2006
- The news you choose »
- Login to Add to Watchlist
Showtime gets Premier League
Showtime Arabia has announced that it has secured the broadcasting rights to the English Premier League. Showtime Arabia has acquired the rights for three seasons starting from August 2007 and intends to provide coverage in both English and Arabic. The Premier League is currently broadcast in over 200 countries worldwide.
DubaiCityGuide.com for mobiles
DubaiCityGuide.com has launched a version for mobile users. Details on a range of subjects including news, accommodation, promotions, sightseeing and flight information is now available to mobiles, PDAs and handheld computers. DubaiCityGuide.com has tied up with the Dubai e-Government mobile portal and Axiom Telecom as part of the new service. DubaiCityGuide.com is also providing an XML news feed directly to Yahoo News, Google News, CBS Marketwatch, NewsNow and Feedster.
Bollywood features Gulf
A Bollywood movie is set for release in India in the next fortnight which will focus on the experiences of low paid workers and labourers living in the Gulf, reported Gulf News. Rehguzar, or The Road to Destiny, will feature day to day life in labour camps. The film, which was made in the UAE, will be released in India on November 17 with a UAE release scheduled for around the same time.
Nahkeel airship to take flight
Property developer Nakheel is flying an airship from London to Dubai via some of the world's most famous landmarks to mark the first handover of residences on the Palm Jumeirah. The "Spirit of Dubai" is due to arrive before the end of the year, on the way passing over such sights as Stonehenge, the Acropolis and the Great Pyramids, the company said.
Jazeera weekly look at Iraq
Al Jazeera English will broadcast a weekly programme, "Inside Iraq", to examine developing in events in the country. It will be hosted by Iraqi-born presenter Jasim Azawi who was a former news anchor at Abu Dhabi TV.
Hunt for TV stars
MBC3 is inviting viewers to apply to become TV presenters. Applicants must be under 25 and have an "outgoing" personality. MBC executives say expanding their family of presenters will increase interaction with the audience throughout the Arab world.
AME Info on YouTube
AME Info is making highlights of its five year video archive available for free viewing on YouTube. Videos posted so far include interviews with international celebrities and CEOs including Richard Branson and Steve Forbes. Lisa Creffield, Exec VP Broadcast, said AME Info was committed to making its videos accessible in as many formats as possible, from online players to downloading via iTunes.
Promoseven to train nationals
UAE nationals will be trained in advertising and marketing under an initiative announced by Fortune Promoseven and its parent company, Middle East Communications Network, Emirates Today reported. The programme will be run out of the University of Wollongong in Dubai, and is sponsored in part by Dubai Waterfront.
Rotana to distribute Disney
Saudi-based Rotana Audio Visual has been granted a three-year licence to distribute for home entertainment in the Middle East and North Africa VCs and DVDs by Walt Disney Studios, Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures and Buena Vista, the company said in a statement. Audi Visual is chaired by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who has investments in Disney through Kingdom Holding Company.
DIFF road shows
Organisers of the Dubai International Film Festival will promote the event in series of regional road shows in North Africa. DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma plans to meet with directors of the Cairo, Carthage, Marrakesh and Rabat film festivals. A competition for Emirati filmmakers is being held as part of this year's event. DIFF opens on 11 November.
Arabic daily to get audit
Akhbar Al Arab will become the first Arabic daily newspaper in the Gulf to submit to a circulation audit, according to Campaign Middle East. The daily is published by Al Wathba for Media in Abu Dhabi. BPA Worldwide will carry out the audit. Oman weekly Al Isbou'a is the only other Arabic paper to have signed for an audit.
Etihad in Forbes Top 20
Etihad Airways has been scored a top 20 placing in the Forbes Arabia Arab Brands list, the airline said in a statement. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier was ranked 18th through a poll of 1,200 consumers in the Middle East and North Africa, in which companies were assessed not only on their local brand strength but also international recognition.
Private radio starts up
Bahrain's second private radio station will start broadcasting today (Saturday), Gulf News reported. The licence is held by Strategic Publicity and advertising Company. FM104.2 will initially air for two hours and become a 24-hour channel by November. Programmes will be broadcast Malayalam, Hindi and Tamil.
PTCL gets IPTV licence
PTCL, run by the UAE's Etisalat, has been awarded the first Internet Protocol TV licence in Pakistan, Khaleej Times reported. The digital platform supports TV channels, internet and telephony through the one line. Pakistan is one of only four countries in the Asia Pacific region to offer the technology, according to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority.
WPP companies combine
Two WPP companies, financial public relations specialist Buchanan Communications and JWT PR, a subsidiary of JWT Middle East & North Africa, have joined forces to create a new specialist agency called Buchanan Middle East. The agency says IPOs are currently generating the majority of its new business wins. It operates across the Mena region.
It looks like you are using a Mac - check out our 
Web Feeds