NEWS

Digital experience platform provider Optimizely launches Dubai office

Optimizely has expanded its global presence into the MEA region with the opening of a new office in Dubai. Its footprint in Dubai will help to expand the company’s presence in the region and enable further adoption of its tools by businesses for creating, managing and personalising digital experiences on the web and in mobile apps, the company said.

Jesper Broberg will lead the team of 12 digital experience experts in the region as Regional VP. With more than 20 years’ experience in the IT industry, working in business development functions across sales, presales, partner and account management and project management, he will drive customer acquisition, product innovation and business value.

Alex Atzberger, CEO of Optimizely, said: “We are planning to have local hosting for our Digital Experience Platform (DXP). In today’s digital-first world, our DXP empowers companies to adapt and thrive by responding to customer behaviours across the entire customer journey.”

Optimizely’s DXP includes a set of content, commerce, experimentation, customer data and personalisation capabilities that provide recommendations on content that can be improved. It uses behavioural analysis and machine learning to provide automated recommendations and personalisation.

Alex Atzberger, CEO of Optimizely.

Music streaming service Tidal launches in UAE

Global music streaming service Tidal has launched in the UAE. First launched in 2015, the platform now offers more than 80 million songs and playlists. For artists, it offers new ways to get paid to help them create on their own terms with support from fans.

Tidal offers two subscription options for users: Tidal HiFi and Tidal HiFi Plus. The former is available for $5.50 a month and offers an ad-free experience where users can connect the app to other speakers and download music for offline listening.

Tidal HiFi Plus, which is available for $11 a month, offers all the benefits of Tidal HiFi as well as fancentred royalties, directto-artist payouts and early access to exclusive offerings and upcoming features. It also boasts immersive sound formats (Dolby Atmos Music and Sony 360 Audio Recordings) and is Master Quality Authenticated (MQA).

Tidal considers itself an artist-first platform, offering direct-to-artist payouts, which means every month a percentage of HiFi Plus subscribers’ fees are directed toward their top streamed artist.

It is also launching fan-centred royalties later this year, where royalties will be paid based on the streaming activity of an individual

HiFi Plus subscriber.

Tidal members will have access to regularly updated playlists showcasing local artists, including new music across different genres.

Fares Akkad appointed Regional Director for Meta MENA

Meta has appointed Fares Akkad as Regional Director for the MENA region, effective March 1. He will be responsible for designing and leading the commercial growth of the company and its portfolio of apps, services and businesses across MENA. Akkad previously served as Director of Media Partnerships for News in Growth Markets at Meta, prior to which he worked with MBC Group.

Neom and MBC Group to establish AAA games studio in Saudi Arabia

MBC Group and Neom have signed a joint venture agreement to establish the first AAA games development studio in the region. Currently being incubated with developers from all over the world, the studio will relocate to Neom’s media hub next year and aims to produce high-productionvalue games for local, regional and international gamers.

The partnership highlights Neom’s push to create a new centre for the region’s media and creative industries by establishing a physically and technologically integrated creative media hub focused on screen production, gaming and digital publishing.

The gaming studio will create opportunities for Saudi Arabia, and regional gamers and developers seeking to build a career in the industry.

Further to the core studio disciplines of game design, programming, art and audio production, the studio is expected to create significant job opportunities across many directly linked industries, the entities said in a joint statement.

Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of Neom, said: “We know there is a growing convergence between gaming and the media sector more broadly, so by building one we are helping the other grow. Establishing this studio creates future-proof career paths and job opportunities in an environment that fosters creativity, entrepreneurship and talent development, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”

Waleed Al Ibrahim, MBC Group Chairman, said: “Our partnership with Neom unlocks new opportunities in the region’s media industry, which will enable Saudi Arabia to emerge as a leading global media hub. MBC will put all of its expertise behind this project to become an economic and technical incubator for a new generation of media talent.”

