MBC Group inks content deal with Facebook MENA

L-R: Mofeed Al Nowaisir and Moon Baz

Dubai-based media conglomerate MBC Group has inked an exclusive content partnership with Facebook MENA to develop content for the social media service’s VOD platform Facebook Watch.

The one-year agreement will see the digital arm of MBC Group, which services the Middle East and North Africa, share more than 20,000 videos from some of the most popular shows from the region across its various Facebook pages – including MBC1, MBC2, MBC Drama, MBC The Voice and Shahid.

Content will involve previews, behind-the-scenes snippets and more from MBC Group shows and exclusive titles, such as The Voice, The Voice Kids, Beauty Match, Sabah Al Kheir Ya Arab, Family Feud and other Arabic TV series.

The collaboration will also include MBC’s Ramadan line-up for 2021, featuring 400 pieces of exclusive extra content from premium shows such as The Voice Senior, Scoop with Raya, Al Mirath, Family Feud, and Trending.

This latest digital push from MBC Group follows 12 months of the company rapidly increasing the international outlook of its streaming service Shahid, having appointed a raft of execs and revealing plans to quadruple its original scripted production over the next two years.

“We have witnessed a shift in how audiences consume content over recent years; it is no longer TV in defined settings, but a whole host of content options consumed via various devices anytime and anywhere,” said Mofeed Al Nowaisir, chief digital officer at MBC Group. “There’s phenomenal value in partnering with Facebook, because our joint campaigns can bring even more to our viewers, as well as expand on our reach and frequency.

Moon Baz, strategic partner manager at Facebook MENA, added: “Our goal at Facebook has been to support publishers with investments that enable them to experiment with new formats and build sustainable revenue streams on our dedicated Facebook Watch video platform.

“As an established member of the media industry in the Middle East, MBC is in a unique position to develop shows that resonate with viewers in our region and reach new audiences.”