Sony Middle East & Africa has announced a partnership with STARZPLAY, the MENA region’s leading subscription video on demand (SVOD) service, to provide free STARZPLAY subscription to buyers of a select range of Sony Android TVs.
STARZPLAY will be bundled with the new Sony Android TV for screen sizes of 55” and above models, and no subscription fee will be charged from the buyers for 12 months.
Takakiyo Fujita, Managing Director Sony Middle East and Africa, said: “The Arabic and English content on STARZPLAY is popular in the region. When these shows and films come to life with Sony’s famous industry-leading picture quality, consumers will get a richer, immersive viewing experience. This collaboration adds to our growing portfolio of partnerships with entertainment platforms and enables us to add more value to our offerings.”
According to PwC’s MENA Entertainment & Media Outlook 2020-2024 released last year, the Covid-19 pandemic provided a further impetus to the already fast-growing share of the digital component in the overall media and entertainment revenue. The pandemic accelerated the adoption of streamed video content (OTT video) and music in the region. Digital is expected to form nearly half (46%) of the total revenues by 2024. A partnership that leverages Sony’s strong presence in the region, and the massive following of STARZPLAY, especially among the youth, enhances the overall entertainment experience for consumers.
Maaz Sheikh, Co-founder and CEO of STARZPLAY, said: “As MENA region’s leading streaming service, we are continuously exploring new opportunities to enhance our subscriber experiences. Our goal has always been to ensure that our viewers enjoy premium entertainment with best technology and ultimate experiences. We are proud to offer our service with the leading television brand Sony which will enable MENA subscribers to watch their favourite programming on Sony’s Ultra HD High Dynamic Android TV range.”
STARZPLAY offers incredible entertainment for the whole family featuring thousands of premium titles, such as original hit shows like Baghdad Central, Power, Outlander and Spartacus, and much-loved classic shows like The Big Bang Theory, The Office, Modern Family and Grey’s Anatomy, plus the biggest Hollywood blockbusters and the freshest Arabic content. The platform also recently announced three add-on channels discovery+,UFC and BluTV. Subscribers can enjoy Discovery’s wide range of exclusive content on the platform as well as UFC Live events along with an extensive VOD content library of previous fights, shows, interviews, and special content such as Dana White’s Contender Series. Additionally, fans of Turkish entertainment have access to BluTV’s most sought-after Turkish catalogue featuring popular local drama series, all dubbed in Arabic
STARZPLAY app will be available on Sony Android TVs starting May 15, 2021, and the offer will be valid for the next three months*.
