanced Media, is a wellknown figure in industry circles.

I’m not sure, however, if most people are aware that he leads a parallel life as a cinema connoisseur, and the Iranian films he has backed as producer have won several awards at multiple international festivals over the last few years. His story could easily be made into a book but I have had to suffice with briefly touching upon his journey in this issue of the magazine. There are a number of reasons I chose this story. Farnam ventured into the world of films again while he was in his 50s. It’s a hugely positive story that I hope will encourage more people to follow their dreams.

On another note, people have been asking me if it is safe to host corporate events at this time and what measures we have in place. Having completed two events successfully in January in Dubai as part of two other magazines at CPI Trade Media with no disasters, I can confidently say that if everyone adheres to the rules, keeps their masks on, maintains the social distance we have been asked to maintain and

ISSUE 127 | FEBRUARY 2021

Licensed by Dubai Development Authority

every effort to ensure the content is accurate on the date of publication. The opinions and views

On this month's cover…

sanitises often, we can remain safe.

The five-star venues we have chosen for our events have been meticulously following government guidelines to ensure all of us remain protected. In addition, I have just gone and taken my first jab and I urge all of you to make the time to do the same as the UAE government has opened several centres to offer the vaccine free-ofcharge to both residents and citizens alike.

In the meantime, I am pleased to say we have a fantastic line-up of speakers for the ASBU BroadcastPro Summit which is scheduled to be held on February 2nd at Westin Mina Seyahi. Some of the speakers are fairly new and hitherto unheard voices in the region. With Covid-19 having thrown open a whole bunch of new challenges, we are keen to hear how some of these CEOs, market leaders and tech heads have addressed the situation over the last nine months and kept their heads above water.

The conference is free to attend while the evening gala remains an invite-only event this year to ensure we continue to follow government guidelines. See you on February 2 at the Westin Mina Seyahi.

Vijaya Cherian, Editorial Director

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expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect

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the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored

KEEPING IT REEL

Mapping Kaveh Farnam’s journey from broadcast distributor to globally acclaimed producer

Kaveh Farnam, Owner and CEO of Advanced Media.

or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing. Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Printwell Printing Press LLC.

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CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 1

PROCONTENTS

Inside this issue 05 NEWS Guy Ritchie action movie films in Qatar; Istanbul post house chooses Resolve Studio; TikTok and MBC Academy combine for filmmaking contest; Discovery and BluTV partner; Arab Format Lab begins filming Arabic adaptation of Hum Paanch; and more

February 2021 HOLLYWOOD FILM IN QATAR

IN SEARCH OF THE REEL DREAM

16 COVER STORY: DREAMING

OF THE REEL THING From running a successful broadcast distributorship in Dubai, Advanced Media CEO Kaveh Farnam has turned in recent years to his first love, filmmaking, with great success at several international film festivals for his co-productions.

We look at Farnam's journey and how he has straddled both worlds with ease

16

05 SKY NEWS ARABIA GOES VERTICAL

DRIVING ANIMATION AT MAJID TV

22 REACH FOR THE SKY Sky News Arabia impresses viewers with new vertical format. Directors at the company elaborate on the technologies behind the format

26 DRIVING ANIMATION

22

In conversation with Mariam Al Serkal on how she pushes the kid agenda at Majid TV

26 WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2021

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCHES

33 2O21 PREDICTIONS What to expect in 2021!

The experts speak

38 PRODUCTS The newest launches in the market

40 GUEST COLUMN We need a global antipiracy federation, argues Pascal Métral

33

38 February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 3

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Guy Ritchie, Miramax and STX Films’ action film begins production in Qatar

New action thriller will bring Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham together in Doha, Qatar.

Guy Ritchie’s upcoming untitled action film kicked off production last month in Doha, with plans to shoot in Antalya, Turkey as well. The film reunites Ritchie with action-thriller phenomenon Jason Statham, their second film together for Miramax following Wrath of Man.

“We’re looking forward to bringing this production to Doha, a growing market in the entertainment and media space,” commented beIN Media Group Chairman Nasser AlKhelaifi. “The film marks our third collaboration with Ritchie, adding to our

expanding list of nearly 20 projects having been released or currently in production since beIN’s acquisition of Miramax.”

Ritchie will direct and produce from a screenplay written by Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies, with revisions by Ritchie.

Atkinson will also produce.

Bill Block will produce for Miramax, which is also fully financing the film, and STX will distribute directly in the US, UK and Ireland, and through its network of international distribution partners in the rest of the world.

Israeli channel launches global production initiative Israeli free-to-air channel Reshet 13 has launched a new global initiative called 13Global, for the development and creation of content for the international market.

It will be responsible for strengthening and developing relationships with international entities, distribution companies, channels and creators worldwide. Its main goal is to create development and production collaborations of formats and series

intended for broadcast on Reshet 13, while also ensuring they are suited for international distribution.

Three projects have recently been introduced into the market in collaboration with international entities: dating programme Find Me Somebody to Love, drama series Blackspace and factual entertainment show Kings of the Kitchen.

Several additional projects are also in various stages of development.

Leading the venture is Ami Glam, Reshet 13’s VP of Content. Through his work with central media corporations in Europe and the US, he has been responsible for numerous Israeli formats sold to territories worldwide.

Glam said: “Reshet 13 launches 13Global at a time when the international television content distribution market is blooming and has great potential for worldwide success.

We tend to use Reshet platform as a testing ground for new and compelling content that can be adapted worldwide.”

Reshet holds an extensive, internationally acclaimed TV content catalogue featuring formats and programmes across all genres, such as Mossad, Emmywinner Nevsu, Harem, Girlfriends, award-winning scripted drama Hostages and Game of Chefs.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 5

PRONEWS

Istanbul's Bando Post uses DaVinci Resolve Studio for top ad campaigns Turkish post facility Bando Post has deployed DaVinci Resolve Studio throughout its pipeline, including edit, visual effects, sound design and final grade. The Istanbulbased boutique, which offers an all-inclusive service for high-end advertising clients, has posted a variety of recent projects entirely in DaVinci Resolve. These include branded spots for Adidas, Lenovo and Turkish clothing and home brand LCW. “We began this studio with a strong belief that many different voices feed creativity,” commented Bando Post co-founder A. Tamer Çınarcık. “Incorporating DaVinci Resolve throughout post-production was an important step in achieving this vision. We not only have a user-friendly, Hollywood-

At Bando Post, Istanbul.

quality post system that allows us to compete on a world stage, but also have professional multiuser collaboration tools at our fingertips, across all our departments.”

According to Çınarcık, this ability to work collaboratively has significantly improved the team’s speed and accuracy, ultimately translating into a smoother service for clients.

“Our biggest challenge in

today’s market is time,” he explained. “On one of our recent promo projects, we only had 24 hours to complete picture and audio postproduction. When the director came in to review the offline, our editor simply made his revisions to the cut and added captions, then introduced the colourist. The colourist logged into the same project and completed the DI according to notes from the director.

“There was no need to roundtrip, which resulted in a far more efficient workflow. We also noticed an improvement in our accuracy.

Before, we were importing and exporting EDLs across many different systems. This made it easier for errors to creep in, especially when working on advertising projects with tight deadlines.”

The ability to easily recruit and develop talent was another advantage in making the switch. “In Turkey, even teenagers are editing, grading and completing effects on their social media posts after school. DaVinci Resolve’s integrated workflow makes a lot of sense in that context and has become very popular among the young professionals who join our team,” Çınarcık concluded.

TikTok partners with MBC Academy for filmmaking competition TikTok has launched its first filmmaking competition, in collaboration with MBC Academy. To take part in the competition, MENA filmmakers have to produce a 60-second original short film and publish it on TikTok using the hashtags #FilmOnTikTok and #MBCAcademyME. The short films will be judged across three main categories – best film, best actor and best cinematography – with

ten users shortlisted by content creators from the Tiktok Creators Academy. Participants will be nominated based on originality, creativity and high-quality production.

MBC Academy will then choose one winner across each category. These three winners will have the opportunity to train on an upcoming MBC production to be featured later on all MBC platforms. In addition, they will have the chance to learn the practical

6 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

aspect of filmmaking with a real production crew.

Speaking about the collaboration, Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative at TikTok MENA, said: “We’ve all been through an uncertain year and with the majority of filming events being cancelled or postponed, the #FilmOnTikTok competition will bring the industry together to celebrate the region’s most authentic, unique and creative content.”

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PRONEWS

Discovery becomes BluTV's largest stakeholder with 35% shares Discovery Inc. has announced that it will invest in BluTV, the largest local subscription video-on-demand service, which is globally available to all Turkish and Arabic-speaking audiences. The agreement will see the American media house acquire 35% of the shares of BluTV and become its largest shareholder.

In exchange, BluTV will not only receive Discovery content but also investment that will allow it to produce many films and series in a year. Discovery will also be able to access BluTV’s popular Turkish original content for discovery+ outside Turkey.

