Starz Play Arabia


Starz Play Arabia preps originals after $125m raise

Starz Play Arabia has raised US$125 million to date after closing a third round of funding and plans to make its first push into original content. In an interview with TBI sister title DTVE, Starz Play CEO Maaz Sheikh said that the company is looking to produce original Arabic shows, and is also hoping to […]

Starz adds Spotify to TV Everywhere app

Starz has done a deal with Spotify that will allow users of its updated premium app to access music from the premium cabler’s shows. Starz playlists will be added to Spotify meanwhile, as part of the agreement. The music available on Spotify will come from Starz original series including 50 Cent-produced show Power (pictured). There […]

Starz Play Arabia raises funding to expand service

Starz Play Arabia has raised a “multi-million dollar” funding round, which it plans to use to expand its services and partnerships. Existing investors including SEQ Capital Partners, and new investors including Delta Partners Capital, led the funding in the Middle East and North African streaming service. Starz said that Starz Play has achieved double-digit month-on-month […]

Starz plots international OTT expansion

Over-the-top service Starz Play is planning to move outside of the Middle East and North Africa as part of a 2017 expansion plan. Speaking exclusively to TBI sister title Digital TV Europe, Starz Play Arabia CEO and co-founder, Maaz Sheikh, said that the company plans to bring Starz Play to Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia next year. […]

Starz makes first US D2C investment

Premium cable player Starz has made its first US investment in direct-to-consumer distribution by taking a stake in on-demand streaming service Fandor. Starz already has a Middle Eastern SVOD service, Starz Play Arabia, but has to this point not made any such plays in its home territory. However, it has now led a US$7 million […]

Starz Play to ‘spark Mid East OTT boom’

The launch of the Starz OTT platform in the Middle East will spark a wave of overseas-backed SVOD service launches in the region, a new report predicts. Traditional cultural barriers that have stopped international companies launching in the Middle in the past are “starting to fall”, according to research firm Ovum, which is part of […]