Dubai: STARZ PLAY – the MENA region’s fastest-growing subscription on-demand video service – is aiming to consolidate its dominant regional market share over the next four years, following a record-breaking year of subscriber uptake and new, or renewed, multi-region partnerships in 2018.
The internet-streaming and mobile-based OTT service provider, which already holds the number one spot among regional subscribers, plans to enhance its lofty regional position by releasing up to 50 new shows in 2019, according to Maaz Sheikh, Co-founder and CEO of STARZ PLAY.
Vitally, most of the new shows catalogue will be unique to the STARZ PLAY platform and will air on the same day and time as they debut in the US, said Sheikh, adding further blockbuster movies and popular Arabic series are also a focus for STARZ PLAY next year.
“There is a strong global shift towards OTT subscription services such as STARZ PLAY and this region is no different,” said Sheikh. “Independent reports show that STARZPLAY is the number one OTT provider in the MENA region, with a 26 per cent share of the overall regional market – including Egypt and the Maghreb region of Arab and French-speaking North Africa.
“By 2022, our data and predictions suggest STARZ PLAY will further increase its regional market share to around six million paying subscribers – positioning the brand as the stand-out leader in the OTT streaming segment,” says Sheikh.
With breadth and quality of content remaining the primary conversion factors in regional consumer preferences, STARZ PLAY continued to expand its first-to-market reputation for exclusive series in 2018. The platform added the entire catalogue of The Big Bang Theory, including the hit comedy’s final season, to its listings in September, before launching season 5B of cult action-drama series Vikings, a leading TV Series on STARZ PLAY, in November. The first episode of Vikings season 5B premiered exclusively in Dubai, 24 hours before airing in the US.
Aside from providing new and relevant content based on customer demand, feedback and requests, STARZ PLAY attributes the rapid rise of its customer base to a combination of factors. Firstly, the overall experience – the quality of the service – is extremely high, available in 4D with no delay or buffering; while ease of use, convenience of the user interface and ease of payment have all been instrumental in the service’s meteoric regional rise.
“Thanks to our strong partnerships with Etisalat, Saudi Telecom Company and other regional mobile providers, we offer simple payment options via smart phones and digital devices,” added Sheikh.
At 80 per cent of all STARZ PLAY subscribers, Arabic speakers constitute the majority of its 700,000 users, while 50 per cent of all UAE subscribers are Emirati. STARZ PLAY subscribers are 100 per cent Arabic in Egypt and the Mahgreb, while 85 per cent of its Saudi audience are nationals.
“We have the most on-demand shows offered in the region and provide content we know our subscribers want. The joy of digital is that we can see within half an hour of releasing a new show how popular it is. We listen to our customer needs and our audience want on-demand shows,” said Sheikh.
STARZ PLAY continues to innovate and look for ways to enhance subscriber convenience. For example, this year, the OTT provider signed an exclusive five-year content delivery deal with E-Vision, Etisalat’s IPTV and mobile streaming service; partnered with LG to embed its state-of-the-art video streaming application directly onto LG Smart TVs, and renewed its multi-faceted contract with Disney, extending the partnership to provide viewers with unlimited access to Episodes I-VII of the Star Wars movie franchise.
STARZ PLAY also entered into a joint venture with Cinepax , Pakistan’s premier movie exhibition company, in 2018 to launch ‘STARZ PLAY by Cinepax’ - an exciting new service granting subscribers access to thousands of hours of blockbuster hits and Pakistani favourites.
-Ends-
About STARZ PLAY
STARZ PLAY (www.starzplay.com) is a subscription video on demand service that streams Hollywood movies, TV shows, documentaries, kids’ entertainment and same-day-as-the-US series – plus dedicated Arabic and Bollywood content – to 19 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The service carries thousands of premium titles including exclusive STARZ Original content such as Power, Outlander, Spartacus and The White Queen.
STARZ PLAY allows subscribers to watch its full HD and 4K content via most internet-enabled devices, smart TVs and game consoles, and is widely available on regional IPTV services. Its iOS and Android apps – installed on more than three million devices – also allow downloads for offline playback.
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) and State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) are the lead investors along with media and technology investment firms including SEQ Capital Partners and Delta Partners.
For media enquiries:
Dana Oraibi
M: 00 971 55 589 6494
E: starzplay@actionprgroup.com
Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
