News round-up: Discovery+ teams with Starzplay for MENA launch; Facebook Watch returns pregnancy docuseries

Mythbusters

Discovery+ teams with Starzplay for MENA launch

Discovery has announced plans to roll-out its new SVOD Discovery+ in the MENA region in partnership with Starzplay.

Taking a different approach to the US and UK where the service is offered as a standalone streamer, MENA viewers will be able to access discovery+ content via a dedicated branded area within Starzplay.

Starzplay is by far the leading streaming service in the region, with over a million paying subscribers accessing the service on more than six million devices. It is available in 20 countries across MENA and Pakistan, though this deal with Discovery will only cover 18 countries and territories.

The inclusion of Discovery+ will serve to bolster Starzplay’s leading position, with new content from franchises like Mythbusters and Say Yes to the Dress added each month in addition to original shows and the BBC’s natural history library.

“Our vast content library gives us a running start to serve fans directly in markets across EMEA, and the world, in ways that are relevant, compelling and tailored to each market,” said Francesco Perta, senior business development and distribution director, Middle East, Africa, Turkey and North East Europe at Discovery.

“Our partnership with Starzplay is another example of how we are scaling our DTC businesses by leveraging our combination of competitive advantages – content ownership, brand strength and the biggest global footprint in media.”

9 Months With Courteney Cox

Facebook Watch returns pregnancy docuseries

Facebook Watch has ordered a third season of pregnancy docuseries 9 Months With Courteney Cox.

The series, produced by Ample Entertainment and Cox’s Hopper Productions, follows people from all over the US as they self-document their nine-month pregnancy journey, with Friends star Cox narrating and providing commentary across the series.

“We’re excited that 9 Months is back for a third season and we are searching far and wide for the most surprising, most heartfelt pregnancy stories,” said Cox. “If you’re trying to get pregnant or recently pregnant, we’re interested in hearing about your experiences and struggles.”