OSN inks output deal with Gulf film

Abu Dhabi / Emirates Business

As part of its concerted development strategy to strengthen its programming during 2016, OSN has signed a six-year exclusive partnership with Gulf Film. This pact will facilitate the region’s leading pay-TV network to access nearly 1,000 brand-new films distributed by Gulf Film in Arabic and English through 2021. This landmark deal will ensure that movie-lovers could now have the best of both worlds’ premium film content.
“The exclusive multi-year output deal with Gulf Film is industry-defining for the MENA region. It marks the first time that an exclusive content sharing agreement has been signed with the region’s leading distributor of films. While OSN has built an incredible library of content through our ‘only-on-OSN’ partnerships with leading Hollywood studios, our association with Gulf Film significantly enhances our brand-new film content to define OSN as the home of blockbuster and the latest movies,” said David Butorac, Chief Executive Officer of OSN.
Marking a regional first, the partnership is underlined by OSN’s acquisition of the entire transaction window building exclusivity for the first-time across all platforms including over-the-top (OTT) content access available on the award-winning digital platform, OSN Play, that is free to subscribers and GO, the fast-growing non-subscriber based online TV service.
The deal will give OSN access to nearly 1,000 brand-new films distributed by Gulf Film in Arabic and English over a period of 6 years – exclusive to OSN. All the films will be available in glorious high-definition (HD) for an unbeatable home-viewing experience, and most of these films will be available for OSN viewers shortly after their theatrical release.
Selim El Azar, Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Film, said, “As the pioneering film distribution house in the region, Gulf Film brings new theatrical releases every week. Through our partnership with OSN, we can further strengthen the visibility of our new releases via movie trailers and other behind-the-scenes looks.”
“OSN subscribers will also have the opportunity to watch their favourite movies first on television on their network, and in truly spectacular HD quality. OSN will be the only platform to offer these movies to viewers in the region,” added Azar.
OSN will also provide movie fans the added opportunity to watch some 56 trailers of the newest movies playing at Novo Cinemas, owned by Gulf Film, daily on its various channels. Further, Gulf Film will cross-promote OSN content at all Novo Cinema screens across the Middle East.
As part of the agreement, OSN also holds the rights to broadcasting the films on its digital platforms including OSN Play and Go, assuring an anytime, anywhere film experience for its subscribers.