Kasia Kieli, President and MD of Discovery EMEA.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

The strategic partnership will make BluTV the SVOD

home for all of Discovery’s global and local brands, including Eurosport’s premium sports offering. This investment, with an option to invest in BluTV further in the coming years, will help accelerate Discovery’s entry into the Turkish market of 83m people and allow BluTV to scale its penetration of the rapidly growing 4m subscribers in the SVOD universe.

Kasia Kieli, President & MD of Discovery EMEA, said: “Our investment in BluTV and our strategic partnership announced today will represent our entry to the Turkish OTT market with the largest local

Etisalat launches Israeli i24NEWS channels on eLife Etisalat has announced the launch of the Israeli network i24NEWS on eLife and its digital platform Switch TV. The partnership comes after the UAE signed a peace agreement to normalise ties with Israel in September. eLife customers can now watch i24NEWS (English) on channel 537 and i24NEWS (Arabic) on channel 520 for free, and Switch TV users can watch TV i24NEWS (English) on channel 264 and i24NEWS (Arabic) on channel 265 for free.

Launched in 2013, i24NEWS is an Israeli

i24News CEO Frank Melloul.

international news network that broadcasts in Arabic, English and French from studios in Jaffa Port, the US and Europe. In addition to up-to-the-minute news, the channel also features a wide variety of current affairs shows and reports on such subjects

8 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

as economy, defence, sport, tech and culture. i24NEWS is part of the Altice Group, owned by businessman Patrick Drahi and led since its inception by CEO Frank Melloul. In 2017, i24NEWS expanded into the North American market and opened bureaus in the US.

SVOD player in the country.

It will strengthen our multichannel strategy in the market and will also provide access to powerful Turkish content that is increasingly finding audiences around the world.”

Aydın Dogan Yalçındag, BluTV founder and CEO, added: “BluTV has pioneered the growth of the Turkish SVOD market by focusing on combining original content production with a carefully curated library of local and international content. We are happy to have a new partner who shares our vision and strategy and will take BluTV to the next phase of growth.”

Ashok Namboodiri hired to head Zee's global business Zee Entertainment Enterprises has appointed Ashok Namboodiri as Chief Business Officer for International Business, effective January 2021. In line with the Zee 4.0 approach, the company intends to fortify its international business and Namboodiri’s remit will be to do this efficiently with an integrated team. Zee's 4.0 strategy includes bringing its digital assets together under a single umbrella, including ZEE5, ZEE5 Global, SugarBox and Digital Publishing.

Namboodiri previously worked for Star India, where he led the Regional Sports and General Entertainment business in the Kannada market.

PRONEWS

Art Format Lab begins filming Arabic adaption of Hum Paanch Dubai production house Art Format Lab has begun filming an Arabic adaptation of well-known Indian sitcom Hum Paanch, in Egypt.

A co-production with Zee Entertainment’s ATL, the adaption, titled Tranquila, is a comedy-drama revolving around a family where the father has two wives, with five daughters and a son.

Khulud Abu Homos, partner and co-founder of Arab Format Lab, said: “We are really excited to be shooting this comedydrama. We have a number of A-lister cast on this series, including Bayoumi Fouad and Hala Fakher, who are both established comedians.

We have also roped in some of the most popular

Khulud Abu Homos oversees the production in Egypt.

Saturday Night Live cast, like Shady Alfons, Khaled Mansour and Nour Qadri.”

“This is a comedy-drama series that revolves around a family’s first-time experience in managing a resort, with the father attempting to force his family to come together after the Covid-19

economic crisis to run the resort. As a family, they use their clashing personalities and talents to their advantage to successfully manage the resort and create a brand identity for the resort, based on accepting personal and cultural differences in all aspects of life.”

Abu Homos commented that the team has created two versions of the comedy series to distribute on different platforms. Two seasons of 30 episodes each are being planned for linear broadcast, and four 16-episode seasons are being created for streaming services.

“We started shooting last month,” Abu Homos confirmed. “It will take us six months to complete this project. We have 130 crew members working on this project, but have divided our crew to ensure social distancing. Those on the set are minimal. Team members have all been tested before shooting and are all situated in one place now for the shooting.”

Evertz to acquire Two Arab producers to take part in Rotterdam workshop Studer assets production house Last from Harman Scene Films, specialises in independent arthouse International Rand Beiruty is currently working on her first feature documentary.

The Arab Cinema Centre has selected Saudi film producer Mohammed Alhamoud and Jordanian filmmaker Rand Beiruty to be part of the Rotterdam Lab (1-5 February) held within the International

Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). This is part of a partnership between the Arab Cinema Centre and the Rotterdam Lab that was initiated in 2016.

Mohammed Alhamoud, founder of Riyadh

features, documentaries and short films. Rand Beiruty has trained at several schools and workshops, and is now developing her first feature documentary, Tell Them About Us, which won her the Arab Cinema Magazine award at Cairo Film Connection, within the Cairo International Film Festival.

The Rotterdam Lab will be launched virtually this year as part of the Rotterdam Film Festival (IFFR).

Evertz Technologies has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Harman International to acquire the Studer brand, technology and related assets. The acquisition is expected to close in Q1 2021. Evertz will invest in Studer to develop nextgeneration products that meet broadcast customers’ future needs, while creating synergies between its current product suite and the Studer product environment.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 9

PRONEWS

Primestream solutions to streamline content at Jamaica Information Service Jamaica Information Service (JIS) has chosen Primestream’s broadcast automation and MAM solutions to unify content creation and delivery in its media production facility.

Primestream’s Workflow Server and Xchange MAM solutions will form a single platform for JIS to automate and streamline end-to-end content workflows across all of its delivery channels – radio, linear television, streaming platforms, the JIS web portal and social networks.

The new Primestream platform is expected to go live on April 1 as part of a large-scale technology upgrade that will replace multiple siloed content management systems and automate tasks that have been manual, inefficient and inflexible.

The new unified content production platform at JIS consists of Primestream’s Workflow Server and Workflow Clients, Production Suite, Ingest Server and Media Playout Server, working in

concert with an Xchange MAM deployment that includes 20 clients for producers and 10 clients for editors and postproduction teams. Engineered with 200TB of production storage, the platform will automate content ingest, enable the creation of metadata and proxy editors for fast browsing and access to assets, and facilitate remote editing using Adobe Premiere Pro. Through connections with a DIVA hierarchical storage manager and Sony optical

disk archive, Xchange creates a seamless and foolproof workflow for JIS to archive content assets. In addition, it is integrated with JIS’ proprietary OTT and VOD platforms for fast and efficient delivery of content to streaming services.

“This upgrade will bring greater agility and flexibility, enhanced collaboration and powerful new remote capabilities to the JIS production team,” commented Mario Diaz Becar, VP of Sales and Marketing at Primestream.

MBC adapts true story of Saudi criminal in GCC first with Rashash MBC Group brought an adaptation of the true story of a notorious criminal in Saudi Arabia – a first-forGCC media production – to its streaming platform Shahid last month. Based on real events, Rashash depicts a long-running criminal investigation from the late 1980s.

Created by British TV screenwriter Tony Jordan (EastEnders, Hustle, Life on Mars, Holby Blue) and written with Sheikha Suha Al Khalifa and Richard Bellamy, Rashash tells the story of a notorious murderer and drug trafficker who was finally caught by the police in Saudi Arabia in the late 1980s. Never before adapted, the story follows the early beginnings of Rashash right through to

On location for the filming of Rashash.

his capture, centred on a young police officer (Fahd) who makes it his mission to end Rashash’s reign of terror and destruction.

The eight-part series is in the Saudi dialect with English subtitles. The first hour-long episode was launched on January 21, with one episode scheduled to be released every Thursday on the platform.

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Rashash was initially forecast to be completed in less than 90 days, but this was extended due to the global restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic. With director of photography Luke Bryant at the helm, shooting included three full days of helicopter scenes.

Production equipment included the Russian Arm Dynamic, Phantom

high-speed cameras, drones and Steadicams.

Rashash features at least 24 stunts, choreographed by stunt director Kaloyan Vodenicharov (Their, World War Z, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation).

The series features an all-Saudi cast in lead roles.

While they took on some stunts themselves, each cast member also had their own stunt double. All cast underwent special weapons training prior to filming, trained by special armourers flown in from India, where they were made familiar with the weapon replicas as well as how to use them properly.

During the filming of Rashash, MBC Studios received production support from twofour54 Abu Dhabi.

PRONEWS

Israeli lighting specialists choose Robe solutions for Red Alert day More than 150 theatrical venues, concert halls, music clubs and sport arenas across Israel – in cities and communities large and small – were lit up on December 26 to highlight culture and arts, and the entertainment and value that it brings to all.

The event was organised by multidisciplinary artist, musician and lighting designer Nadav Barnea, together with lighting designer Baruch Shpigelman, and it united engineers, technicians, designers and directors working in every discipline in the sector – lighting, sound, video, staging, rigging, visual, scenic,

Various sites in Israel were lit up to celebrate entertainment.

cameras and broadcast, etc.

