Abu Dhabi Media agrees content streaming deal with TV.ae

Programming in English and Arabic will be available spanning from talk shows to dramas and documentaries and sports for a monthly fee of about Dh29.

Abu Dhabi Media on Monday completed a deal with the online streaming service TV.ae to broadcast content from the Abu Dhabi television network from the website.

Coinciding with the start of Ramadan, users can enjoy shows featured on Abu Dhabi TV and Al Emarat, such as Khiyanat Watan Min Riwayat Ritaj.

Programming in English and Arabic will be available spanning talk shows to dramas and documentaries and sports for a monthly fee of about Dh29.

“The launch of TV.ae is an important shift for digital media in the UAE, as well as the region in general,” said Ali Al Shaiba, the chief executive of TV.ae.

Unlike standard cable deals, the agreement will bring content to users without a long-term contract.

At the beginning of the year, the subscription streaming service Netflix was launched in the UAE, seeking to tap the growth in on-demand content.

Mr Al Shaiba said that the market had a strong need for increased streaming services as regional internet usage was up to more than 128 million users. “More than 80 per cent of these are under 35 years old, which makes the spread of online tele­vision very important,” he said.

TV.ae subscribers will have access to more than 6,000 hours of content available on multiple mobile devices simultaneously.

“At Abu Dhabi Media, we seek to continue developing our ­media platforms diversifying our reach to all members of society, and capitalising on our position on a regional level,” said Abdul Hadi Al Sheikh, the executive director of television at Abu Dhabi Media.

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