MBC selects Arabsat to exclusively carry HD, sports content
Details
Rebecca Hawkes
| 22 May 2017

Pan-Arab broadcaster MBC is now broadcasting its HD and MBC Pro Sports channels across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) solely via the Arabsat satellite fleet located in orbit at 26°E.

These channels will no longer be carried by any other satellite operator in the region, a switch that formed part of a strategic partnership agreement reached by Arabsat and MBC Group in August 2016.

“Today we are proceeding with what we started back in August 2016 – when we inaugurated our strategic partnership with Arabsat – by broadcasting MBC HD bouquet and MBC Pro Sports exclusively on Arabsat satellites,” said Sam Barnett, CEO, MBC Group.

“We are aiming at completing our shift to Arabsat to provide our viewers with an incredible range of safe and anti-piracy TV entertainment with crystal clear picture and sound quality using the latest broadcasting technology available around the clock,” added Barnett.

Khalid Balkhyour, president & CCO, Arabsat said: “We are extremely proud of MBC’s trust in Arabsat satellites’ capabilities and extremely happy, at the same time, with the developing of our strategic partnership with the [MBC] Group.

“This agreement will further grow our HD neighbourhood and will reinforce our HD dominance in MENA, turning our exclusive orbital position 26°E into the favourable destination for the Arab viewer. We are currently working closely with many other TV entities to broadcast exclusively on Arabsat satellites,” added Balkheyour.

Arabsat is also working with Dubai-based MBC to fight content piracy and safeguard intellectual property rights.