The popularity of series including Al Ishq Al Aswad and Game of Thrones is driving the growth of the pay TV market in the UAE and the wider region, according to service providers and analysts.
The Middle East and North Africa recorded the largest increase in subscription-based TV revenues last year globally, according to a report by the market intelligence provider IHS Technology.
Revenues increased to €873 million (Dh3.49 billion) from €702m the previous year as the number of households using pay TV rose 12.4 per cent to 4.8 million.
The region's young, media-literate population with its developed "international tastes in TV content" creates a huge opportunity for investors, according to IHS's senior analyst Constantinos Papavassilopoulos, who wrote the report. Subscription-based TV platforms in the UAE, include du, Etisalat, OSN and Dubai-based My-HD Media.
Local Arabic content and international programming from Turkey, Bollywood and US networks such as HBO, which makes Game of Thrones, are driving the expansion of the pay-TV market. In 2013, the OSN chief executive David Butorac said the company would invest US$500 million up to the end of this year in acquiring local and foreign content.
IHS also attributed the performance of the pay-TV market in the region last year to an increase in Arabic content, anti-piracy measures, and the Fifa World Cup last summer.
However, broadcasters are struggling to make sports programming profitable due to high costs, according to IHS.
The pay-TV market is expected to grow despite the rise of online television providers such as icflix, according to OSN, one of the largest service providers in the region. The growth of pay-TV in the region over the next four years will be five times higher than in the US, UK, Germany, France and Italy, IHS said.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Biog
Age: 50
Known as the UAE’s strongest man
Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”
Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry
Favourite car: Any classic car
Favourite superhero: The Hulk original
'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