Top officials from MBC Group and Neom at the signing ceremony.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and GEA sign deal to develop entertainment sector

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and General Entertainment Authority has signed an agreement to develop the cultural and entertainment sectors in line with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, Saudi Press Agency reported. Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minister of Culture, and Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority Turki Al Sheikh signed the memorandum of understanding in Riyadh.

The deal includes cooperation in implementing the strategies of the Kingdom’s eleven cultural bodies and coordination between the two sectors to issue licences and permits and content approval.

It also includes cooperation between the two parties to develop capacities, classify cultural and entertainment professions, stimulate investment in both sectors and jointly implement recreational activities.

Rotana Media Services to be exclusive media rep for Fatafeat

Discovery Inc. has appointed Rotana Media Services (RMS) as the sole media representative for Fatafeat in the MENA region.

Layla Tamim, Head of Ad Sales and Brand Partnerships MENA, Discovery, said: “The growing demand for Fatafeat content inspired us to build a 360-brand experience, expanding our ecosystem through solid partnerships. Partnering with Rotana Media Services will allow us to develop more bespoke offerings and deliver even better brand experiences to our fans and clients.”

ADM breaks up with Choueiri

Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) has ended its contract with MediaSat, a subsidiary of Choueiri Group. From last month, the exclusive rights for advertisement sales services in the field of entertainment reverted to Abu Dhabi TV network and ADM’s radio channels, print publications and digital platforms. ADM will work closely with its clients, including prominent brands, marketing and advertising companies, and digital consumers, to meet the requirements of its partners and stakeholders.

The New HyperDeck Studio The New HyperDeck Studio

Get broadcast quality H.264, ProRes and Get broadcast quality H.264, ProRes and DNx files recorded to SD cards or SSD media! DNx files recorded to SD cards or SSD media!

HyperDeck Studio lets you record broadcast quality video files directly HyperDeck Studio lets you record broadcast quality video files directly onto SD cards and SSD media! The new redesigned HyperDeck Studios onto SD cards and SSD media! The new redesigned HyperDeck Studios feature modern design with more codecs and quieter cooling. feature modern design with more codecs and quieter cooling. All models now support recording to H.264, Apple ProRes or DNxHD All models now support recording to H.264, Apple ProRes or DNxHD files with either PCM or AAC audio. For ISO recording, there’s even files with either PCM or AAC audio. For ISO recording, there’s even built in timecode and reference generators for syncing multiple units! built in timecode and reference generators for syncing multiple units!

Elegantly Designed Professional Broadcast Deck Elegantly Designed Professional Broadcast Deck

The new HyperDeck Studio models have been totally redesigned with dozens The new HyperDeck Studio models have been totally redesigned with dozens of new features! The Pro models feature a machined metal search dial with of new features! The Pro models feature a machined metal search dial with increased mass and a soft rubber surface that feels nice to the touch. Plus the increased mass and a soft rubber surface that feels nice to the touch. Plus the search dial features an active clutch, just like a traditional broadcast deck! search dial features an active clutch, just like a traditional broadcast deck! With dual media slots, you can change cards without interrupting recording! With dual media slots, you can change cards without interrupting recording!

Record to External USB-C Media Disks Record to External USB-C Media Disks

If recording to other types of media is required, the USB-C expansion port If recording to other types of media is required, the USB-C expansion port lets you plug in an external flash disk for recording. USB-C flash disks have lets you plug in an external flash disk for recording. USB-C flash disks have unlimited capacity because they can be physically larger than an SD card unlimited capacity because they can be physically larger than an SD card or SSD. Just move the disk over to a computer and instantly start editing! or SSD. Just move the disk over to a computer and instantly start editing! There are also menus for managing external disks on the built in LCD. There are also menus for managing external disks on the built in LCD. Popular ProRes, DNx, H.264 and H.265 Files! Popular ProRes, DNx, H.264 and H.265 Files!

