Comedy Central Arabia plans to ramp up its production of locally-produced long-form and short-form content in 2020, according to Tracey Grant, VP of content and channels for Viacom International Media Networks in the Middle East.
Viacom International is the company that oversees the production, broadcasting and promotion of Viacom brands outside the United States, including Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Spike and Paramount Channel.
In an interview with Arabian Business, Grant said Comedy Central plans to increase its production of Arabic-language and locally relevant short-form content that is consumed via digital platforms and social media.
“We produce what we call long-form, the traditional broadcast content for Comedy Central’s linear channel, and that is kind of our priority,” she said. “At the same time, we also know that content is consumed in a variety of ways.”
Grant added that “from a 360-degree touchpoint kind of view, we now have to have content that is accessible via social media and online, as well through the pay TV linear channel.”
‘Glocal’ content
As an example, Grant pointed to ‘Bad Snappers’, a short-form online show produced exclusively for Instagram, Facebook and online.
The show was originally a UK series of 60-second shorts focusing on social media use and misuse, before being remade in the Middle East last year to feature Arab comedians Rima Iskandarani and Frial Abdelrazak.
“We run episodes week on week on Facebook and Instagram and reach more than 5 million viewers across the region,” she said. “We were able to take a Comedy Central [international] format and produce something locally that resonates. It’s a theme that’s recognisable worldwide.”
More recently, in April this year, Comedy Central Arabia introduced MENA episodes of the digital show ‘Comedians Solve World Problems’, a series in which comedians delve into pressing contemporary issues ranging from mental health to family issues and money. The series also has localised versions in a number of countries including the United States, Italy, France, South Africa and Brazil.
“Season 2 will launch after the summer. We’re touching on topics that are kind of global, but in a very local way,” Grant added. “That short-form way of adapting that content is almost like the new piloting system.”
‘Comedy Central Presents’
Additionally, Grant said that Comedy Central Arabia has been encouraged by the success of Comedy Central Presents ‘Menna w Fina’, a series of eight locally produced stand-up specials filmed in front of a live audience in Dubai and Jeddah. The show – which first aired in March – is available both on TV and through OSN Play.
“This is our big success story….these are comedians that have been performing and delivering for a long time, and we progressed and evolved into ‘Comedy Central Presents’,” she explained. “We’re about to launch season 2 in October.”
“We have a variety of other content that we’ve produced,” Grant added. “We have done a variety of formats and genres are looking to accelerate our production in 2020 as well.”
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