Dubai, 20 September 2010: MBC Group recently launched a new version of Shahid.net, the first free  " video-on-demand " website in the region. It is the first website of its kind to provide series, programs, cartoons, documentaries from the content of MBC channels as well as other Arabic non acquired content on screen. Launched with over 90 titles, the website offers prime time show programming, twenty six of which are new Ramadan releases that cover almost every genre, from comedy, to drama and gaming.

Shahid.net  is key in shaping the digital content industry and the online advertising industry in the region. Advertisers can now extend their television ads online by using the very same 30 second spots that run on TV and not just rely on banners, graphics and flash animation.

Commenting on the launch, Dr. Ammar Bakkar, head of New Media at MBC Group, said" This website is expected to have an impact on TV viewing and video content, how brands advertise online and how content owners distribute their content through online channels."

Research studies have confirmed the effectiveness of online TV advertising and its influence on brand recognition and return on investment.  Shahid.net received around 1.6 million users and 5.3 million visits during the month of Ramadan. 

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About MBC Group
MBC Group was established in 1991 as the first pan-Arab free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World.  Over the past 19 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 7 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), and Al Arabiya (the 24-hour Arabic language news channel); two radio stations: MBC FM (Gulf music), and panorama fm (contemporary Arabic hit music); as well as O3 productions, a specialized documentary production unit, and Middle East News agency (MEN), a news gathering agency.   It has also several online platforms: www.mbc.net, www.alarabiya.net, and www.alaswaq.net.

For further information, please contact:
Joyce Baz
MBC PR
Tel: + 971 4 391 999 ext 2790
Email: Joyce.Baz@MBC.net  

© Press Release 2010