HyperDeck supports the most popular codecs in use today! All models include HyperDeck supports the most popular codecs in use today! All models include DNx and ProRes file formats. However all models also include H.264 in quality DNx and ProRes file formats. However all models also include H.264 in quality up to 10 bit 4:2:2 when recording in NTSC, PAL, 720p, 1080p and true 1080i up to 10 bit 4:2:2 when recording in NTSC, PAL, 720p, 1080p and true 1080i interlaced formats. While the 4K model adds H.265 when recording in Ultra HD. interlaced formats. While the 4K model adds H.265 when recording in Ultra HD. The Plus and Pro models have ProRes 4444 for fill and key playback! The Plus and Pro models have ProRes 4444 for fill and key playback!

Advanced Broadcast Connections! Advanced Broadcast Connections!

Depending on the model HyperDeck Studio features a wide range of video Depending on the model HyperDeck Studio features a wide range of video and audio connections such as 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI or 12G-SDI. All models include and audio connections such as 3G-SDI, 6G-SDI or 12G-SDI. All models include HDMI for connecting to televisions and projectors. There’s even a dedicated HDMI for connecting to televisions and projectors. There’s even a dedicated SDI monitoring output on the Pro and Plus models with on screen status. SDI monitoring output on the Pro and Plus models with on screen status. The 4K model has 10G Ethernet for extremely fast network file copying! The 4K model has 10G Ethernet for extremely fast network file copying!

HyperDeck Studio HD Mini .............................HyperDeck Studio HD Mini ............................. US$545US$545 HyperDeck Studio HD Plus ..............................HyperDeck Studio HD Plus .............................. US$765US$765 HyperDeck Studio HD Pro ...........................HyperDeck Studio HD Pro ........................... US$1,095US$1,095 HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro .............................US$1,645HyperDeck Studio 4K Pro ............................ US$1,645

ViacomCBS rebrands as Paramount, unveils global expansion plans

ViacomCBS has changed its corporate name to Paramount, effective last month, bringing together its portfolio of premium entertainment properties under a new parent company name. The company’s shares will trade on the Nasdaq stock exchange as PARAA (Class A common), PARA (Class B common) and PARAP (Preferred Stock).

In addition to the name change, the company detailed plans to accelerate the global momentum behind Paramount+, unveiling new content, enhanced product offerings and continued international expansion at its investor event.

Bob Bakish, President and CEO, said: “We see a huge global opportunity in streaming, a much larger potential market than can be captured by linear TV and film alone. We’re excited about our ability to not just compete but thrive, creating significant value for both consumers and shareholders. How? Because we’re broader in four key areas: our diverse content, streaming model, a mix of platforms and global reach. As we look forward, the size of the opportunity we see is matched only by our ambition to seize it.”

Paramount will continue the global expansion of Paramount+ in 2022. The company announced that Paramount+ will make its debut in France as an exclusive bundle with Canal+ Group. Paramount+ will also be available on an a-la-carte and direct-to-consumer basis in the French market. In 2023, the company will look to Asia, Africa and the Middle East, building on Paramount+’s momentum to grow its presence.

The company delivered more than 56m total global streaming subscribers and 84% revenue growth in the direct-to-consumer segment in 2021. As a result of its streaming momentum and incremental investments, it is raising its global streaming subscriber goal from 65-75m to more than 100m by year-end 2024. The company is also raising its 2024 DTC revenue goal from $6bn to $9bn.

KSA launches entertainment fellowship programme

Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority has launched a new initiative, Happiness Creators, the first entertainment fellowship programme to boost the country’s entertainment sector. It has three tracks: Entertainment Events, Entertainment Destinations and Electronic Entertainment.

The registration for the three tracks is available on the website, the authority said, noting that the application deadline is different for each track.

Participants in the fellowship programme, which runs for six to eight months, will work with universities and entertainment companies around the world and have the opportunity to earn globally recognised qualifications.

The Entertainment Events track includes the functions of organisation, coordination and implementation, in addition to designing events for various target groups. The Entertainment Destinations track’s objective is activating entertainment experiences, managing and operating the sites and their visitors. The programme will provide trainees with the latest mechanisms used in organising and coordinating local and international entertainment and music festivals. The trainees will also receive globally recognised certificates and licences in the entertainment sector in its various fields. They will be provided with accommodation, travel and transportation expenses as well.