Israeli lighting designer Eran Klein of Cochavi & Klein worked closely with business partner Eli Cochavi to light up one of the two main sites in central Tel Aviv with an all-Robe lighting rig

beIN Sports to stream tennis championship on beIN Connect beIN Media Group and its flagship sports channel beIN Sports will broadcast the 2021 Australian Open men’s qualifying round on its OTT service beIN Connect, live from the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha.

The decision to host qualifying offshore was due to Covid-19 travel restrictions to Australia.

128 players were set to compete in a stateof-the-art venue for sixteen qualifying spots in the Australian Open,

to be held in Melbourne from 8-21 February.

In recent months, Qatar has also hosted international squash and other major relocated sports tournaments, and the Emir of Qatar Cup spectacularly took place in front of thousands of fans in the newly inaugurated Ahmed bin Ali stadium on 18 December.

Separately, the country’s preparations for the Qatar 2022 World Cup have been unaffected by Covid-19.

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featuring Spiiders, BMFL Spots and LEDWash 1200 fixtures. Robe fixtures were also used to illuminate The Cameri Theatre and the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Centre.

In many parts of the world – Israel included –

StarzPlay partners with Abu Dhabi Media to stream UFC Arabia State-backed UAE broadcaster Abu Dhabi Media and StarzPlay partnered last month to bring UFC events live-streamed on the streaming service across MENA. As part of the partnership, StarzPlay subscribers have access to all UFC Live events as well as an extensive VOD content library of previous fights, shows, interviews and special content, such as Dana White’s Contender Series.

companies and professionals in the sector have had no timescale for restarting.

“Our expectations grew higher each time the list of places lit in red expanded,” commented Barnea.

Lighting designer Baruch Shpigelman, currently working with Branea, stated: “It united an entire industry which said that entertainment and performance is part of every element of Israel. Its existence is at the essence of people’s spirit and wellbeing, as without culture, there’s no community! The entertainment industry is proud to say – we are still here and we are here to stay!”

Viu launches new Arabic original Ansaf Majaneen Viu has released a new Arabic-language original titled Ansaf Majaneen.

The series features two of Egypt’s brightest young stars, Ahmed Khaled Saleh and Asmaa Galal. Omar Rushdy Hamed directed the 12-episode series written

by Naglaa El-Hedeeny, who received creative guidance from screenwriter Mariam Naoum.

PRONEWS

MBC launches new arm to manage Saudi media and entertainment talent

Jana Yamani, Executive Director of MBC Academy and MBC Talent.

Discovery+ comes to MENA via StarzPlay Discovery Inc. has partnered with StarzPlay to launch discovery+ across MENA. StarzPlay subscribers will have access to discovery+ content in a dedicated branded area across all existing StarzPlay platforms. The partnership was announced at a virtual launch broadcast from Dubai. The discovery+ service is available for AED/SAR 15 per month to StarzPlay subscribers.

MBC Group has launched a new arm, MBC Talent, to manage Saudi talent in the entertainment and media industries. The launch follows the recent establishment of MBC Academy to discover, upskill and nurture Saudi talent in the media and production space.

MBC Talent aims to attract promising Saudi talent of all ages and backgrounds – including the best graduates of MBC Academy – to mentor, guide and harness their capabilities. Members will be able to take on various regional and international work and assignments, within and outside MBC Group.

MBC Talent will also invest in specialist talent, providing notable individuals with career growth

opportunities via the extensive network of MBC Group, which includes streaming platform Shahid VIP and MBC Studios.

Jana Yamani, Executive Director of MBC Academy and MBC Talent, commented: “A major part of MBC Academy’s mission is to attract and develop Saudis of all ages. MBC Talent is licensed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and offers Saudi creatives opportunities to carve and build a career in the region’s media and entertainment sectors. We’re also open to collaborating with content and other talent seekers in the region, to provide exclusive opportunities for our community.”

Radio Television of Djibouti chooses Etere broadcast system Radio Television of Djibouti has selected Etere for an end-to-end broadcast system with MAM to deliver business. The Etere Ecosystem of software solutions uses smart technologies to provide a complete orchestration and control with real-time monitoring on a centralised management console. It provides user-friendly and practical tools for Radio Television of Djibouti to run its channels from a single platform, saving time and money.

Etere Media Asset Management adds visibility and efficiency across business units at Radio Television of Djibouti. With

its implementation, users can automate tasks and optimise resources easily.

The media house has also deployed the Etere Tape Loan, which manages and cross-monitors tape loans.

Etere Executive Scheduling manages the scheduling of all planned playlists including commercials, advertisement insertions, licensed content and imported materials. It helps users track and manage missing materials, imported materials and regional ad insertions. It is a cutting-edge software tool that gives users strategic management of planned broadcasts even before the acquisition of content.

Mondia brings Monsooq to Nigeria Mobile company Mondia has announced its second African launch of entertainment platform Monsooq in Nigeria.

This follows on the heels of the initial launch in South Africa.

Users pay only for the time they spend consuming content, and are not required to take out any contracts or subscriptions.

Monsooq’s time-based model allows consumers to buy entertainment time just as they would mobile airtime, and to use that time to consume any content they choose on a single, end-to-end entertainment platform. New users to Monsooq Nigeria will receive 60 minutes complimentary access and a 50% discount on content during the launch, after which pricing is Naira 20 per hour.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 13

PRONEWS

Spacetoon debuts Moshaya Family show MENA kids’ channel Spacetoon has announced the premiere of its new original animation show, The Moshaya Family Animation, on Spacetoon TV Channel and The Moshaya Family YouTube channel. The launch is in collaboration with one of the most popular online families in MENA, the Moshaya Family.

The Moshaya Family Animation embodies the innovational spirit of the creators, scriptwriters, and producers. More than 50 experts have teamed up to

The Moshaya Family Animation.

prepare the first Spacetoon original show, which has 13 ten-minute episodes.

Each storyline tags different

AMC Cinemas opens film theatre in KSA's Al Majmaah governorate AMC Cinemas has opened its seventh location in the Saudi Arabia, at Al Majmaah governorate.

AMC Karam 5 is the first cinema in the governorate.

Every auditorium will be fully equipped with a massive screen, 4K Barco laser projector, immersive surround sound, and Luxe Recliner and Plush Rocker seating throughout. Since the opening of AMC Karam 5 in Al Majmaah, the number of AMC Cinema locations in

Saudi has increased to seven locations – five in Riyadh and one each in Hafar Al-Batin and Al Majmaah governorates.

John Iozzi, CEO & MD of AMC Cinemas called this "a big, positive step to cater to cinema audiences in the various governorates of Saudi".

"Our goal is to provide a creative cinematic experience for cinema lovers, by maintaining international standards as we continue to support the Kingdom’s 2030 vision."

Cinépolis cinemas set to open in Jeddah and Dammam Cinépolis Cinemas has opened two new cinemas in Al Jamea Plaza, Jeddah, and Lulu Mall, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The group plans to launch 200 new screens by 2023, in addition to recruiting more Saudi nationals in the entertainment sector.

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adventures and lessons, shaping a unique experience of entertainment, and a chance to bond with the

family members – the caring dad; inventor Anas and popular Iman, who manage to get away from Yousef’s traps; and the mastermind, baby Jad. Speaking about the collaboration, YouTube Creator, Mohamad Moshaya, said: "Spacetoon has helped us deliver entertainment in a new medium of 2D animation. We are very happy with the level of detail and professionalism involved.

We believe the opportunities presented to us as partners are great and look forward to further ventures ahead."

Muvi Cinemas and Front Row launch Front Row Arabia in KSA Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Saudi exhibition chain Muvi Cinemas have sealed a deal to form a Saudi distribution company, Front Row Arabia. The joint venture will focus on the theatrical distribution of Western, Arabiclanguage and Japanese anime content, as well as alternative content across the Kingdom.

Riyadh-headquartered Muvi Cinemas currently operates in 10 locations and covers six cities with a total of 103 screens, with plans to expand to over 610 screens by 2025, in more cities. It offers three large cinema formats branded as Xperience, three Dolby Cinema screens, three ONYX screens, five ScreenX screens and 13 Luxury

Suites, as well as a screen dedicated to kids and family, branded Junior.

This joint venture replicates the successful model adapted by Front Row and exhibitor Kuwait National Cinema Company (KNCC), which currently controls 86% of the Kuwait theatrical market share.

Gianluca Chakra, CEO of Front Row, said: “Muvi Cinemas have shown great interest in expanding the entertainment sector in Saudi Arabia and have not limited their vision solely to the exhibition.

Muvi Cinemas’ forwardthinking strategy is exemplary to the region, and we cannot wait to launch our first films together and expand from there.”

