Being the streaming platform of the MBC Group conglomerate, Shahid VIP continues to lead the streaming market in the Arabic region: in 2022 the service it had more than 3 million subscribers, making it one of the top OTTs in MENA, along with Netflix and Starzplay, according to recent reports by company.
Dataxis and Digital TV Research already place it in the top of the most used services in the region, due to its content, which mixes original content, MBC‘s premiere TV shows, and live channels from the different MBC affiliates, as well as from allied providers such as the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBCI), which started streaming on the platform in 2020, as well as Al Arabiya, Wanasah, and Panorama FM, in addition to Cartoon Network and Spacetoons which are also streamed live on Shahid.
MBC Group CEO Sam Barnett believes that part of this growth is due to MBC offering specialized content for the local community, such as during the Ramadan season, which drove it to reach Shahid‘s two million subscribers benchmark last year.
‘TV is still an important part of the Islamic family’s viewing habit and Shahid has become a premium product for people who want to have a complete overview of all the content we can offer. What we were able to do for the audience in Shahid last year was to provide 37 dramas, which is the most dramas in one place at one time ever seen before’, he said.
During the month of Ramadan, Shahid VIP added a total of 50 premium programs and shows to its offering, 28 of which are exclusive to the platform. The service does not stop launching Shahid Originals, licensing, acquiring programs and signing alliances to strengthen its offer in the region. Indeed, recently released the Arabic version of The Office, produced by MBC Studios and available in Shahid’s VIP section.
Part of this success is also due to his alliances with western and international content providers: Shahid VIP has partnered with Disney to offer their extensive content on the platform, which is around 3000 hours long including the animated classics, the Marvel series, and Star Wars, with Arabic subtitles. In addition, struck a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020 to bring Cartoon Network Arabia on board. Also offers a library of Hollywood and Bollywood titles.
Another of the indisputable points of Shahid VIP‘s success in the market is its powerful web and mobile application. The investment in the digital improvement of MBC over the OTT ecosystem in 2019 makes sense, taking into account that The United Arab Emirates’s internet penetration rate stood at 99.0% of the total population at the start of 2022, according to data from the consultancy Kepios.
‘In addition to being the undisputed home of the most compelling content for Arabic-language TV lovers, the enhanced technology behind our services has been a key factor in Shahid‘s success,’ said Johannes Larcher, CEO of MBC Digital, recently.
Finally, the platform continues with a strong expansion strategy through strategic alliances with telcos, in fact, Shahid VIP strengthened most of its distribution through telecom partners in the Middle East and North Africa region, jumping from 17 at the end of 2020 to over 30 in 2021.
‘We’re delighted with our telco partnerships so far, and we will continue to create more exciting partnerships to bring Shahid VIP‘s outstanding content to more viewers across the region’, said Natasha Matos-Hemingway, CCO.
During this time, the platform has expanded to new territories such as Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Iraq and Palestine, allowing easy access to the service through a unified payment. Territories in addition to the 23 countries where it is available, include Australia, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, the US and Canada.
