According to Omdia research, broadcasters across the Middle East and North Africa are increasingly rethinking their digital strategies. Many are moving away from standalone OTT platforms and exploring partnerships with established streaming services, a trend highlighted by the newly announced partnership between Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) and STARZPLAY. This deal aligns with the patterns Omdia has been tracking worldwide.
Under the agreement, ADM’s digital catalogue, reported at more than 5,000 hours of Arabic entertainment, sports, and cultural programming, will be available exclusively on STARZPLAY’s ad-supported tier. Omdia notes that similar strategies have been observed in Europe, where broadcasters such as TF1, ITV, and Atresmedia have partnered with Netflix or Disney to expand audience reach, strengthen monetization, and reduce platform fragmentation.
"This partnership reflects the ongoing evolution of the MENA media landscape," said Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia. "Broadcasters are increasingly exploring collaboration rather than building standalone platforms. Working with established streaming partners allows them to preserve local content identities while reaching audiences more efficiently."
Omdia's analysis indicates that these strategic alliances enable broadcasters to balance advertising and subscription revenue models while maintaining crucial investment in local content production. The ADM-STARZPLAY agreement represents a win-win scenario: ADM gains access to STARZPLAY's 2.6 million subscriber base without the costs of building its own platform, while STARZPLAY enhances its content offering with premium Arabic programming.
The partnership particularly underscores the growing importance of ad-supported streaming in the region, providing viewers with free access to premium Arabic content while creating sustainable revenue-sharing opportunities between partners.
"Collaborations between broadcasters and streamers are becoming a key foundation for sustainable media ecosystems," Rua Aguete added. "Based on Omdia forecasts, we expect to see more similar agreements in the region over the next 12 to 18 months as local players adopt global best practices."
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