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PROCOVER

A DREAM COME TRUE

Best known in Dubai as the CEO of Advanced Media for the last two decades, in recent years he has also garnered awards for some of the films he has backed. We interview Kaveh Farnam, producer of award-winning Iranian films including There is no Evil, Son-Mother and Leakage With a small suitcase and a dream, a young Iranian engineer boarded the flight from Iran to Dubai twenty years ago, to seek his fortune in the UAE. Although money was tight, he was armed with a great deal of knowledge and experience in film and TV technology, having worked with 35mm film and the tedious editing process of the time. That work took him from Iran to Greece, Germany, the UAE and back, giving him the opportunity to watch directors and editors work. He witnessed the roll-out of the first digital editing machines and cameras, the first MPEG and other editing standards, and so on.

In 2002, Kaveh Farnam launched Advanced Media with just $10,000. Today, the Dubai-based broadcast and photography equipment distributor represents more than 50 international brands, employs approximately 80 staff, and recently opened a branch in Saudi Arabia.

Impressively, most of the top management are old friends and colleagues who have been with him for many years.

With the company safely managed by the rest of his team, Farnam has returned to his old passion – film.

Over the years, he has bonded with well-known independent Iranian filmmakers like Mohammad Rasoulof and Mahnaz Mohammadi, and has been producer or coproducer on several Iranian films since 2015. He founded Europe Media Nest in Prague with the aim of producing features and documentaries, supporting independent filmmakers and supporting events that shed a light on Iran. “I have always been a big fan of Rasoulof’s work and the candid

16 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

way in which he portrays society. After watching his film Manuscripts Don’t Burn, I proposed that we work on a film together. We started working together from 2015,” he says.

Farnam is now an acclaimed producer, with his films having bagged more than 30 awards at film festivals across the world. His association with the likes of Rasoulof and Mohammadi has gone a long way to helping him produce good films that receive accolades and awards on several international platforms. There is No Evil, directed by Rasoulof and produced by Farnam, recently received the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. Farnam also co-produced Leakage, Suzan Iravanian's debut feature film, which was introduced at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in 2018 and later premiered at Berlinale 2019.

Films he produces or co-produces are screened in A-list film festivals around the world. A Man of Integrity won the Un Certain Regard award in Cannes in 2017. One of his most notable productions, Like My Name Pegah, was named Best Documentary of 2018 by Iran's Cinema House.

None of Your Business premiered at DOK Leipzig in 2019, Son-Mother featured at the Toronto International Film Festival and Zurich IFF in 2019, and The Red Hatchback was screened at the Hamburg Film Festival in 2019.

As a lover of Iranian cinema, Farnam also screened Iranian films for the community in Dubai until Covid-19 hit.

The bi-weekly screening was popular among film-lovers of different nationalities and cultures, and his work and

PROCOVER

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 17

PROCOVER

The Golden Bear for Best Film went to There Is No Evil. Seen with the award is Baran Rasoulof (daughter of director Mohammad Rasoulof), flanked by co-producers Farzad Pak (l) and Kaveh Farnam (r).

associations are testament to his love for good, impactful cinema and his commitment to promoting it.

This love for filmmaking isn’t new. As a youngster, Farnam was passionate about everything related to films and the revolution in Iran.

“When we were in school, we liked to do theatre. It was part of the Iranian culture at that time.

However, my passion was fuelled

“I went to university at the time of the revolution – it was the time when we read a lot of books, followed the news, and the atmosphere was one of excitement about different social topics” Kaveh Farnam, CEO, Advanced Media

by my love for Iranian literature and poetry. I went to university at the time of the revolution – it was the time when we read a lot of books, followed the news, and the atmosphere was one of excitement about different social topics,” he tells us.

At engineering college, Farnam met his wife, got married and distanced himself from the military – although mandatory conscription meant he eventually had to return.

“I had kids back then and didn’t want to go to the war. It was compulsory for engineers back then to undergo three months of general training, followed by two months of training in controlling the radar system,” he recalls.

Farnam then worked in the Iranian aircraft industry for four years. This gave him the opportunity to get up close to high-tech equipment, personal computers, CNC machines and so on, and to tinker with them.

“Our universities didn’t have PCs

At the Hamburg Film Festival for the screening of Son-Mother.

18 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

PROCOVER

At the Hamburg Film Festival with Rozita Hendijanian, wife of Mohammad Rasoulof.

at that time, and this presented a great learning opportunity for me – I learned a lot there. Later, I was hired as a technical guy in a private sector firm. By then, I was a specialist in digitisation and scanning and everything inside the computer – I worked with AutoCAD, taught it and earned from it. Gradually, I started focusing on multimedia because at the time it had just started.”

He then worked for a Greek company in Athens, which further strengthened his knowledge of technical products, equipment and processes. He credits this with helping him understand the business when establishing Advanced Media.

“We had a young team, very dynamic – and within one year, we could serve 12 systems. Soon we became a leading dealer in the Middle East,” he explains.

Although the company struggled in its initial years, Advanced Media is now successful and well-known, and Farnam is able to lend equipment to filmmakers to support their efforts, as well as back initiatives that boost independent filmmakers.

Farnam has seen the transition from traditional 35mm film to digital cameras, and has worked with both.

“When I worked on the editing of my first feature film, we used to

You can look at cinema as a very serious form of art.

Art is not entertainment; art does not perform if you look at only monetary gains. It is a tool that helps you to reach and teach your society” Kaveh Farnam, CEO, Advanced Media

shoot either with a DVCAM or in digital format, and ultimately it was all converted into negatives – it was different and the way of thinking was different,” he recalls. “Around 2005-2006, however, I slowly began following documentaries, going to film festivals, and went deeper into cinema, nurturing the initial love I had for cinema and its power to influence and impact society.”

At the Zlin Film Festival with Gabriela Daniels.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 19

PROCOVER

Farnam at his office in Advanced Media, Dubai, surrounded by posters of the films he has produced over the years.

That journey got a boost in 2014 when Mohammad Rasoulof called Farnam. He needed a camera that could be hidden, so that he could shoot a feature film in Iran, where permissions were difficult to secure.

“We used the Sony VG900, which was a revolution. It was the first Sony camera with an e-mount and allowed the filmmakers to conceal it. The film shot was named Goodbye. It was later screened at the Dubai Film Festival and won a lot of accolades. This is when I got the confidence to do more.”

Today, Farnam is a big supporter of independent artists and likes to produce films with a social focus.

“Independent films never make money. If we can survive, we are okay. We cannot compete with Hollywood or Bollywood films.”

With a successful business, Farnam reiterates that he is no longer working for the money.

As a filmmaker and seasoned broadcast professional, he believes he has a responsibility.

“You can look at cinema as a very serious form of art. Art is not entertainment; art does not perform if you look at only monetary gains.

It is a tool that helps you to reach and teach your society ... to show

“Iran is a country of photographers, painters, writers and a lot of talent … no one can stop these young people from making good cinema” Kaveh Farnam, CEO, Advanced Media

20 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

society what reality is and to enlighten them about the things that surround them. Without cinema, you would never pay attention to such things and it would be difficult to open people’s eyes to the reality around them.

Films have helped us mirror the dark side of society. The viewers and followers need to know what all is standing against you.”

He especially speaks within the context of Iranian cinema.

“Like many if not most countries, the media including cinema is highly influenced by the state’s regulations.

Nowadays, independent filmmakers and social thinkers are also using these platforms to push the boundaries and portray the reality of life in Iran, and the younger generations have been taking it very well. We do have a lot of good talent. We are a country with a long history in cinema and now, people are coming out,” he says proudly.

“Iran is a country of photographers, painters, writers and a lot of talent … no one can stop these young people from making good cinema.” - Interviewed by Vijaya Cherian. Written and compiled by Ritika Sharma.

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PROCASESTUDY

From left: Wissam Ayoub, Director of Operations and Suresh Kumar, Director of Technology at Sky News Arabia.

22 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

PROCASESTUDY

TAKING THE VERTICAL APPROACH

With research and surveys showing that more than half of all video content is now consumed on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, Abu Dhabi-based broadcaster Sky News Arabia recently introduced a mobile-friendly 24x7 live streaming in 9:16 format, as part of its digital transformation efforts. We ask SNA’s tech and operations team to fill us in on the details Sky News Arabia recently impressed its viewers with a brand-new vertical format ideal for mobile viewers.

The design is flexible in that it allows users who prefer to watch in traditional horizontal 16:9 format to do so simply by flipping their mobile devices.

“Research has shown that mobile phone users hold their phones vertically 94% of the time and prefer to consume video in vertical mode. Vertical videos are proven to be more engaging compared to wider aspect ratio, especially on mobile devices,” explains Suresh Kumar.

Although the concept is similar to Turnstyle technology, Kumar explains the differences.

“In Turnstyle, the video is produced in two formats and streamed in parallel. When the device is rotated, the user sees the corresponding proper stream. In our case, the same applies, but it is more complicated as it is live production in parallel. As a news channel, we produce our final live output by combining news presenters with live reporting from the field/ bureaus, expert guests and video playouts, to name a few.”

Wissam Ayoub, Director of Operations at Sky News Arabia, adds that the landscape format has a specific way of presentation, “which includes boxes based on number of simultaneous live feeds, graphics among others along with live studio cameras … In portrait mode, these are reoriented in a predefined format to fill the full 16:9 aspect area, thus giving an enriched viewing experience when mobiles are held vertically”.

