180 hours of original content monthly and 3 exclusive Arabic series
Second Arabic free-to-air channel by Zee Entertainment Enterprises will telecast Hindustani, Banaat Al Jameaa and Banat Al Alilah - three popular Arabic series
Programming includes popular Indian serials dubbed in Arabic
Marks a new chapter in Arab- India collaboration in television production
Dubai, UAE; September 9, 2012: Zee Entertainment Enterprises, today announced a US$100 million investment in Zee Alwan, the second Arabic channel by Asia's largest television provider, which marks its grand launch on September 12, 2012.
Zee Alwan will have over 180 hours of original programming monthly with three Arabic series offered exclusively on the free-to-air channel. The programme roster also includes popular Indian serials that have been dubbed into Arabic, in addition to a range of lifestyle shows including cookery, yoga, and travel - all carefully structured to appeal to Arab audiences.
Mukund Cairae, CEO - Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, Zee Entertainment Enterprise LLC, said: "Zee Alwan has received overwhelming response from Arab audiences across the Gulf region, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia following its soft launch. With the grand roll-0ut, we are further strengthening the programming of Zee Alwan, with a focus on providing original Arabic content. Zee Alwan's niche of providing exclusive Arabic series - produced in the Gulf region as well as the dubbed Indian productions - sets a new trend in family television entertainment in the Middle East."
He added: "With Zee Alwan, we are also creating a new platform for talent collaboration between the Arab world and India. This will benefit the creative community in the region, and add to the historic cultural linkages that have existed between Arabia and India for over several centuries."
Zee Alwan follows the launch of Zee Aflam, a dedicated 24x7 movie channel beaming Bollywood movies dubbed in Arabic. The two Arabic channels underline Zee's long-term commitment to the Arab world and to leverage the growing popularity of Bollywood and Indian television content among Arab audiences.
Patrick Samaha, VP - Marketing & Sales of Zee Alwan & General Manager of Zee Aflam in the Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan, said: "The launch of Zee Alwan sets a new benchmark for the Arab television industry, as it focuses on offering wholesome family entertainment. Providing opportunity for several Arab creative professionals to showcase their talent to a wide audience, Zee Alwan's USP is its content - ranging from family serials to lifestyle shows for women, youngsters and the entire family."
Zee Alwan's line up of Arabic serials include the hugely popular Hindustani, the first Saudi Arabian musical and comedy with a prominent cast, making its first and exclusive free-to-air channel telecast. Other Arabic serials, also to be telecast exclusively on the channel, include the Khaleeji series Banaat Al Jameaa, depicting the story of life after high school and the advantages and disadvantages that young men and women endure at school and within their families; and the Syrian drama Banat Al Alilah, a tale of a guarded secret shared by an aunt and her niece.
The popular Indian serials that have amassed millions in viewership, and have been dubbed in Arabic for Zee Alwan include: Malekat Jhansi, which narrates the tale of the courageous Rani Laxmi Bai, a name that stands for bravery and heroism; Alwa'ad, following the lives of three sisters from a hill resort who are brought together when their parents pass away; and Lalli, in which the protagonist discovers the positive side of life despite being subject to a life of poverty.
The array of lifestyle shows on Zee Alwan include celebrated Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor's Konooz Khanaa that highlights the finer delicacies in Indian cuisine; Yoga for You¸ a health and fitness show which introduces the ancient Indian practice of Yoga and the health benefits that one can attain by practising it regularly; and Full Circle, a travel show that takes viewers to the Far East and the Pacific, illustrating various lifestyles and cultures.
All the programmes respect the sensitivities of Arab audiences, especially women. Zee Alwan also has several Arab female anchors to present the shows, provide recaps on earlier episodes, and present vignettes from upcoming episodes. The channel, transmitted from Dubai, with an operational office in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, can be accessed through frequency 12417 on Nilesat and 12111 on Arabsat.
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About Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited:
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zee) is one of India's leading television media and entertainment companies. It is amongst the largest producers of aggregators of Hindi programming in the world, with an extensive library housing over 1000,000 hours of television content. With rights to more than 3,000 movie titles from foremost studios and of iconic film stars, Zee houses the world's largest Hindi film library. Through its strong presence worldwide, Zee entertains over 650 million viewers across 168 countries. Zee has been selected Business Superbrands 2010-11, Industry Validated.
Pioneer of television entertainment industry in India, Zee's well-known brands include Zee TV, Zee Cinema, Zee Premier, Zee Action, Zee Classic, Zee Smile, 9X, Ten Sports, Ten Cricket, Ten Action+, Zee Cafe, Zee Studio, Zee Trendz, Zee Jagran, Zee Salaam, Zing, ETC Music and Zee Khana Khazana. The company also has a strong offering in the regional language domain with channels such as Zee Marathi, Zee Talkies, Zee Bangla, Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada, Zee Cinemalu and ETC Punjabi. Zee and its affiliate companies have leading presence across the media value chain including television broadcasting, cable distribution, direct-to-home satellite services, digital media, multiplexes, amusement parks and print media amongst others. www.zeetelevision.com.
For further information, please contact:
Kelly Home / Linda AbdulHay
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971 4) 4560700
kelly.home@bm.com, linda.abdulhay@bm.com
© Press Release 2012
