Agreement to facilitate launch of brand new Discovery Networks channels, DKids HD, DLife HD and DMAX HD

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 23 Aug, 2016

Discovery Networks today announced it has signed an agreement with du as its official playout and distribution service provider across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. As a result of the agreement, du will offer its expertise to manage the transmission of Discovery's latest channels, DKids HD, DLife HD and DMAX HD, which launched on Monday 1 August, exclusively on beIN.

DKids HD, DLife HD and DMAX HD are the brand new channels from Discovery Networks, showcasing an entertaining mixture of children's, lifestyle and fact-based programming, thoughtfully curated for the entire family and all presented in stunning High Definition (HD) format. All three channels join Fatafeat as Discovery's portfolio of local networks, broadcast from Dubai via du's facilities.

"We are incredibly pleased to extend our partnership with du as our preferred playout service provider for DKids, DLife and DMAX," said Amanda Turnbull, VP & Country Manager, Discovery Networks MENA. "du has been our  trusted partner since several years, having broadcast Fatafeat since 2006. Thanks to their unparalleled expertise, we can now expand our regional presence even further, with a portfolio of truly localized channels, curated for and to be enjoyed by our MENA audiences."  

Hany Fahmy Aly, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Business, du, said: "We are excited to continue being a trusted partner of Discovery in their regional expansion plans. This demonstrates our position as a top provider of broadcast services in the region, and we are committed to continue providing Discovery with world-class and award-winning facilities, manned by best-in-class talent from du."

Jamal Al Sharif, Managing Director of Dubai Studio City (DSC), said, "We are pleased that many global media players like Discovery Networks are benefitting from our modern facilities and high-tech media infrastructure. The fact that these new channels will be broadcast from Dubai as the first site in the region, and among only a few globally, is a testament to Dubai's position as the regional leader in the media industry."

"The media sector's vital role in shaping socio- economic ecosystems is undeniable, and Dubai continues to drive this transformation in the region. Dubai Studio City has been at the forefront of all of the industry's developments, and we are committed to continue pioneering its growth through our media communities and playing a leading role in the implementation of UAE Vision 2021 and the innovation strategy." 

DKids HD, is the home of 'smart fun' programming, with child-friendly content, such as new animated series Earth to Luna (Sunday - Thursday at 17:00 KSA), that encourages young viewers to get active and explore the world around them. DLife HD features a variety of stimulating and moving content designed to encourage viewers to reach higher and experience life differently, including programming from self-help gurus Jo Frost (Jo Frost: Extreme Parental Guidance Mondays at 19:00 KSA) and Dr Nandi (Ask Dr Nandi Thursday, 1 September at 19:00 KSA). While DMAX, through brand new series such as Life Below Zero (Sunday - Thursday at 20:15 KSA), will offer Middle Eastern thrill seekers a dedicated channel for everything adventure based, with key genres including extreme outdoor, survival and military.

DKids HD is available on beIN channel 141; DLife HD is available on beIN channel 106; and DMAX HD is available on beIN channel 114.

Discovery Networks has been broadcasting across the Middle East and North Africa for over seventeen years and now boasts a strong presence in the region, with a portfolio of eleven Pay-TV channels and one free-to-air channel, Quest Arabiya in partnership with Image Nation. More than just a linear broadcaster, Discovery also has a growing off-air presence, including a successful digital offering led by its flagship food channel Fatafeat, and most recently a retail store and consumer experience activation for Discovery Channel, thanks to its partnership with Emaar Entertainment. The addition of DKids, DLife and DMAX, strengthens Discovery's position as one of the leading international broadcasters in the region. 

du teleport features 20+ downlink and 40 Uplink antennas, and it operates 25 DTH platforms on main satellite platforms including Nilesat, Arabsat, Hotbird, Intelsat and YahSat. Overall it serves more than 300 TV and radio channels.

du's teleport is at the heart of video fiber services that connect du's various Media POPs in Dubai with the rest of the world. It is devoted to provide a comprehensive set of platforms on satellite, Media Fiber, Digital Asset Management and OTT solutions to connect our customers with end users and accelerate their growth. Our solutions help our customers to rapidly monetise content and grow their profitability.

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About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com

For further information about Discovery, please contact:
Naomi Powell - Brown
PR Manager, Discovery Networks
Mobile: +44 (0) 7824 319 633
Email: naomi_powell-brown@discovery.com

About du
We started operating in 2007, offering mobile and fixed telephony, broadband connectivity and IPTV services. Today, we serve more than 8 million individual customers and over 80,000 businesses in the UAE. We also provide carrier services for businesses and satellite up/downlink services for TV broadcasters.

We won the Gallup Great Workplace Award. Our recruitment strategy aims to provide fulfilling opportunities for quality talent in a cosmopolitan working environment where more than 60 nationalities work 35% of which are Emiratis. We are the first telecom company in the world to release a Sustainability Report based on GRI-G4 comprehensive guidelines. Among our other laurels, we also have the credit of being the first in the UAE to be awarded with prestigious LEED Platinum certification for 2 of our green retail outlet.

du is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Development Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates International Telecommunications Company LLC and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name 'du'.

For further information, please contact:
Maryam Al Balooshi
PR Lead (Corporate) Commercial
du
Mobile: +971559530523
Email: Maryam.AlBalooshi@du.ae

Layal Dalal
Communications Manager
LeoComm PR
Email: layal.dalal@leocommpr.com 

About Dubai Studio City
Dubai Studio City (DSC), part of TECOM Group, a member of Dubai Holding, is home to world class production companies, talent, facilities and infrastructure for the production, broadcast and content creation industries, and offers investors in movie and TV production have the opportunity to build bespoke facilities on a significant and prime land bank.  Home to global and regional production companies, DSC aims to establish Dubai as the region's epicentre for the production, broadcast and content creation industries. DSC has been operating since 2005, and has a wealth of experience, playing host to major industry players at a local, regional and global level as well as industry experts who are well positioned to act as thought leaders for the industry. DSC offers a variety of commercial space offerings to its business partners including warehouses and workshops, as well as its world-class Sound Stages, the largest of their kind in the region, which are specifically designed to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of the high growth entertainment industry.

For more information please visit: www.dubaistudiocity.ae

© Press Release 2016