Sky News Arabia opted for ‘real’ intelligence to innovate this

technology, rather than artificial intelligence, clarifies Kumar.

“The initial idea of starting a 24x7 live stream originated when we launched a Live programme on Facebook in portrait mode. The Facebook Live show was extremely well received and sparked the team’s creativity and interest to extend this technology to channel output itself.

We explored different options, including using AI-based solutions that are available in the market. In that case, we only need to share our channel output in landscape mode with a third-party service provider, who will convert the output into portrait version using AI technology.

“However, upon exploring further, we realised that we need to predefine vertical layouts for each landscape layout scenario before the service provider can write codes to detect each landscape layout and convert it to the corresponding portrait version. Thus, most work needed to be carried out by us internally before the service provider can start developing the solution.”

Ayoub adds that repurposing the existing horizontal output led to a major disadvantage. “The captions and scrolling ticker were barely readable. This led us to think of parallel production specifically for portrait mode, with customised graphics and ticker. Our previous experience in producing vertical live stream for Facebook helped us tremendously.”

Noting the drawbacks of repurposing the existing horizontal version, the team decided to focus on developing a new technology internally.

“Although our team could develop a solution based

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 23

PROCASESTUDY

The tech team created a new technology internally to develop the vertical format instead of repurposing the existing horizontal layout.

on AI technology, we realised the shortcomings of such a solution, including unreadable scroll captions, and decided to go for parallel production to have separate output for vertical streaming,” explains Kumar.

“The main challenge was the number of additional resources needed for such parallel production – a minimum of two to three employees each shift – but the requirement was to have a solution with zero operating expenditure and fully automated parallel production. A core team from different departments including engineering, operations, creative and development was put together to explore available solutions, with each assigned a specific focus area.”

The first thing, however, was to identify an acceptable vertical layout, then identify the sources that could be cropped to fit into such layouts, chips in Ayoub.

“Managing graphics was a big challenge as well, as we wanted to ensure that it can be triggered

simultaneously on both horizontal and vertical layouts, but different versions. The engineering team found appropriate solutions to each problems, without any major impact on our normal operations. We also had to ensure that the quality of the final output was full HD with 1080x1920 pixels.

And finally, for the live streaming, we found a solution to provide smooth switching between the portrait and landscape modes,” he explains.

“The main challenge was the number of additional resources needed for such parallel production – a minimum of two to three employees each shift – but the requirement was to have a solution with zero operating expenditure and fully automated parallel production” Suresh Kumar, Director of Technology, Sky News Arabia

24 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

Although this initiative was planned in December 2019, the actual work began much later, with the new concept launched on September 1, 2020.

“Perhaps what the team is really proud of is the fact that the solution was completely developed in-house, without any help from external sources. We made use of available extra outputs of different systems, used GPI triggers to initiate certain actions like cropping or placing certain sources one above the other to make use of the entire 1080x1920 pixel space. This type of solution can only be developed by a team who have in-depth knowledge of their systems and how to manipulate these systems to get the best output,” says Ayoub.

Impressively, Sky News Arabia used its existing systems and infrastructure to come up with a solution.

“Although we had to clarify certain possibilities with some of the system vendors, they did not know what it would be used for eventually. So

PROCASESTUDY

the whole solution was completely done in-house,” explains Kumar.

Parallel production was undertaken so that both versions could be generated simultaneously. The operational team responsible for the horizontal output produced it manually as usual, but the vertical version was produced in the background automatically without manual intervention, elaborates Ayoub.

With general news broadcast consumed in vertical mode by 80% of viewers and greater consumption of shorter formats, SNA feels confident this new format will be a hit with its viewers.

“Our digital-first approach and appetite for innovation will lead to leveraging more technology innovations,” explains Ayoub.

Kumar agrees, adding that SNA’s “newsroom is the most technically advanced in the region, and we plan to leverage this more to

“Managing graphics was a big challenge as we wanted to ensure that it can be triggered simultaneously on both horizontal and vertical layouts, but different versions” Wissam Ayoub, Director of Operations, Sky News Arabia produce smart and accurate content to complement our news broadcast”.

One big challenge for SNA with the new format is producing different versions of the same piece of news.

“Currently we are producing the vertical version only for our 24x7 live stream on the fly, with predefined screen space layout. But eventually, we would like to expand this to all VOD elements, and hence the viewer can enjoy the news in whichever format they prefer. Obviously, this will need a huge investment if we have to create

vertical versions of all news, but for now we extract certain news from the 24x7 live stream to focus more on specific content,” explains Kumar.

“It gives the director an opportunity to present the news in two different perspectives, which is news angles and camera angles,” adds Ayoub.

With a major relaunch out of the way, and the launch of the vertical format, the team is still not resting on its laurels.

“We are always looking for cost-effective solutions that can help us improve efficiency in the newsroom and help the team produce content for the audiences on their preferred platform and format,” concludes Kumar. “New technology evolution helps us to start using cloud-based solutions and use a distributed architecture. We are working on optimising remote live production solutions to help us reduce the cost of productions.”

At the Sky News Arabia studio in Abu Dhabi.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 25

PROINTERVIEW

NAVIGATING NEW BOUNDARIES

Mariam Al Serkal is one of a handful of Emirati women helming a TV channel in the UAE, with great success since she joined Majid TV three years ago. Under her watchful eye, it is now the fourth most watched children’s channel in the UAE and sixth in Saudi Arabia.

In conversation with Shifa Naseer, Al Serkal shares her journey to success and her plans for Majid TV Majid TV’s success is not to be sniffed at. That it can stand neck to neck with much older counterparts like Cartoon Network, MBC Kids and Spacetoon in the UAE speaks volumes. In charge of this project is 37-year-old Emirati Mariam Al Serkal, who runs the TV, print and digital platforms for Majid. She has played a significant role in raising its profile, through new original content initiatives as well as a major revamp last year that resulted in a significant spike in numbers.

Since then, Majid has gone from strength to strength. The platform has garnered 306m YouTube views so far, with 2.8m total social media followers. The channel has 10% growth in views and 15% growth in subscribers compared to 2019. The audience base is pan-Arab, especially KSA, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Algeria, with UAE accounting for 25% of social media activity.

Majid’s print version has been around since the 1970s, but its TV platform is just five years old. Al Serkal’s passion and her dedication to promoting Majid TV to Generation Z have been important to the channel’s rising popularity.

26 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

To expand its reach, under Al Serkal’s supervision the Abu Dhabi Media brand launched Majid Universe, an integrated multiplatform featuring original content for digital, TV and print. Aimed at Arab children, it offers unique storytelling, compelling characters and engaging live action programmes.

“We are competing with channels like MBC, Nickelodeon, Spacetoon and Cartoon Network, who have been operating in the region for decades. In comparison, we have just been here for a few years as a channel,” remarks Al Serkal.

She has been at the forefront of restructuring strategy and turning around the TV channel.

Perhaps her 17 years of experience in the business has helped her leverage the channel’s IP (intellectual property)?

“I joined the company three years ago from twofour54 Abu Dhabi. It was an innovative step up for me, as the Majid magazine had been in the market since 1979. One of my initial decisions was to get more children within the UAE to participate as TV presenters – and we got around 30 children. We also wanted to create shows that provided a kid’s perspective.”

PROINTERVIEW

Mariam Al Serkal.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 27

PROINTERVIEW

Over the years, Al Serkal has led the channel to create compelling and original kids’ shows like Amoona, Fateen, Zakiya and Jamool (Camel), an animation series launched during Ramadan 2020.

Amoona is Majid’s most popular show, with more than 50m views on YouTube. The show’s three seasons have all been successful across the GCC and beyond. It appeals to a younger demographic and has strong popularity in Saudi Arabia, a key market for Majid.

“Majid TV is the right place for kids nowadays. While the comics

“We learned so many things by doing unaided research directly with kids, without involving parents” Mariam Al Serkal, Head of Majid TV were being received very well in the region, the characters still needed to be developed. In that case, having a TV channel was a brilliant step by the management at that time. Of course, it all goes back to the visionary leadership of the leaders within the organisation to actually see how important it is for

Mariam Al Serkal with some of the characters created by Majid TV for its various shows.

28 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

kids to have something that belongs to them, while competing with the international kids’ market.”

The UAE national studied filmmaking at London Film School, then started working in the media in 2003. She counts Dubai TV and twofour54 among her milestones.

“I worked at twofour54 for a while, where I headed the production department. I also ran a couple of mentoring programmes there.

After becoming a mother, I went to Abu Dhabi to head up Majid TV. So the journey has been a mix of different media projects.”

PROINTERVIEW

Since Al Serkal has come on board, she has introduced several children as presenters on Majid TV.

Building on a 40-year brand, Majid TV is a pioneer in producing quality original Arabic content, both animated and live-action.

She notes: “Any person with an Arabic descent has grown up with the Majid characters. Almost all original characters have their own dedicated TV shows. If you look at all the Arabic kids’ channels, you’ll realise they don’t have original characters or IPs, as we like to call them. This originality is very hard to maintain because you need time, leverage and the right tools.”

