|
|
|
MBC
MBC boss says Arabic TV shows too expensive
Fri, 2008-05-23 21:14 - By
0
Comments
Sheikh Walid Al-Ibrahim, chairman of The Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) Group, has warned that the exaggerated prices of Arabic TV serial programmes is pushing broadcasters to buy up non-Arab alternatives instead.
Al-Ibrahim said that Arab soap operas, particularly those with Arab celebrities, are grossly overpriced, reported Al-Arabiya News on Wednesday.
"I am delivering a straightforward message to Arab producers and telling them that if they insist on these exaggerated prices, MBC will take the initiative and look for substitutes," Al-Ibrahim said in an interview with weekly Arabic magazine, Laha ('For Her').
These alternatives included Turkish and Mexican soap operas dubbed in Arabic, which the channel has already bought and which have proven to be popular with Arab viewers.
"Audience ratings for the Turkish soap Sanawat Al-Dayaa ['Years of Loss'] are higher than the Egyptian series, which are sometimes produced for purely commercial reasons and are written and shot hastily, undoubtedly affecting the quality," Al-Ibrahim said.
"The Turkish series, on the other hand, has a well-knit plot that attracts the audience," he said.
MBC runs a mixture of news and entertainment channels like Al-Arabiya News, and is headquartered in Dubai Media City, UAE.
Al Arabiya | Know More
Sat, 2008-02-09 21:09 - By
0
Comments
“Know More” a vigorous campaign for Al Arabiya launched last year, but deserves to be revisited. The creative agency behind it is Grey Worldwide Dubai. The campaign aims to communicate Al Arabiya’s promise of reliable and credible news, despite the surrounding conditions. Each visual features an image of conflict areas in the Middle East, such as Palestine and Lebanon, while the copy presents messages related to these visuals like “In good times, and bad” and “Are you with us, or against us”. Interesting camping indeed!
MBC2 to launch website for 'short films' to showcase Arab creativity
Wed, 2007-10-31 06:21 - By
5
Comments
ITP.Net reports that the 24-hour movie channel MBC2 has announced plans to launch a website for short movies in December, which it expects may become the ‘YouTube of the Middle East'.
The announcement comes as the TV channel launches its new Movies in Motion competition in the UAE along with Nokia. The competition gives budding directors in colleges and universities around the country a chance to submit a two-minute movie using a Nokia N93 phone, which will be provided by the firm.
The competition is being launched with a road show that will take a team of industry experts to approximately 20 UAE schools and universities where they will offer participating students a crash course in movie production, from storyboard creation to, making the final cut.
Read more here.
du partners with MBC for exclusive 3G mobile content during this Ramadan
Wed, 2007-09-12 17:22 - By
0
Comments
As a step towards offering a rich bouquet of mobile content during Ramadan, the UAE's new telecom operator du and MBC, the leading broadcasting group in the Middle East, have announced a partnership for offering exclusive mobile content for du customers.
Mobile content will be on offer during the Holy month of Ramadan up until Eid al-Fitr.
The content is set to include new and exclusive Mobi-sodes (short versions of the TV episodes) from the famous MBC shows Tash Ma Tash, Baini Wo Bainak & Land of the Prophets. MBC is producing this type of drama mobisodes for the first time in the Middle East and it will be offered to mobile users exclusively on du network.
Commenting on yet another milestone innovation Osman Sultan, CEO, du says: '3G is the future in mobile telephony and the potential of 3G value-added services is vast. Tying up with a TV network as big as MBC we will be strengthening our portfolio of 3G value-added services. 3G customers will be able to watch their favorite local TV shows like Tash Ma Tash and others for the very first time on their mobile phones. Not just this, we are also going to offer various WAP-enabled websites on mobiles that will offer ways to express themselves and access vital information.
Group Director of New Media for MBC, Dr. Ammar Bakkar says, 'Mobile phones offer the convenience of portability and we are glad to partner with du to see popular TV shows such as Tash Ma Tash, Baini Wo Bainak & 'Land of the Prophets' come alive for the very first time on mobile phones. In association with a technology-focused telecom company like du, we intend to offer many more services that will touch the hearts and lives of 3G mobile customers in the UAE as MBC is also focusing on providing the highest quality in terms of mobile content and offerings."
MBC Dubai planning for HDTV
Wed, 2007-08-22 18:45 - By
0
Comments
By Chris Forrester
Middle East Broadcasting (MBC), the Dubai-based Arabic broadcaster, is readying for HDTV.
MBC has just installed a Ross Syngergy-3 MD-X production Multi-definition switcher, which interfaces with Sony's VTRs and Routers, as well as with the broadcaster's playout and ingest systems, as part of its equipment upgrading towards HDTV.
"We have had a great experience with Ross switchers in the past, they're reliable, easy to use, and flexible," said Omran Abdallah, Senior Broadcast Manager, MBC. "We are confident with our decision to go with Ross for our HD upgrade."
MBC went on air in 1991, and relocated from London to Dubai's Media City in 2002. Since then it has launched a number of new free to air channels including Al Arabiya (news) as well as MBC2 (movies), 3 (kids), 4 (women) and MBC Action. It is backed by Saudi Arabian cash. - (c) Rapid TV News 2007