Al Dafrah updates to Etere 32

Dubai satellite TV channel Al Dafrah has implemented a new software release from Etere. Etere 32 will help the channel amplify its system performance, interoperability and reliability.

Etere 32’s new features include full compatibility with Windows 11, support for the creation of individual and customisable desktops as well as Android apps and remote control for smartphones, introduction of Snap Groups, and various other functionalities. The update also features a new integrated graphics inserter for Etere Nunzio Newsroom.

KSA’s Cultural Development Fund to finance film sector with $234.4m

Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Development Fund (CDF) has announced its Film Sector Financing Programme, which aims to boost the Saudi film sector’s infrastructure and production with a budget of $234.28m.

Mohammed Bin Dayel, CEO of the CDF, tweeted: “The Film Sector Financing Programme comes to make a qualitative leap in a promising sector and to empower talented people who are passionate about making a change and impact. I am excited to support our local makers and creators.”

Production and distribution companies, as well as all privatesector organisations working in the film industry, will benefit from the programme’s financing packages, which will enhance their competitiveness.

The budget is divided into two parts — 70% of it will be allocated to developing, producing and distributing content, and 30% to developing the sector’s infrastructure. The ministry will open the door for funding applications later in 2022.

Arabic adaptation of Suits to release during Ramadan 2022

NBCUniversal Formats, a division of Universal Studio Group, has teamed up with Cairo-based media production outfit TVision and OSN to produce the Arabic version of Suits. The TV series is set to premiere on OSN’s satellite platform and streaming app, while Egyptian audiences will be able to stream it on the Egyptian media giant UMS' FTA channels and its streaming app Watchit in April 2022.

The Arabic version is being written by Mohamed Hefzy and Yasser Abdel Mageed. It will be directed by Myriam Ahmadi and produced by TVision Media Productions founder and CEO Tarek El Ganainy. Egyptian star Asser Yassin will play the lead, reprising the role of Harvey Specter, while Ahmed Dawoud will play Mike, Harvey’s mentee.

Filming began in January and the first two 30-episode seasons will launch on OSN on April 2.

El Ganainy said: “We are thrilled to launch the Arabic version of Suits, an international adaptation of one of the most successful television series. Repurposing this type of show into regional formats is vitally important in the context of Egypt’s ongoing development as a mature and compelling media market. While it remains heavily inspired by the US drama, our version is unique and authentic to Egypt, featuring a celebrated cast of regional stars.”

Fujifilm Middle East announces new appointment

Fujifilm Middle East has appointed Ala'a Siam as Regional Manager, Middle East and Africa for the Optical Devices Division. He will be responsible for an extensive line-up of products in the division, which includes 4K and 8K broadcast and cinema lenses as well as highend, three-axis projectors, long-range security products and highprecision machine vision lenses. He will report to Chris Darnley, GM for Fujifilm Middle East FZE.

Siam was previously Business Development Manager (Pro Video) at Canon and is well-known in the region. Prior to that, he worked with MediaCast and For-A in Dubai. He takes over from Amrit Pandrangi, who has now moved on to a new role at Fujifilm Business Innovation, a division the company is bringing to the MEA region.

Ala'a Siam previously worked with Canon.

Advanced Media to celebrate 20th anniversary with digital cinema event

Advanced Media Trading LLC, distributor of professional broadcast and production equipment in MENA, will be marking its 20th anniversary in March with the return of its CineIn 2020 event in a new format. Titled CINE2022, it will be held at Advanced Media’s new premises on Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 2-8pm, March 17-19.

The three-day digital cinema community event will include seven 90-minute workshops with trainers from different areas of production covering a range of topics – how to do an 8K project, HDR, choosing the right lenses, colour grading, and using RGB lighting for production. The distributor aims to create an opportunity for filmmakers, production enthusiasts and industry experts to come together to showcase and discuss the latest technologies, trends and solutions in digital cinema, broadcast and video.