Majid’s long-standing history with its audience led Al Serkal to plant new seeds which she hopes will reap rewards in the years to come. She was at the core of a major restructuring at Majid in February last year, adapting new characters and storylines to appeal to a new generation of children.

“We didn’t want to just keep the characters on comics.

While brainstorming on how to migrate, we had a breakthrough in terms of research.”

Al Serkal’s dedication and passion to create content is what drives her to go the extra mile. In 2017, she personally went to BBC Children in London to understand how to evolve the characters to create a brand-new Majid TV. In research, she guided the Majid TV team to include kids from other Arab cultures, not just Emiratis.

“We learned so many things by doing unaided research directly with

kids, without involving parents. It was a milestone for us to really develop and create those characters in line with how kids are thinking nowadays.”

She believes this new mode of research was a turning point in the history of Majid TV. “It helped us

“One of my initial decisions was to get more children within the UAE to participate as TV presenters – and we got around 30 children” Mariam Al Serkal, Head of Majid TV

relaunch in February 2020. It was a complete breakthrough into how things are done at Majid.”

During the innovation process, Majid TV ensured a greater focus on its target audience.

Shedding light on some of the new additions, Al Serkal says many of the original characters from the magazine now have their own special series on the channel.

“We have an entire pipeline of characters, but we have to choose when and where and how to introduce them. We want to be accessible to kids across all touch points, because it is essentially for the kids to relate to the content they see.”

While regional content creation remains the focus of the production house, Majid TV also aims to showcase a host of international shows sourced from other countries including France, the UK and Brazil, for variety. Al Serkal says international shows are doorways to different cultures, and stimulate children’s creativity.

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 29

PROINTERVIEW

Some of the children who play a role in Majid TV's shows.

“Initially, all the things we bought were mainstream, but eventually we decided to wade into other territories and discover their content. For me, it is like a bridge to other cultures.”

These transformations were made possible by adding new, younger artists to the production team, Al Serkal says. The channel has always had an outstanding team, but updating the characters and stories required a fresh perspective.

Having previously been Director for Adult Programming, Al Serkal had little experience in

creating content for kids, especially animation, before running one of the region’s most successful children’s channels. She feels that being a mother to triplets may have made it easier for her to understand kids, and to build characters they could

“We want to be accessible to kids across all touch points, because it is essential for the kids to relate to the content they see” Mariam Al Serkal, Head of Majid TV

relate to, and feels responsible for making shows that Arab children can call their own.

Majid TV now has the only Arabic version of Pablo, a UK-originated TV show about a young autistic boy. The channel decided to cast an autistic child as the narrator and lead, which was not a simple undertaking.

“It took us about six months to find Ahmed Al Amoudi, a nine-yearold autistic kid, to perform as the actor and character. We even had a specialist on board to help us learn how to record with him. We, as a team, trained in how to do that.”

Majid TV has also created several home-based characters. Research showed demand for comedies, which became the driving force behind creating new storylines.

Al Serkal also feel it is imperative to develop characters that promote female empowerment. She loves another Majid show, Zakiya, set to premiere later this year. “Zakiya has curly hair and is proud of who she is. She is a nerd by day, supergirl by night. She is my icon.”

Majid TV has worked hard to ensure that children are an important part of its TV shows.

30 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

PROINTERVIEW

Mariam Al Serkal oversees a production in progress.

The show also deals creatively with many other issues – healthy eating, veganism, bullying, family conflicts. “We wanted her to be relatable to a lot of kids, to show them that you don’t have to be a perfect human being to succeed in this world. You can be from a home that is not a very easy home, but you’re a superhero at the end of the day.”

An Egyptian-dialect satirical comedy, Basal wa Filfil, is also on the horizon. It is about an anthropomorphic vegetable duo, Basal (onion) and Filfil (pepper), who have recently started a business, and their chucklesome experiences running their hotel.

Al Serkal notes: “We worked with new Arab artists, so we give each character its true identity, rather than risk them being mainstream.”

Not only does this help bring the channel’s content up to international standards, it also creates avenues for young

“I want Majid to be an international stakeholder, I want it to be among brands like Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. And I know we will be there. I envision it” Mariam Al Serkal, Head of Majid TV Arabic artists and in turn boosts the economy, she believes.

None of this has come easily to her. Swimming against the current in a male-dominated field, Al Serkal believes her persistence and resilience play a key role in her illustrious career. “I think everyone wants to test your limits. They want to see whether you are fit to be in media. One needs to have a thick skin, especially women.

I have the energy, the perseverance and the passion. I don’t believe in giving up just because it’s difficult.”

Her enthusiasm for filmmaking and media has helped her sail through

some testing times. “My goal was to be a director, and from the very beginning I was patient. I understood how hectic it could be. It’s about long hours, going to different locations, working at night and even working on weekends. I remember shooting from 3pm in the afternoon up to 6 or 7am for some projects. I have done it all.”

Al Serkal makes it a point to foster an environment of inclusivity and mutual respect in her team at Majid TV, where 80% of the staff are women.

“I am proud to say that I love to empower women, but I am also proud of the men that we have in our team. We never had barriers here in terms of gender. What’s more important is what we make of this brand. I want Majid to be an international stakeholder, I want it to be among brands like Disney, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. And I know we will be there. I envision it.”

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 31

PROOUTLOOK

2021 PREDICTIONS – WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE BROADCAST INDUSTRY 2020 brought a lot of unexpected change that will perhaps continue into 2021 – but some solution providers and broadcasters have had time to take stock of the situation and come up with innovative ideas. BroadcastProME asks four industry players what new trends they expect to see this year

32 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

PROOUTLOOK

Julien Mandel Contribution Segment Marketing Director, ATEME 2021 is set to be another truly transformative and challenging year for the sports broadcasting industry, with software, rather than hardware, driving further innovations.

While it remains to be seen whether fans will be allowed to attend sporting events in 2021, technological applications in 2020 have proven that personalised and memorable fan experiences can be delivered remotely. Advancements have allowed innovations such as fan walls, where videos of fans help to provide a match-day atmosphere for both athletes and other fans. The increased sophistication of OTT platforms and greater competition in the market will pave the way for these experiences to be delivered, providing an advantage over traditional means of television.

We’ll also see more of what OTT platforms can provide, with a marked shift towards the use of cloud and IP technologies to power their growing potential. We’ll see further advances in AI technology on OTT platforms, which sports broadcasters can take advantage of to offer personalised experiences to consumers. Further opportunities will arise for instant replay, interactive video panning, travelling, zooming and audio options that can be tailored to each viewer.

Advances in AI will also allow viewers to create customised highlight reels featuring their favourite team or sports star. These developments in personalisation will not only benefit viewers, but also create new revenue opportunities for sports broadcasters through the ability to provide tailored advertising.

It’s also worth noting that further lockdowns due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic will create more opportunities for pirates and other online bad actors to attract consumers to view or download illegal streams. This will become particularly prevalent as streamed content increases in value due to the possibility of fans being unable to attend popular sporting events in person this year. However, the emergence of standards such as BISS-CA for linear broadcast and Reliable Internet Stream Transport as an alternative to ARQ proprietary solutions can allow content to be protected, along with Secure Reliable Transport for public internet transmission. Broadcasters can also implement royalties and new software to ensure their investments are protected.

Technology truly sits at the heart of how broadcasters can adapt to growing demand for sport across the globe, driven in part by the continuing pandemic and further lockdowns. The onus now sits on sports broadcasters to keep fans engaged with their favourite teams or sports stars via intuitive solutions that can match the ever-growing demand for content.

“We’ll see further advances in AI technology on OTT platforms, which sports broadcasters can take advantage of to offer personalised experiences to consumers”

Andy Rayner Chief Technologist, Nevion The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in squeezing into twelve months what in pre-pandemic times would have been years of transformational change in the live production space.

The limitations imposed by social distancing have forced broadcasters to rethink the way they produce live content, with an acceleration of the adoption of remote production.

With so many live events cancelled in 2020, many took the opportunity to initiate transformational projects during a quiet period.

At the same time, suppliers have to rethink how to deliver projects as a result of restricted travel. The uptake of technology-based solutions such as virtual meetings, remote training, remote configuration and testing has proved positive in increasing project efficiency and effectiveness. The momentum behind all these trends is so strong that they will continue well into 2021 and beyond, even as the impact on production of the pandemic subsides.

2020 was the year of broadcasting from home, but the content in many cases was of lower production quality than expected due to the use of home broadband network connectivity.

Broadcasters will be looking to the industry to improve its production values in order to keep the option of

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 33

PROOUTLOOK

from-home production, as opposed to at-home. Broadcasters will be looking to alternative and more reliable forms of broadband connectivity as a way to orchestrate production across multiple locations, including their homes.

