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MUMBAI: Pacing up its localisation strategy in global markets,
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has launched its
second channel in the Middle East.
Zee
Alwan comes after Zee Aflam has seen reasonable growth and
reached break-even status within three years. The Arabic channel,
with content aimed at Arab family audiences, comes under Zee's
Asian television network arm, Zee Entertainment Enterprise
LLC.
The
broadcasting network had in 2008 launched a 24-hour free-to-air
movie channel, Zee Aflam, in the Middle East.
Zee
Alwan will have a content mix that include a diverse choice
of Arabic serials and popular Indian TV serials dubbed in
Arabic. A number of Arabic serials, produced and set in the
Arab world, will also be aired. In the menu will include shows
on cookery, health and fitness and travel features.
Zee
Alwan will mark the arrival of Indian soaps to the Middle
East. Says Zee Entertainment Enterprise LLC CEO - Middle East,
North Africa & Pakistan Mukund Cairae, "With Zee
Alwan, we are delighted to offer our audiences in the Arab
world a dedicated channel that presents popular Indian serials
dubbed in Arabic, and tailored for Arabic family audiences.
The cultural context outlined in these popular serials will
resonate with Arabic audiences as they are essentially about
human values, family bonding, friendships and relationships.
The historic ties between the Arab world and India will further
enable Arabic audiences to relate to the serials."
Zee
Alwan will be transmitted from Dubai with an operational office
in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Viewers can receive the channel
through frequency 12417 on Nilesat and 12111 Arabsat.
According
to Cairae, the new channel will expand Zee's footprint in
the region which saw the launch of Zee Aflam, a Bollywood
dedicated channel airing movies sub-titled in Arabic.
"We
have already established a strong footprint in the Arab world
through Zee Aflam, a channel dedicated to Bollywood films,
dubbed or with subtitles in Arabic. Today, we are regarded
as the 'Gateway to Bollywood for the Arab world' and with
Zee Alwan we are taking our audience engagement to the next
level with television serials and other lifestyle content,
in addition to a strong bouquet of local programming,"
he says.
Zee's
other localisation experiments are already on in Malaysia,
Russia and, to a limited extent, in France in partnership
with Canal.
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