MBC GROUP joins forces with Netflix

28 July 2025

MBC GROUP joins forces with Netflix

MBC GROUP, the largest and leading media organisation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), announces a groundbreaking new regional partnership with Netflix, one of the world’s leading entertainment services.

This first-of-this-kind partnership for Netflix in the Middle East and North Africa will give customers of MBCNOW – the recently launched entertainment service aggregator by MBC GROUP – seamless access to the full Netflix service. The newly created bundle will combine Netflix alongside Shahid, the world’s Arabic streaming platform, in addition to Linear TV channels, in one simple subscription.

This exciting new offering – bringing together two streaming giants under one roof – has never been seen before in MENA and promises to cater to the varied viewing preferences of families from the GCC, wider Arab world, and beyond. Featuring an extensive variety of content, including critically acclaimed series, documentaries, films, and more, there’s something for everyone this season with MBCNOW.

Fadel Zahreddine, Group Director of Emerging Media at MBC GROUP, commented: “This groundbreaking partnership is one for the books. To have two streaming giants – Shahid and Netflix – come together under one platform is something never seen before in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and wider MENA, and we’re very excited for what’s to come.”

“We’re thrilled to have MBC GROUP join forces with Netflix to bring its content to our audiences under the convenience of a single subscription. This collaboration is part of our ongoing commitment to provide unparalleled global and local experiences for our audiences in the region. This is definitely the future of streaming and content consumption.” added Bhanu Chaddha, Director of Distribution and TV Products at MBC GROUP.”

On his part, Mohammed Al Kuraishi, Head of Business Development and Partnerships, Middle East and Africa at Netflix said. “We are delighted to partner with MBC GROUP to bring our members in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the region easy access to our service and an incredible variety of international and Arabic shows, movies, documentaries, kids content, stand-ups, Live- events, and games. This partnership brings unparalleled entertainment offering to our members and puts them at the heart of the entertainment experience.”

Launched February 2025, MBCNOW offers an unmatched approach to content consumption for Saudi and wider Arab audiences. Transcending traditional TV viewing, MBCNOW has been designed to seamlessly bridge the gap between digital streaming and traditional broadcast television – bringing together MBC’s award-winning channels, as well as Shahid, all in one destination.

With the new Netflix agreement, MBC GROUP brings forward a distinctive bundle through MBCBNOW:

Shahid + Netflix Pack: Combines the best of Arabic and international content, featuring Shahid’s vast library of award-winning Arabic TV shows, films, and documentaries, along with Netflix’s full catalogue. This bundle features a saving of more than or 21% compared to individual subscriptions.

Now available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across all major retailers and eCommerce stores, MBCNOW is the go-to hub for all entertainment needs. For more information on MBCNOW’s offers, options, and availability, as well as its brand-new bundle with Shahid and Netflix, please visit: mbc-now.net.

[Source: MBC press release]

Joint statement on Gaza from AFP, AP, BBC News and Reuters

24 July 2025

Joint statement on Gaza from AFP, AP, BBC News and Reuters

“We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families. For many months, these independent journalists have been the world’s eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering.

“Journalists endure many deprivations and hardships in warzones. We are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of them.

“We once again urge the Israeli authorities to allow journalists in and out of Gaza. It is essential that adequate food supplies reach the people there.”

US District Court Orders USAGM to Pay RFE/RL for Rest of Fiscal Year

19 July 2025

US District Court Orders USAGM to Pay RFE/RL for Rest of Fiscal Year

Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has granted Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)’s request for a preliminary injunction in its lawsuit against the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

In his ruling, the judge ordered USAGM to timely disburse RFE/RL’s remaining congressionally appropriated funds for fiscal year 2025, concluding that the agency’s conditioning of funds on the imposition of onerous new grant terms and failure to engage in good-faith negotiations with RFE/RL violate the law.

Judge Lamberth wrote: “As far as this Court is aware, it is unprecedented for an agency to demand that entirely new terms govern its decades-old working relationship with a grantee entity and then stop responding, particularly when the agency is statutorily obligated to grant yearly congressional appropriations to that specific entity by name.” The Court stated that “USAGM’s flagrant disregard for its funding responsibilities” has caused RFE/RL to suffer “mass furloughs, cancelation of programming, and inevitable damage to the global influence that RFE/RL has built over decades.”

President and CEO Stephen Capus said:

“Today’s ruling by the Court is the culmination of relentless legal efforts to compel USAGM to release the funding necessary to carry out RFE/RL’s vital mission. Time and again, the Court has ruled in our favor on the basic issue of the release of our congressionally appropriated funds.

