OSN

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For other uses, see OSN (disambiguation).

Coordinates: 25°5′49″N 55°9′26″E / 25.09694°N 55.15722°E / 25.09694; 55.15722

Orbit Showtime Network
TypePrivate
IndustryBroadcast, Streaming
Founded12 July 2009; 13 years ago (2009-07-12)
HeadquartersDubai Media City, Dubai
Area served
Middle East and North Africa
Key people
Sheikha Dana Nasser Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah (Chairwoman, Panther Media Group Limited)
Joe Kawkabani (CEO, OSN)
ProductsDirect-broadcast satellite
OwnerKIPCO and Mawarid Holding Company
Websitewww.osn.com
Footnotes / references
Coverage Area http://www.nilesat.com.eg/CoverageArea.aspx

Orbit Showtime Network (OSN), branded as OSN Group is a multinational premium entertainment content company based in Dubai, serving the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). OSN Group delivers content across multiple divisions: OSN+ streaming platform (or OSN Plus), OSN TV linear satellite channels, and b2b offerings in every market. OSN Group offers premium content, including Western, Arabic, Turkish, and more, across divisions and is known for broadcasting the latest content on the same day as the US, including popular series, blockbuster movies, and the best in kids and lifestyle programming. OSN was formed due to the merger of two of the Mideast's largest TV networks from homes and hotels, Orbit and Showtime Arabia, in 2009.[1]

OSN introduced several technologies and services in the Middle East market. In 2012 the OSN DVR HD was launched. OSN Play, an online TV platform;[2] Plus HD, a 3D, HD, internet-enabled satellite receiver and recorder[3] and OSN on Demand, the region's first VOD service were all launched in the same year.[4]

History of the Channel[edit]

OSN's logo from 2 September 2013 until 5 April 2020.

Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) was created by the merger of the two largest pay-TV operators in the Middle East: Orbit Communications Company – a member of Riyadh-based Mawarid Holdings, and Showtime Arabia – a subsidiary of Kuwait-based KIPCO. [7] Showtime Arabia was launched in 1996 as a joint venture between KIPCO (79%) and CBS Corporation (21%), and six years after its launch became the number one satellite television platform in MENA. Showtime Arabia continued its growth in the region by adding a range of new channels and new services, such as the “Showbox DVR’ System in 2005, allowing subscribers to record different programmes. In 2008, Showtime Arabia also introduced a video-on-demand service, broadcasting full seasons of premier U.S. series and top Hollywood movies.[8] Bahrain-based Orbit was the first pay TV service in the Middle East; a challenging environment —from rampant piracy to a stubbornly low subscriber base— drove it to consolidate with the larger Showtime to better compete with popular free-to-air satellite television.[9]

On 6 April 2020, OSN unveiled a new logo after 11 years.

OSN+ (OSN Plus)[edit]

In March 2022, OSN Streaming, the company’s streaming service, which launched in early 2020, became OSN+ (or OSN Plus) in a significant effort to refocus its subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service in the region. The rebrand saw the app’s design overhauling the group’s traditional red logo in favour of a more colourful aesthetic. It also featured a refreshed interface and an enhanced search engine. OSN said the app marked “a new chapter” for the company since it embraces opportunities presented by the growing subscription video-on-demand landscape in the Middle East and North Africa.

The platform continued to provide content from long-standing global partners, including HBO, Paramount, and NBCUniversal, deepening its exclusive partnerships with leading studios. In January 2022, OSN announced the extension of its exclusive partnership with HBO, as well as an expansion of its NBCU relationship to include more premium television exclusives and box sets from Peacock and Sky Studios. Announcements of new deals for premium series from Endeavour Content and All3Media also followed, supplementing existing partnerships with Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony, MGM, and Lionsgate.

In addition to a strong selection of international content, OSN+ (or OSN Plus) continues to provide Arabic offerings produced locally by talent from the region. The platform is investing significantly in the development of local and original features, with the first OSN+ Original series, a local adaptation of the American series Suits, launched in April 2022.


Technology[edit]

OSN has launched 2 multi-function interactive decoders:

  • OSN Plus HD
  • OSN HD

Channels[edit]

  • General Entertainment:
    • OSN Showcase
    • OSN W
    • OSN Series Prime
    • OSN Comedy
    • OSN Pop Up
    • Star World HD
  • Arabic:
    • OSN ياهلا
    • OSN ياهلا بالعربي
    • OSN ياهلا أفلام
    • ART أفلام1
    • ART أفلام2
    • ART Cinema
    • ART حكايات
    • ART حكايات 2
    • Cinema 1
    • Cinema 2
    • Alfa Series Channel
    • Alfa Series +2
    • Al Yawm HD
    • Al Safwa
    • Fann
    • Music Now

References[edit]

  1. ^ Birkinbine, B.; Gomez, R.; Wasko, J. (2016). Global Media Giants. Taylor & Francis. p. 282. ISBN 978-1-317-40286-2. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  2. ^ "OSN Play". OSN.
  3. ^ "OSN launches Plus HD". mediaME. 17 September 2012.
  4. ^ "OSN goes hybrid with new PVR". BroadcastPro Middle East. 5 November 2012.

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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