Advanced Television

osn

Desai named OSN interim CEO

Dubai-based pay-TV operator OSN has seen CEO Patrick Tillieux depart for “personal reasons”, and a new interim CEO appointed in Sangeeta Desai. Faisal Al Ayyar, Chairman of OSN, commented: “The Board is delighted that Sangeeta has accepted the position of Interim CEO, which will increase her involvement with OSN as she works towards the Board’s […]

August 31, 2021By Chris Forrester

Comcast Technology Solutions selected by OSN

Comcast Technology Solutions, a division of Comcast Cable that provides media and entertainment technology to content providers, operators, and advertisers, has announced that its Cloud TV Suite serves the back-end platform for OSN’s video entertainment service, OSN Streaming App. OSN is an entertainment network provider across MENA, offering an extensive range of exclusive and original […]

July 15, 2021

OSN unveils updated OTT platform

Dubai-based pay-TV operator OSN launched its OTT service a month ago but has used a local round-table to outline the benefits of the technology. CEO Patrick Tillieux and CTO Peter Riz stressed that the new technology was extremely flexible, and able to be improved and evolve with market demands. Also present was David Kovacs, CTO […]

June 22, 2021By Chris Forrester

Dubai’s OSN ramping up original content

OSN, the Dubai-based pay-TV operator, is ramping up its own original productions. Recent studio deals have seen it add the latest output from the likes of Disney+, HBO, NBCUniversal, Paramount and MGM. Rolla Karam, OSN’s interim Chief Content Officer, in an interview with Arab News, said that its OTT service (‘OSN Streaming’) has been an […]

May 5, 2021By Chris Forrester

Analyst: MENA to add 18m SVoD subs

The 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region will have 32.65 million SVoD subscriptions by 2026, up from the 14.16 million recorded at end-2020, according to the Middle East and North Africa OTT TV and Video Forecasts report from analyst firm Digital TV Research. Turkey will remain the market leader by a […]

February 9, 2021

Abu Dhabi police raid pay-TV pirates

Abu Dhabi Police have arrested three people and raided several shops as part of a concerted effort against TV piracy, following a complaint from pay-TV operator OSN. “Piracy is causing enormous losses for the entertainment industry, the authorities and the end users,” declared Hanif Khan, director of anti-piracy and content security at OSN, who noted […]

October 5, 2020By Colin Mann

Analyst: MENA SVoD subs to grow by 148%

There will be 27.16 million paying SVoD subscriptions for 20 countries in the MENA region by 2025, up from 10.95 million recorded at end-2019, according to the Middle East and North Africa SVOD Forecasts report from analyst firm Digital TV Research. Turkey will remain the country leader, with 11.3 million subscriptions by 2025. “Netflix will […]

September 10, 2020

KIPCO delays OSN sale

Kuwait Projects Co, (KIPCO) the ultra-patient investor in Dubai-based pay-TV operator OSN (the former Orbit Showtime Network), will stay with the broadcaster a little longer. It has been looking to sell the business, or bring new partners on board, since 2018. KIPCO says the Covid pandemic has created a downturn in in the local markets […]

August 25, 2020

Come Dine With Me in the Middle East

ITV Studios’ award-winning format Come Dine With Me has been acquired by OSN, an entertainment network in the Arabic region. The popular British reality show that is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this year has already been licensed to more than 40 countries, with over 14000 episodes produced globally. The Arabic version, Yalla Neta’asha, will be […]

June 26, 2020

OSN has achieved “operational turnaround”

Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund-backed KIPCO, which is the majority shareholder in Dubai-based OSN (the former Orbit Showtime Network), says that the pay-TV broadcaster is carrying out its cost-cutting and streamlining operation successfully. KIPCO, in a statement, says: “[OSN] is now able to deliver its products to 25 countries in the region through ‘OSN Streaming’, its […]

June 23, 2020By Chris Forrester