Subscribers can access seven MBC HD Channels in addition to the existing HD sports, film, and entertainment premium offerings at no additional cost
Abu Dhabi, December 19th, 2011: Abu Dhabi TV Network announced today it is expanding its premium content offering available on the AD SPORTS set-top box to include seven MBC High Definition (HD) Channels. The addition complements the existing HD content available, giving viewers up to 18 HD channels covering sports, movies, documentaries, series, news, and family content.
At no additional cost, AD SPORTS set-top box subscribers will now be able to view: MBC 1, MBC 2, MBC 4, MBC DRAMA, MBC ACTION, MBC MAX and AL ARABIYA News Channel all in HD. As part of the partnership, MBC will also feature AD SPORTS' exclusive Barclays Premiere League (BPL) highlights on MBC1 and AL ARABIYA News Channel.
Malcolm Wall, CEO of Abu Dhabi Media explained: "Our partnership with MBC reinforces our commitment to provide viewers with the best in world-class HDTV content across genres. Now, with the ADTV Network, the entire family can view their favorite programming in just one place through our AD SPORTS set-top box."
Commenting on the partnership from MBC Group, Sam Barnett, CEO, said: "HD is becoming increasingly popular across the region and MBC channels have a large following. We're delighted that through this partnership, people with an AD SPORTS set-top box will be able to watch the MBC HD bouquet of channels."
Mohammed Windawee, Director of Distribution at MBC Group said: "Adding MBC HD bouquet to the AD SPORTS package is another milestone for MBC Group to push a total HD shift in the Middle East, and we have seen the shift happening quicker than we originally anticipated. We expect the total shift from SD to HD to take place at a similar pace."
In addition to the MBC channels, the AD SPORTS set-top box already offers all 380 Barclays Premier League games, other live international sporting events such as F1, WWE and Grand Slam Tennis as well as Fox movies HD, Fox HD, Sky News HD, Nat Geo Wild HD, and Nat Geo Adventure HD.
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Abu Dhabi Media is a leading media organization in the Middle East, with businesses in free and pay television, radio, publishing, digital media, games, feature films, music, digital signage, outside broadcast/production and printing.
The company manages over 20 market-leading brands such as the TV channels Abu Dhabi Al Oula, Abu Dhabi Riyadiya/AD Sports; Emarat FM and Star FM radio stations; Al Ittihad and The National newspapers; Majid and Zahrat Al Khaleej magazines; the websites, anazahra.com and admcsport.com; and subsidiaries Image Nation, LIVE and United Printing Press. Abu Dhabi Media partners with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment on VEVO, the world's leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform, and with National Geographic on National Geographic Abu Dhabi, the Arabic language television channel and National Geographic Al Arabiya magazine.
About MBC Group
MBC Group is the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World which was launched in London in 1991 and later moved to its headquarters in Dubai in 2002. Over the past 20 years, MBC Group has grown to become a well-established media group that enriches people's lives through information, interaction and entertainment. Based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, MBC Group includes 10 television channels: MBC1 (general family entertainment), MBC2 and MBC MAX (24-hour movies), MBC3 (children's entertainment), MBC4 (entertainment for new Arab women), MBC Action (action series and movies), MBC Persia (24-hour movie channel dubbed in Farsi) , Al Arabiya (the 24-hour Arabic language news channel); Wanasah (24-hour Arabic music channel) and MBC DRAMA coinciding with the Group's 20th anniversary, and offers 24/7 Arabic Drama; the Group also includes two radio stations: MBC FM (Gulf music), and Panorama FM (contemporary Arabic hit music); as well as O3 productions, a specialized documentary production unit. It has also several online platforms: www.mbc.net, www.alarabiya.net and www.shahid.net, the first free VOD portal in the Arab world.
For more information, please contact:
Omar Abed Rabbo
Senior Manager, Communications
Abu Dhabi Media
Omar.abedrabbo@admedia.ae
Ruba Al Ayed
Group PR Manager
MBC Group
Email: ruba.alayed@mbc.net
Mobile: +971566038358
© Press Release 2011