If you watch TV in the GCC, chances are you watch MBC By H. Alexandra Bassett Despite two decade’s worth of new entrants to the Middle East’s satellite broadcast industry that have brought the number of available FTA (free‐to‐air) channels in the GCC close to 600 in number, one network across the board consistently sweeps the broadcast ratings, and that’s MBC (Middle East Broadcasting Centre). Headquartered in Dubai, MBC Group airs a variety of sports, news and entertainment choices in English, Arabic and Farsi and garners approximately 40% of the pan‐Arab viewership across the MENA region, with the affluent Saudi Arabian and Gulf states ranking highest among its regular audience base, says a recent report published by the Dubai Press Club. 1 This impressive figure is no small feat if you consider some of the major challenges that broadcasters face in the region: the fragmentation of the pan‐Arab marketplace, where viewership is based on a vast geography and widely‐varying local and national preferences; the abundance of FTA channel choices with diverse content that encourage frequent channel surfing; and the growing popularity of unstructured media viewing habits, mostly in the youth segment (age 15‐35,) brought on by the Internet, VoD (Video on Demand), piracy and the digital media boom, just to name a few. Add to this that MBC’s main competitors – Rotana / LBC, Dubai Media Inc., Al Jazeera and Abu Dhabi TV ‐ all invest heavily in quality content, inking major deals with big, 1 The ‘Arab Media Outlook 2009‐2013’ report Page 1 of 3 western, media‐production moguls and sports league franchises, one might ask how it is that MBC manages to maintain its market leadership in such a highly‐competitive and rapidly‐expanding media landscape? A closer look at MBC’s thematic programming strategy points in large part to the answer: over the past eighteen years, MBC has grown into a multi‐channel platform with a growing range of premium offerings that cater to a pan‐Arab audience with different local cultures, tastes and requirements, including Persian demographics. Each of its nine channels – MBC 1, MBC 2, MBC 3, MBC 4, MBC Max, MBC Action, MBC Persia, MBC +, and Al Arabiya ‐ is clearly identified and positioned via content and promotions to target specific audience segments based on age, gender and differing cultural interests and backgrounds. Viewers know exactly what to expect from each channel in terms of genre programming and know they can rely on MBC for a mix of high‐quality, western entertainment, such as Hollywood movies, hit TV series, and top‐rated news and talk shows, in addition to diverse, unique and informative Arabic programming that includes both original and acquired content, including the highly‐acclaimed 24‐hour news and current affairs channel, Al Arabiya. Additionally, MBC’s careful and insightful programming points to one thing that its vast audience base shares in common, wherever they may be watching, and that’s Arabic family values. MBC’s anchor channel, MBC 1, has been offering general family entertainment since its launch and, to date, still receives the highest ratings of all of MBC’s offerings. Page 2 of 3 On the business side of things, advertisers have come to know MBC as a network that caters to an educated and affluent pan‐Arab market segment that consistently turns to MBC for quality TV. The company has also kept up with the times and offers creative advertising such as sponsorships and branded content opportunities, plus value‐added exposure via its multi‐media broadcast and online platforms, to attract and keep its advertisers. Indeed, MBC Group seems to understand its consumers and the Middle East broadcast market very well, and thus, the company’s future looks very bright: its diversification efforts include Shahed Online, an Internet‐based platform that allows viewers to watch MBC’s programming online; the MBC Plus Channel, a pay‐TV portal that offers ‘first‐to‐ air’ VoD programming for viewers who want to watch the latest FTA shows 24‐hours before broadcast; and ventures into iPhone applications and mobile TV that have helped to capture a young and tech‐savvy audience. In conclusion, it’s not only due to the sheer variety of targeted programming, but also the high quality of its program content, paired with strategic business development initiatives that have helped MBC skyrocket to the top as the Middle East’s favourite channel. My guess is that, as one beloved says to another after many years in a successful partnership, “the best is yet to come!” Page 3 of 3 .