The pandemic has also accelerated the interest in cloud production, While the cloud has existed in numerous forms for many years, it is now making moves into distribution, playout and live production. With small-scale productions already possible with the advent of virtual production solutions using multiple camera sources, professional switching and reliable streaming, the foundation has been laid

“Suppliers have to rethink how to deliver projects as a result of restricted travel. The uptake of technology-based solutions such as virtual meetings, remote training, remote configuration and testing has proved positive in increasing project efficiency and effectiveness”

for more expansive projects in 2021.

Many expect 5G to start playing an important role in live broadcast production in 2021. However, the real game changer for the broader adoption of mobile technology in live production will be if service providers offer QoS through guaranteed bandwidth. It remains to be seen if it will happen this year, but the potential for it in the future will open up a world of possibilities for broadcasters.

The pandemic led many broadcasters to change direction in 2020, with many live events cancelled and social distancing making live production more difficult. While investments in new technology were largely halted to allow broadcasters to prioritise survival, 2021 could see a surge in new projects as the situation potentially improves later in the year. In particular, it’s expected that more broadcasters will look towards the benefits of IP and software-based technology. With consolidation among vendors growing and the landscape quickly evolving, increased investment in technology will be possible in 2021, especially as solutions with broader footprints come to fruition.

More broadcasters will look to deploy IP and sofware-based technology this year, according to industry professionals.

34 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

Camilla Young CEO & co-founder, VUALTO With the likelihood of continued uncertainty in 2021 and the inability or even reluctance of people to attend events in person due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, event-based streaming is set to remain dominant. In order to meet increased demand, organisations are increasingly turning to costeffective cloud-based solutions to facilitate streaming.

Infrastructure as code capability enables organisations to spin up the resources required for live streaming an event, but only when required – a capability likely to be used further by broadcasters in 2021. Cloud resources therefore facilitate a growing and dynamic approach to video orchestration, allowing flexibility and speed through providing the infrastructure immediately before an event and decommissioning it as soon as it is over.

Cloud technology will also play a key role in the scaling of infrastructure in line with demand.

Not only will scaling allow content providers to ensure that users encounter the optimum viewing experience at all times, it will also provide the basis to meet the demand placed by an influx

PROOUTLOOK

Granular metadata will allow users to search for time-related sequences while watching a streamed event, such as a crucial goal scored in a football match or a vital overtaking manoeuvre in a Formula 1 race.

“With an increased need to monetise content in the future, we may also see an uptake in advertising-based VOD in order to bring in more revenue, particularly as competition increases and more organisations make headway in a growing market” of multiple users for the most popular live events. 2020 saw major changes in viewing habits in terms of moving towards live streamed events, and this is likely to continue into 2021 and beyond.

2021 will see great focus placed on the need to provide an enhanced user experience, particularly as the video streaming market grows and becomes more fragmented and saturated.

At the core of ensuring that users witness a more personalised experience is the effective use of

metadata. Granular metadata will allow users to search for timerelated sequences while watching a streamed event, such as a crucial goal scored in a football match or a vital overtaking manoeuvre in a Formula 1 race. In a broader sense, metadata will also allow users to search for content types of their choosing, and get more accurate recommendations on their device.

In addition to the potential of metadata in enhancing the user experience, content providers will look to the potential of VOD content being broadcast on a traditional as-live channel in order to provide a more passive experience, removing the option fatigue that some consumers face. With an increased need to monetise content in the future, we may also see an uptake in advertising-based VOD in order to bring in more revenue, particularly as competition increases and more organisations make headway in a growing market.

Nick Thexton CTO, Synamedia As consumers, we are loyal to content, not platforms. If you’re a Game of Thrones addict, chances are you follow the content to whatever platform has secured the rights. For platform operators, knowing which shows are worth the investment and which aren’t is vital, helping to keep subscribers loyal while protecting and growing revenues. In 2021, we will see operators shift away from

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 35

PROOUTLOOK

With a rise in OTT uptake, operators will begin to launch flexible pricing structures and new business models to differentiate their services.

maintaining massive data lakes and performing basic analytics, and focus instead on deriving insights about rights utilisation to inform business decisions and ensure they are monetising their investments effectively.

It’s impossible to ignore the impact of Covid-19 on the market. OTT subscriber numbers that previously took years to achieve have been reached in months.

But as we return to a new kind of normal, there will be a real challenge to keep those subscribers, particularly because they will have consumed content at a higher rate than that modelled by the OTT vendors.

Add to this a slowdown in content creation, and there will be a significant push to keep those new subscribers. As a result, in 2021 we expect to see operators launching flexible pricing structures and new business models as they look to establish differentiators for their services.

Media rights face further downward pressure in 2021; this will be most visible with sports rights, where it is easy to quantify like-for-like values across years.

Content rights owners will need to fight back to combat this decline. Commercial teams and revenue protection teams will need to collaborate more than ever so they can better understand the efficacy and measurability of their anti-piracy actions and plan strategic investments in targeted anti-piracy efforts that achieve the maximum ROI. In 2021, 5G operators will increase the focus on adding TV and video bundles as part of their mobile offerings. However, they will only launch 5G services once the consumer experience is seamless across all media distribution channels and a common back-office infrastructure is in place. TV content over 5G will become a differentiator, with a choice of bundled live, on-demand and premium channels. This will further position mobile operators as the household’s primary service provider. We will also see mobile operators inking new partnerships with the OTT players to offer consumers more video entertainment options.

Most viewers still prefer to watch TV on a big screen in the living room. In 2021, we will start to see switched-on

“TV content over 5G will become a differentiator, with a choice of bundled live, on-demand and premium channels.

This will further position mobile operators as the household’s primary service provider” service providers simplifying their UI designs to improve the user experience and offer a more engaging, ‘less is more’ experience. We will also see the main screen evolve to meet the needs of the next generation of TV viewers, becoming an ambient accompaniment to our daily lives while cementing its position as the first choice for highly immersive viewing.

2020 saw a challenging advertising market and revealed the need for new, more robust advertising capabilities.

Collaboration will be key to unlocking new advertising revenues, and we believe that in 2021 we will see the first examples of localised advertisers, broadcasters and service providers starting to work together to prove the value of the addressable model.

For years, we have seen how pay-TV providers look enviously at streaming services and work hard to emulate their offerings. Now the tables are starting to turn. As subscriber growth slows, streaming services are looking

36 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

enviously at the power of linear TV. While Amazon Prime has experimented with live sports and some French audiences have had access to a pilot curated channel, Netflix Direct, we expect to see other streaming providers following their lead over the next few years.

We will see more intelligence added to caches so they can handle video processing at the edge, as well as caching and storage. Moving just-in-time packaging to the cache rather than the origin server makes it possible to support unique copy playback with a cloud DVR service – essential for the US market.

We may also see more content providers following Netflix’s lead and introducing dedicated cache servers into service providers’ networks, to ensure a fantastic viewing experience for their content as part of an aggregated model. As live content streaming grows in popularity, this approach may well become standard, alongside the use of multicast ABR and other technologies for the smooth delivery of multiple low-latency streams as part of service providers’ managed services.

The era of wholesale moves to the cloud will also be complemented by ‘cloud adoption for the rest of us’.

Instead of throwing away existing platform infrastructure, operators will start incremental cloud service adoption to overcome the core challenges of managing brown-field infrastructure.

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PROPRODUCTS

AJA releases new 12G-SDI openGear solutions AJA Video Systems has released two new 12G-SDI openGear solutions, AJA OG-12GM and AJA OGFiDO-TR-12G. Featuring support for up to 4K/ UltraHD content, OG-12GM is a 12G-SDI to/from quad-link 3G-SDI Muxer/ DeMuxer, and OG-FiDO-TR-12G is a state-of-the-art 12G-SDI/ Fiber transceiver. Both are designed for use in highdensity openGear 2RU frames and compatible with Ross® DashBoard software for flexible device control and monitoring.

OG-12GM is an openGearcompatible SDI transport converter that supports

single-link 12G-SDI to/from quad-link 3G-SDI, two Sample Interleave (2SI) to/from Square Division (Quadrant) pixel mapping, and selectable Distribution Amplifier (1x4). It provides detailed timing analysis for validating alignment of quad-link SDI inputs via a unique timing analyzer that quickly helps to identify possible timing issues for quad-link signals. Ideal for

critical broadcast applications where high-quality conversion and reliability are required, OG-12GM features openGear’s high-density architecture and DashBoard support on Windows®, macOS® or Linux for monitoring and control over a local network or remotely.

OG-FiDO-TR-12G offers greater flexibility and costefficiency for 12G-SDI to Fiber

conversion and Fiber to 12G-SDI conversion with single-link LC connectivity, enabling long cable runs up to 10km for single mode. OGFiDO-TR-12G is compatible with all certified openGear products and supports Ross DashBoard software for convenient remote control and monitoring over a PC or local network to further simplify production workflows.

