Business

OSN, the regions leading pay-TV network, has strengthened its roster of premium South Asian content with the addition of three niche industry-leading channels on OSN Pehla.

Indias No 1 Bollywood music channel Sony Mix will now be available exclusively on OSN Pehla, in addition to Pakistans leading news channel in Urdu, Dunya News, and popular cookery channel, Masala TV both of which will also be exclusive to OSN in two months.

The addition makes OSN Pehla one of the largest aggregators of South Asian content in the MENA with 36 leading channels complemented by OSNs state-of-the-art technology to provide an unmatched viewing experience for subscribers.

David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said: OSN Pehla has become the go to platform for South Asian content in the MENA region led by the diverse choice of must-watch channels that we provide. Sony Mix, Dunya News and Masala TV fill niche areas that are extremely popular with the South Asian audience in the region. These channels also appeal to the wider Arab audience, who keenly follow Bollywood music and South Asian culinary treats further expanding OSN Pehlas market reach.

Neeraj Arora, Executive Vice President and Head of International Business at Sony Mix, said: To be exclusively available on OSN Pehla in the MENA region is a perfect fit to Sony Mix, which is today Indias No 1 Bollywood music channel with almost a quarter of the total market share. With a sizeable Bollywood fan following in the MENA region not only South Asian audiences but also Arabs and western expatriates, Sony Mix will be their first-stop for exclusive music content, including the newest productions as well as classics and most-loved songs from our vast library.

Naveed Kashif, Managing Director, Dunya News said: Since our inception, we have been focused on bringing a new paradigm to news programming in Pakistan. Today, we are the fastest growing in the country with custom-built premises, state-of-the-art studios, high quality graphics, modern camera and lighting equipment and bureaus across the country as well as in the UAE, USA and UK. But what makes the real difference is our team: our top-notch presenters and analysts who bring cutting edge news and analyses that have earned us a loyal following of viewers. The MENA region is one of our core markets and OSNs tremendous reach will further build our presence here.

M. Saad Qazi, General Manager, Masala TV Dubai, said: There are strong commonalities between the cuisine of the Arab world and Pakistan. Masala TV is today the most popular cookery channel in Pakistan and amongst the sizeable south Asian community. Launched in 2006, Masala TV, a 24-hour pure food channel, is the second channel under the banner of Hum Network Limited. The channel has live shows every day with its celebrity chefs offering world class cuisines. Masala TV is available worldwide in the USA, Canada, Australia, UK and now partnering with OSN will further elevate our presence in the region.

From mellow melodies for young and old to foot-tapping numbers for the party crowd, retro music that takes one back to the golden era of Bollywood to independent capsules of information and celebrity chats, Sony Mix is the musical voice of the Hindi film industry.

Sony Mix has the distinction of being the first music channel to map playlist on songs, mood and tempo, and lists music credits in addition to constantly upgraded graphics. With Sony, SAB and Max (exclusive) on OSN Pehla, subscribers have one of the most diverse spreads of premium content covering movies, music and series.

Soon to be exclusively available on OSN Pehla, Dunya News offers some of the most-discussed news programming in Pakistan. Hosted by Junaid Saleem, Sohail Ahmed and Najia Baig, Hasb e Haal is a current affairs show that acquaints viewers with the ongoing political situation with a touch of humour and satire. Actor Noman Ijaz leads Mazaaq-Raat, another socio-political satire that hosts a wide range of celebrities and leaders, while On the front with Kamran Shahid discusses social issues, human interest stories and entertainment. Also popular is Nuqta e Nazar, hosted by distinguished journalist and political analyst Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami.

No 1 by far in its segment, Masala TV has a delectable spread of culinary shows that have homemakers and foodies hooked every day of the week. Among the most popular shows on Masala TV are Handi, Masala Mornings, Live at 9, Tarka, Lively Weekends, Chaska Pankanay Ka and Food Diaries that have amassed significant following in the past months. Bringing a diversity of culinary choices through its shows, Masala TVs programming covers not only authentic Pakistani cuisine but also brings insights on international cuisines.

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