Popular television shows are heading for the smaller screen, with the Middle East's largest broadcaster taking its content to the internet and mobile phones.
After offering its popular Ramadan soap operas online this month, MBC is moving at full speed to offer entertainment over new mediums, with a new internet-only comedy show launching next month.
"This is an important new initiative," said Ammar Bakkar, the head of new media at MBC. "Online is a major brand extension for MBC. When our audience goes online, we want them to stay attached to our brand."
After a period of caution due to piracy and copyright concerns in the early days of online broadcasting, content owners such as television networks and film studios are moving quickly onto the internet, acknowledging that the medium is now a central platform for their audiences.
The development of a viable online advertising market - estimated to be worth at least US$50 billion (Dh184bn) globally this year - has played a part. So, too, has the emergence of viable internet-based entertainment businesses like Apple's iTunes Music Store, which is now the world's largest music retailer.
"We are still in the age of experimentation, and so far this has been a great experiment. We may be luckier than other websites because we already have a strong set of advertisers," said Dr Bakkar.
The Dubai-based property developer Nakheel, which was a sponsor of the televised series Bab el Hara (Gate to the Alley) also sponsored the online broadcast of the popular Syrian show.
"In 2007-2008 we saw a real change of attitude among advertisers and marketing managers," said Dr Bakkar. "They really started to believe in online advertising, and a lot of agencies now have established digital departments, which makes it much easier."
Etisalat, which partnered with MBC to launch the online television service, also sees advertising in the new medium reaching maturity. Mohammed al Mulla, who heads its new media department, said the internet and mobile phones offered advertisers clarity and precision in targeting viewers.
"These technologies give you real statistics, exact viewer numbers, what countries they are from, how long they watched for, where they came from," he said. "It is a lot of detail, which you can't get from other media."
As part of its partnership with MBC, Etisalat offered its subscribers "mobisodes" of the network's Ramadan soaps. Viewers could watch condensed four-minute summaries of episodes that were airing the next day, streamed to their phone over the mobile network. Interest in the condensed episodes was "much higher than we expected", according to Mr Mulla, but neither he nor Dr Bakkar would discuss viewer numbers.
Such content is broadcast over phone networks. But the new DVB-H mobile television standard adopted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) will let licensed broadcasters transmit over public airwaves, direct to the phones of viewers.
Mr Mulla said that while Etisalat intended to acquire a DVB-H licence, the interactive, on-demand aspects of television transmitted as data over mobile networks meant the format would remain relevant. "We are building our own entertainment offering and we want to work with everybody," he said.
tgara@thenational.ae
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Race card:
6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; 2,200m
7.40pm: Conditions; Dh240,000; 1,600m
8.15pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 2,000m
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed; Dh265,000; 1,200m
9.25pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; 1,600m
10pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 1,400m
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
Scoreline:
Everton 4
Richarlison 13'), Sigurdsson 28', Digne 56', Walcott 64'
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)
The%20specs
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