This victory provides our journalists with the momentum necessary to continue reaching the nearly 47 million people each week who rely on our journalism for the facts and to counter malicious propaganda from authoritarian governments. Now more than ever, we cannot cede the information space to tyrants.

With this ruling, RFE/RL can continue to advance U.S. national security interests.”

Prof. Mehmet Zahid Sobacı Reappointed as the Director General of TRT

16 July 2025

Prof. Mehmet Zahid Sobacı Reappointed as the Director General of TRT

Prof. Mehmet Zahid Sobacı has been reappointed as the Director General of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), a role he has held since July 2021. Following his reappointment, Prof. Sobacı stated, “As we have done over the past four years, we will continue to work to advance our accomplishments in this new term.”

Before taking up his position at Türkiye’s public service broadcaster, Prof. Sobacı served for three years as Deputy Head of the Directorate of Communications at the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye. Additionally, he chaired the Board of Directors of the Press Advertising Agency between 2019 and 2021.

A prominent member of the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB), TRT is also a member of various international broadcasting organizations such as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB), the Mediterranean Center for Audiovisual Communication (CMCA), the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM), Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), where Sobacı is the president since 2023.

France 24 achieves record performance on YouTube in June

16 July 2025

France 24 achieves record performance on YouTube in June

Thanks to its responsive and expert coverage of international news, France 24 recorded an exceptional June on YouTube, with 146 million video views and a record average viewing time of 7 minutes and 3 seconds. This performance reinforces its status as the leading French media outlet on the platform.

June’s result confirms France 24’s dynamic performance on YouTube since the beginning of the year. Over the first half of 2025, France 24 accumulated 749 million views (+38.36% compared to the same period in 2024) and gained 1.2 million new subscribers (+22%). This success is driven by all of France 24’s channels, with remarkable growth in all its languages: +101% views in Arabic, +51% views in English, +25% views in French, and +21% views in Spanish.

This achievement illustrates the benchmark character of the French international news channel, as well as the major role it plays in providing reliable, verified, and expert information worldwide.

BBC’s global news coverage drives audience growth

15 July 2025

BBC’s global news coverage drives audience growth

BBC News grew its global audience by 4 million people in 2024/25

The BBC’s coverage of international conflicts, crises and elections has boosted its international audience year-on-year to reach 418m people on average every week. The total BBC audience, including content made and distributed by BBC Studios, grew by 3m to 453m.

Audiences went to BBC News for the latest news and developments as elections, global conflicts and political unrest dominated the past year. The majority of the BBC’s international audience came to the BBC World Service (World Service English, World Service Languages) with content reaching 313m people on average every week.

In the Middle East, BBC News Arabic grew its weekly audience reach to 39.5m – up nearly 13% – with growth across Arabic TV and digital programming as well as 1.2m listeners tuning into the Gaza and Syrian lifeline radio services. The fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the Israel-Gaza conflict both contributed to significant boosts in audiences seeking trusted news and information.

BBC News Persian saw audiences rise a staggering 38% to 24m as Persian-speakers in Iran and around the world sought out the latest news amid unrest in the region. Despite the challenges of reaching audiences across Iran, the service’s TV channel – the largest international news channel in Iran – is viewed by a record audience of 14m. The BBC now reaches one in four people in Iran every week.

In the United States, the November election and subsequent news around President Trump saw spikes in the number of people coming to BBC News. Audiences increased on digital platforms with the country accounting for 55% of growth on BBC.com

With BBC World Service language services BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo also both experiencing audience boosts, the BBC now reaches 83m people across the Americas every week.

Other services which saw a spike in audiences include BBC News Bangla following the protests and unrest in Bangladesh, and BBC News Korean as the service reported on political upheaval in the country.

The BBC remains the most trusted international news provider.

Jonathan Munro, Global Director and Deputy CEO, BBC News, said: “In the past year, the heightened global news agenda has seen audiences come to the BBC for news they can trust in times of instability and insecurity. Despite the decrease in press freedom and increased competition, the BBC has stepped up when audiences need our services the most – from elections and conflict, to the upheaval in Syria and unrest in Bangladesh.

“Alongside this, record numbers are coming to BBC News Persian despite the service being banned in Iran, and BBC News Arabic has once again demonstrated the importance of having an accurate and impartial news service in the region.”

The BBC’s news in English across World Service English, BBC.com and the BBC News channel grew its audience to 198m people weekly, an increase of 7m year-on-year. The BBC News channel built on its success last year to grow its audience in the UK and around the world to 102m.

Press freedom continues on a downward trend globally, with 112 countries reporting a decline in press freedom in 2024. 74% of the BBC World Service audience is now in countries with the lowest press freedom (up 1% on last year).

The BBC’s biggest international market is India, followed by the United States, Nigeria, Iran, and Tanzania.