VIMN will launch Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD on Monday 5th January 2015. They will join VH1, which VIMN already offers in the Middle East and North Africa. The addition of Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD will bring the total number of Viacom channels available on the OSN pay-TV platform to four.
While Viacom previously had branded programming blocks playing on free-TV in MENA, these channels mark the start of a prominent presence of 24-hour branded channels in the region.
Additionally, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. will be available in dual language (English and Arabic) from February 2015. The addition of an Arabic soundtrack is particularly significant as Nickelodeon will be the only international children's TV channel available in Arabic, produced in the MENA region, exclusively for OSN. Viacom's Dubai Media City team will handle the production of Nickelodeon HD.
Following the debut, each channel will also feature locally produced content, opening up opportunities for producers in the Arab world.
To complement the launch of Nickelodeon HD in the MENA region, Viacom International Media Networks and OSN will also launch the channels' localised official Nickelodeon website as well as a local version of the Emmy Award-winning Nick App, which will both be available in English and in Arabic. A local Nickelodeon Land theme park is also in the early development stages for the Middle East.
The launch of Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., both in Arabic, and the rebranded MTV Live HD will strengthen OSN's engagement with two of the key demographics – children and youth.
From Broadband TV News:
Viacom adds 3 to OSNAlso, from THR.com:
Viacom International Media Networks is to launch three new channels on the OSN pay-TV platform in the Middle East.
Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr and MTV Live HD will launch on January 5. Added to the established VH1, it brings the total number of Viacom channels on the platform to four.
From February Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr will be available in dual language (English and Arabic).
The addition of an Arabic soundtrack is particularly significant as Nickelodeon will be the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic produced in the MENA region; exclusive to OSN.
Raffaele Annecchino, Executive Vice President & Managing Director South Europe, Middle East and Africa, Viacom International Media Networks said: “This partnership with OSN provides an ideal opportunity for VIMN to deliver a wide range of entertainment content to the MENA region. Our kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., along with our music-oriented channels MTV Live HD and VH1, create a perfect balance and provide programming that appeal to audiences ranging from preschoolers to the adult demographic.”
David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said: “With over 200 million youth in the MENA region and nearly 63 per cent of parents preferring to watch TV with their children as per recent research, the new additions make OSN the go-to platform for entertainment for the entire family.”
Viacom channels and content will be also available online through OSN Play.
Viacom Expands Middle East Presence With Three Channel LaunchesAlso, from C21 Media:
Viacom's Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) unit will expand its entertainment networks offering on OSN, a big pay TV operator in the Middle East and North Africa with three new 24-hour channels.
"This announcement signifies Viacom International Media Networks’ decisive move into the region and strengthens its ability to deliver high-quality content appealing to various key age demographics in MENA," Viacom said.
The new channels are Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr. and MTV Live HD, which are set to launch on Jan. 5. The additions will bring the total number of Viacom channels in the region to four. The company has already offered VH1 in the region. VIMN channels and content will be also available on OSN Play, an online viewing platform.
Beginning in February, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. will be available in two languages, namely English and Arabic. Viacom's Dubai Media City team will handle the production of Nickelodeon HD, "transforming it into the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic produced in the MENA region exclusively for OSN," the company said.
Said Raffaele Annecchino, executive vp & managing director South Europe, Middle East and Africa, Viacom International Media Networks: "This partnership with OSN provides an ideal opportunity for VIMN to deliver a wide range of entertainment content to the MENA region. Our kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., along with our music-oriented channels MTV Live HD and VH1, create a perfect balance and provide programming that appeal to audiences ranging from preschoolers to the adult demographic."
Annecchino and his team have grown Viacom's businesses in Southern Europe and Africa. He recently told THR in an interview that there was more upside for the company in the region he oversees.
Arabic Nick nets prep MENA launchAlso, from Variety:
Localised versions of Nickelodeon and Nick Jr are to launch in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) on pay TV network OSN at the beginning of next year.
Nickelodeon HD, Nick Jr and a rebranded MTV Live HD will be available 24 hours a day in the MENA region from January 5.
It will bring the total number of Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN)-owned channels available in MENA to four, along with the existing music network VH1.
VIMN is aiming to make both Nickelodeon HD and preschool channel Nick Jr available in English and Arabic by February.