Alaa Al Rantisi, Managing Director and co-founder, said: “After two years of the pandemic, we miss directly interacting and communicating with many manufacturers and end users whom we used to meet regularly at exhibitions. This will be a great opportunity to gather and share information and of course discuss all the exciting developments in our fields. This is a remarkable milestone for us, and we cannot think of a better way to mark it than with our peers. We are grateful to the government of Dubai for making it possible to host an event of this scale.”

The distributor’s 1,500sqm office and showroom will be converted to showcase the potential and flexibility of the space and to serve as a community meeting point where cinematography equipment ranging from cameras and lenses to audio products will be demonstrated. Kaveh Farnam, CEO of Advanced Media, commented that the company’s primary objective is to create a community event that enables dialogue and discussion between broadcast and production professionals.

Advanced Media regularly hosts free training sessions for production and broadcast professionals. “We have found it a lot more rewarding to host small private events at our facility and bring together a niche crowd of broadcast and production professionals,” commented Farnam.

“We will invite our clients and suppliers to join us so they can also network with our customers. The aim is for this showcase to be perceived as a digital cinema event rather than an Advanced Media event. Our workshops will reflect this by being vendoragnostic, as we want to educate our attendees about specific topics within the industry rather than train them on equipment from specific brands.”

Nevertheless, some brands which Advanced Media represents, like Sony, Manfrotto, RED, Zeiss, DJI, Astera and Sennheiser, will have a prominent presence at the event. Besides having specific tables cordoned off for brands and for the camera kit, there will be two camera sets with proper lighting and sets, according to Marketing Manager Pooyan Farnam.

“With a lot of demand for equipment and some customers spending hours playing with equipment at the new showroom, Advanced Media felt that this event would serve as the perfect platform to bring together production enthusiasts to share their passion for filming with each other.”

Advanced Media expects to host 300-500 people at the event and up to 50 attendees for each workshop. CINE2022 will follow local and international guidelines regarding the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure a healthy and safe experience for everyone, the team said. In keeping with the spirit of celebrations, Advanced Media also hopes to include a series of stimulating and nostalgic surprises as part of the event.

Advanced Media's 1,500sqm showroom will be converted into a mini exhibition space for the event.

OSN expands partnership with Endeavor Content

A scene from the drama series Tell Me Your Secrets, which will be showcased on OSN.

OSN has expanded its partnership with US global premium content studio Endeavor Content. All series will be available exclusively to OSN customers across the streaming app and channels.

Commenting on the partnership, Prentiss Fraser, EVP TV Distribution at Endeavor Content, said: “We are excited to extend our relationship with OSN with this slate of new, original and best-in-category titles that showcase dynamic storytelling with an international appeal.”

Nick Forward, MD Streaming & Chief Content Officer at OSN, added: “Endeavor Content has one of the most exciting slates in the business, working with some of the world’s most extraordinary creative voices. In addition to an incredible line-up from Warner Bros. and HBO, this deal is yet another step towards bringing the very best of TV entertainment to OSN’s customers.”

A third of Saudi Arabia's residents prefer local Arabic television content: Kearney survey

At least 33% of Saudi residents prefer to watch local Arabic TV content over international content, according to a survey commissioned by Kearney. It reports a demand for more quality content, with 21% of respondents saying they would like to see more localised Arabic content on television and other media platforms. To meet this need, 63% of respondents are willing to pay a premium, with 25% willing to pay a fee to avoid advertisements on media platforms.

The study notes a higher willingness to pay for high-quality video on demand (42%) than for other content media, including social media (37%), television (32%), gaming websites (32%), online news portals (22%), print news publications (19%), podcasts (19%) and radio (17%).

Respondents aged 18-34 are more likely to pay for quality content than 35+-year-olds, particularly on newer channels of consumption such as video on demand (96%) compared to more traditional channels such as newspapers and magazines (37%).

