Arab Media Group to get aggressive in TV

Arab Media Group, the Dubai Government's communications company, has set its sights on the television market with the launch of a new division, Arabian Broadcasting Network (ABN). The company plans to roll out a series of satellite TV channels and digital broadcast services over the next 12 months and has already agreed to a deal with MTV to launch its Arabic music channel MTV Arabiya later this year. MTV Arabiya will be launched through ABN's subsidiary, the Arabian Television Network (ATN), which will have production and broadcasting facilities in Studio City.

"Our partnership with MTV is a significant step in our long-term strategic vision to offer an international channel dedicated to Arab music and culture," says Abdullatif Al Sayegh, CEO of Arab Media Group and the ABN. "All of us in the team are excited about MTV Arabiya's forthcoming launch, and look forward to developing additional growth opportunities in the region."

MTV Arabiya will be a 24-hour, free-to-air channel catering to the Arabic-speaking youth audience across the pan-Arab region. It will feature music videos, animated programmes, reality shows and comedies, including some locally produced content. The channel is keen to target the region's mobile phone users by offering streamed content to handsets, along with a dedicated Arabic language MTV web site. An announcement on the launch date of MTV Arabiya is expected to be made within the next three months.