OG-12GM and OG-FiDO-TR12G are now available through AJA’s worldwide reseller network for $895 US MSRP, and $1325 US MSRP respectively. www.aja.com

Electro-Voice evolves with new 50M column loudspeaker Electro-Voice has expanded

and its eight lightweight 3.5”

composite material and

inputs, 1x XLR/TRS combo

its Evolve series with

neodymium drivers provide

incorporates an ergonomic

stereo line input, 1x RCA, 1x 3.5

the launch of the Evolve

ultra-wide, full-bandwidth

aluminum handle. A 12”

mm stereo, 1x Hi-Z instrument

50M column loudspeaker

120° coverage via proprietary

subwoofer is housed in a 15

input) with professional-grade

system. The Evolve 50M

waveguides; array-formed

mm wood enclosure with a

preamps and mix functions.

features Electro-Voice’s

40° asymmetrical vertical

high-efficiency laminar-flow

High-resolution, low-latency

new QuickSmart Link digital

coverage ensures acoustic

vent design, for enhanced

Bluetooth streaming promises

audio and control technology,

output is directed towards both

rigidity and acoustical

excellent results for music

an onboard mixer, DSP and

sitting and standing audience

performance. The array

playback or accompaniment.

effects – all combined within

members. The array enclosure

and sub are connected via

Independent channel aux

the Evolve 50 format. The

is constructed from a durable

a symmetrical aluminum

sends and a foot switch input

Evolve 50M is designed

pole with internal wiring and

are also included, and a

for bands/musicians,

magnetically assisted latching.

range of effects (30 presets,

AV rental companies,

The speakers are protected

including chorus, delay,

DJs and any application

by a black powder-coated

flange and reverb, via two

where professional

18-gauge steel grille, and

FX channels) add a myriad

audio performance is

an array/pole carry case

of options for musicians to

required in a compact

is included. An advanced

fine-tune their tone. All of the

and portable package.

Class-D amplifier provides

above help to reduce load-in/

up to 1000 W of power.

out and setup/teardown

Available in black or white finishes, the Evolve

Developed in collaboration

time – and on-stage clutter

50M combines industrial

with the audio electronics

– by minimizing the need for

design, Electro-Voice-

engineering team at Electro-

external equipment such as

engineered components

Voice’s sibling brand Dynacord,

a mixer and effects pedals.

and premium materials.

the mixer has multiple inputs

The full-range column array

(4x XLR/TRS combo mic/line

38 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

www.electrovoice.com

PROPRODUCTS

Avolites promises greater creative control with new Diamond 9 flagship console Avolites has launched its new

media server and lighting

flagship console Diamond

control, the D9 brings this to

9 in two versions: D9-330

your fingertips with intuitive

and D9-215. Both new visual

design and layouts ideal for

canvas controllers deliver

media playback and control.

inspired creative control

With the rise of video wall use

to production designers in

in live performances, installs

lighting, broadcast and AV,

and even TV productions,

allowing them to create,

creating an immersive and

programme and command

seamless lighting and video

their performances.

performance is vital. The

The Diamond series is

three small screens at the top

designed by visual designers,

of the console are ideal for

for visual designers and

media preview and playback.

everyone in-between to

The screens can view any NDI

intuitively combine lighting,

media preview, and specific

media and other visual

screens for attribute control

far beyond the aesthetics;

including live camera feeds,

aspects of a show together.

and softkey short cuts. The

they provide more intuitive

content from a media server

motorised touch sensitive

media control integration

or any other visualisation or

machined from a single sheet

Penny & Giles faders and new

for lighting designers in

titan workspace. This feature

of sleek aluminium with high

encoders each have their own

all sectors of the industry.

helps streamline the front of

end finishes. The D9-330

RGB bar graphs so levels can

Building on the Synergy

house set up, as it reduces

boasts 11 ultra-bright touch

be monitored at a glance.

feature-set, released in

the need for external screens.

screens, including 3 main

There’s also a return of the

October 2019, that allows

workspace screens, 3 for

backlit integrated keyboard.

seamless integration between

The main front panels are

The key differentiators go

streams within the network

www.avolites.com

Sonnet expands portable range with eGPU docks Sonnet Technologies has expanded its family of portable all-in-one Thunderbolt 3 external graphics processing (eGPU) systems with the addition of the eGPU Breakaway Puck Radeon RX 5500 XT and the eGPU Breakaway Puck Radeon RX 5700.

Replacing the now discontinued eGFX Breakaway Puck Radeon RX 560 and Radeon RX 570 eGPUs, the new models retain the same form factor but promise more than 300% performance improvement over the previous-generation models.

The new models now include two USB ports for connecting

peripheral devices and a second Thunderbolt port for fully supporting a Thunderbolt/ USB-C display, including the 6K Apple Pro Display XDR. Both eGPU Breakaway Puck models support up to three 4K @ 60 Hz displays (four with one of Sonnet's dual-display adapters, sold separately) or one 6K plus two 4K displays at the same time. Through a second Thunderbolt 3 port, the Pucks provide both graphics and data to fully support all popular

Thunderbolt/USB-C displays, including the LG UltraFine 4K and 5K displays sold in the Apple store. They also provide enough power to drive the 6K Apple Pro Display XDR without compromise. Both models include two USB Type A ports to enable connection

of peripherals — such as a keyboard, mouse, or even a software license authorization key dongle — to the computer without taking up its few onboard ports.

The eGPU Breakaway Puck Radeon RX 5500 XT (part number GPU-RX55-TB3-S) and eGPU Breakaway Puck Radeon RX 5700 (part number GPU-RX57-TB3-S) are available now from Sonnet at suggested retail prices of $599.99 and $899.99, respectively. www.sonnettech.com

February 2021 | www.broadcastprome.com | 39

PROGUEST

“The global media, sports and entertainment industry needs to switch gears and take a federated approach”

We need a global anti-piracy federation Pirates continue to grow and launch illegal services. A report by NAGRA and the Digital Citizens Alliance (DCA) shows that pirate subscription IPTV services have grown into a billiondollar industry in the US alone, not including website piracy, credential selling or sharing, content piracy on social media, or other forms of piracy.

The current economic situation has accelerated consumers’ take-up of illegal services as they seek ways to save money, creating more incentive for pirates to continue operating.

One difficulty in fighting piracy is that the types of illegal service may vary across regions, from commercial services that resemble legitimate operators with hardware available to consumers, to smaller groups who are restreaming content online.

Content owners, such as LaLiga or DFL, have data on levels of piracy against their services, but not the wider context. Telcos and ISPs may be able to take action against pirates, but often only when other parties inform them, and governments may have limited knowledge of the degree to which such illegal acts are taking place. In countries like the Netherlands, privacy laws can hamper anti-piracy activity, whereby illegal services could be removed from a server one day and reappear the next because the law doesn’t allow for permanent removal to take place in the way it needs to fight pirates successfully.

This approach is why pirates continue to be successful – no one has complete knowledge or the ability to act quickly wherever the source or the criminals are. The industry needs to take a

federated approach throughout the value chain, from content creation through to distribution into the home. This enables operators, broadcasters, content owners, governments and leagues to establish a universal baseline that they can all adhere to, and allows localised activity that requires a nuanced approach.

A federated anti-piracy mechanism would also enable greater knowledge sharing, not just of illegal activity, but also best practices. Thankfully, the industry is recognising this need for a federated strategy, and we’re increasingly seeing action being taken across countries and at the regional scale. In one recent case, a collaboration between NAGRA, Canal+, police in Switzerland, Europol and Eurojust saw the takedown of the Kboxserv service with servers in multiple countries throughout Europe that had a catalogue of more than 77,000 TV episodes and 7,000 movies.

Working together was a vital part of this action, and similar activities are taking place around the world. In Brazil, for example, Operation404.2 saw the largest search and search operation against pirates, with 252 websites and 65 streaming applications either blocked or suspended.

What does a federated approach mean, though? Much like a government system, it can effectively be a baseline which all those who are part of the group adhere to. In the case of the TV industry, that base is watermarking across the global ecosystem and throughout the value chain. It’s relatively simple to implement, and now that many studios and content owners are requiring it as

40 | www.broadcastprome.com | February 2021

part of licensing negotiations, it needs to become the standard in content distribution. It’s also possible to build watermarking into production, even down to a 30-second cut, or at the edge of the network just before delivery to the home.

Coupled with this baseline of technology, there is a need for global standards across the industry. The Motion Picture Association, for example, advocates for anti-piracy and combatting illegal distribution but no similar agreements are in place for global sport. Instead, it predominantly resides at the league level and forms part of contract negotiations with operators. What is needed is an agreement that sets a standard across the industry, regardless of content type, company or country.

Part of the problem is the increasing levels of fragmentation. Traditionally one operator would be the source of the majority of a consumer’s needs. And this model is still present through super aggregators such as DISH Network, Canal+ and others. However, as more D2C offerings come online, most require an access charge. Consumers will hit a maximum they’re prepared to pay but may still want access to all of the content.

Piracy is thriving. Working independently to stop it will only take individual organisations so far. But by working together to find a common standard that supports all aspects and stakeholders of the TV industry and governments, it is possible to build a federated system that encourages collaboration and greater protection for all.

Pascal Métral is Vice President, Legal Affairs at NAGRA.

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