Speaking about the report, Adel Belcaid, Head of Communications, Media, and Technology at Kearney Middle East, said: “Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s youngest and most digitally attuned major markets, with the population consuming vast terabytes of video, audio and gaming content."

Adel Belcaid, Head of Comms, Media, and Technology at Kearney Middle East.

Hope Ventures signs exclusive deal to stream Bahraini TV show on Shahid

Hope Ventures, the Bahraini investment arm of Hope Fund, an initiative established by the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, has announced the launch of Beban, an unscripted entrepreneurial reality TV show for MENA audiences. The show features unstaged recorded pitching sessions by ambitious Bahraini entrepreneurs to a panel of four Bahraini and Saudi investors. More than $1m was invested in participating start-ups during the show, which features businesses operating across the sectors of Technology, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing and Sports Retail.

Fajer Al Pachachi, GM of Hope Ventures, said: “The show promo has already received more than 2,000 organic shares within the first few hours of its release on social media. We’re now prepping for season two, which will feature more businesses across diverse sectors."

As we went to press, a new season was announced with the show set to welcome more than 20 local businesses, who were to be selected through a rigorous evaluation process.

Red Sea Fund expands to four cycles

Red Sea Film Foundation has announced a new funding strategy to enable filmmakers from Saudi Arabia, the wider Arab region and Africa to bring more diverse and authentic films to global audiences. The newly designed Fund will expand from one funding cycle to four cycles throughout the year, with two cycles dedicated to post-production and separate cycles for development and production.

The first post-production cycle for feature films, documentaries and animations closed last month. The development support cycle will open in April, followed by production support in June and the second post-production support cycle in August.

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea International Festival, said: “The Red Sea Foundation is committed to investing in, developing and promoting filmmakers from the Arab world and Africa as they continue to develop their skills to bring compelling stories across a range of genres, cultures and perspectives to the screen. These additional funding cycles ... will provide talented filmmakers with the tools they need to develop unique and compelling films that represent and reflect the Arab world and Africa.”

Saudi Broadcasting Authority launches first news radio station

Saudi Broadcasting Authority launched the Kingdom's first news radio station last month. As the radio arm of state TV channel Al Ekhbariya, the station aims to help SBA focus on local content and move toward specialisation.

Mohammed Al-Harithi, CEO of SBA, said the launch comes within the framework of the authority’s strategy of distributing media discourse across all platforms and shifting towards specialised media to meet the needs of segments of Saudi society.

Al Ekhbariya Radio will initially be broadcast on FM in three regions: Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. It will feature updated bulletins, news briefs and stories covering a variety of societal issues, and the most prominent international developments.

Avid to skip major 2022 trade shows

Avid Technology will continue its pause on exhibiting at large trade shows throughout 2022. Due to the ongoing ebb and flow of Covid-19, the company’s leadership maintains it is not yet feasible to reliably predict the pandemic’s path, nor to ensure that large groups of its employees can be expected to convene at events that typically draw thousands of attendees. Therefore, consistent with its strategy since 2020, Avid will not host exhibits at the annual NAB, NAMM and IBC shows this year.

Rising Giants Network to launch immersive podcasts for kids

Rising Giants Network (RGN), a bilingual podcasting network, is set to launch a kid-friendly immersive narrative podcast experience. Titled RGN AJYAL, it will target children aged three and up and will initially launch with two podcasts.

The first, Qosas wa hikayat, went live on Feb 15. This storytelling podcast is scripted specifically for kids aged four and up. The second podcast, scheduled to debut in March, is titled Men Hawlina Aswat and is similarly aimed at kids aged three and up. In conjunction with storytelling, it will assist youngsters in identifying and exploring various sets of sounds. Both podcasts are in Arabic. Commenting on the launch, Basel Anabtawi, CEO and co-founder of RGN, said: “We are excited to launch this new storytelling experience for kids. The podcasts are carefully curated to ensure they are fun, engaging and that they contribute to the growth and development of the younger generation."

Basel Anabtawi, co-founder of RGN.