The international media firm’s Dubai Media City team will take over the production of Nickelodeon HD, making it the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic in MENA, according to VIMN.
Meanwhile, the channels and content will be also available on VoD platform OSN Play, while an exclusive Nick app will also be launched soon.
Nickelodeon is aimed at kids aged between 7-14 and combines animation series such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with live-action sitcoms and formats.
Nick Jr, meanwhile, targets kids aged 3-6 with toons such as Dora and Friends, Paw Patrol and Blaze and the Monster Machines.
Finally, MTV Live HD will offer international music and entertainment programming, as well as coverage of music awards shows such as the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards.
Nico Franks
18-12-2014
©C21Media
GENRES: Animation, Children's
SHOWS: SpongeBob SquarePants
COMPANIES: Nick Jr, Nickelodeon, Viacom International Media Networks
SECTIONS: C21Kids
COUNTRIES: US
Viacom International Makes Major Middle East Move In Pact With OSN (EXCLUSIVE)Additional sources: TBI Vision, Digital TV Europe, RegularCapital.com.
Viacom International Media Networks is making a major move into the Middle East by launching three new 24-hour branded channels, two of which, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr. in dual language, English and Arabic, on Dubai-based OSN, the region’s leading pay-TV player. Besides prominent linear play, the channels will also get multi platform digital distribution in an area with a particularly high density of digital-savvy consumers.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is also an area where Viacom has considerable room for growth.
“We have a very broad geographic reach, however in the MENA region and the Middle East in particular we were relatively underrepresented,” said Viacom International Media Networks CEO and President Robert Bakish.
“If you look at the MENA region, with 113 million TV homes and pay-TV penetration at 15 percent, now up from around 5 percent in the year 2000, it’s a very young population; certainly among the youngest in the world,” Bakish noted. “These factors make it an important market and certainly over the next decade it is without question going to become a very important media market,” he added.
While Viacom previously had branded blocks playing on free-TV in MENA, these channels mark the start of a prominent presence of 24-hour branded channels.
The launch of two kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., and international music channel, MTV Live HD, is a good fit, likely to appeal to key age demographics in the Gulf region. It also opens up significant inroads for Viacom in the lucrative consumer products, entertainment theme parks, and live music events sectors in the Middle East.
The channels will be rolled out in January and the kids’ ones become available in dual language starting in February 2015. Going forward they will also comprise local content, opening up opportunities for producers in the Arab world.
Nickelodeon HD combines globally popular toons and live action shows for kids 7-14 years old, including “SpongeBob,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Breadwinners,” “Henry Danger” and “Sanjay & Craig.” Nick Jr. instead is dedicated to preschoolers 3-6 years old and features top shows in that segment such as “Dora and Friends,” “Paw Patrol” and “Blaze and the Monster Machines.” MTV Live HD offers a wide range of branded live shows and festivals including Isle of MTV and Roskilde and, of course, the MTV Video Music Awards and MTV Europe Music Awards.
There are now a total of four Viacom channels playing on the OSN platform which was already airing its VH1 music station.
“This is a region where 23 percent of the population are a young population under 16, compared with 16 percent in Europe or 19 percent in the U.S,” Viacom’s Executive Vice-President for South Europe and MENA region, Raffele Annechino pointed out.
“By entering directly in a very congenial market with brands like MTV and Nickelodeon we can now develop other recreational activities such as theme parks and bolster our consumer products potential,” he added. Earlier this year, the world’s second Nickeloedeon Store opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In May Annechino oversaw the opening of a large Nickelodeon Land section within Madrid’s main theme park, Parque de Atracciones, featuring Dora the Explorer, Sponge Bob, Rugrats, Ninja Turtles and other characters on rides geared toward children from three to 13. He has similar plans in early stages for the Middle East.
For OSN, which is the top pay-TV player in a region – where, according to Viacom, pay-TV penetration will reach 19 percent of the population by 2019 – the agreement will boost entertainment and educational content offering toward a key demographic and significantly enhance its digital strategy.
“In a few months we will be launching a complementary website as well as an app with Nickelodeon, both in English and in Arabic,” said OSN Senior VP Business Development and Digital Emad Marcos.
“This supports how we are evolving in terms of our proposition to our subscribers, not just a linear proposition but also through a digital proposition as well.”
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