A new analysis from Omdia reveals that broadcasters across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are increasingly turning to partnerships with established streaming platforms rather than launching their own OTT services. The trend reflects a growing preference for collaboration over competition to expand audience reach, optimize monetization, and reduce market fragmentation.
The latest example is the Abu Dhabi Media (ADM) partnership with Starzplay, which will bring over 5,000 hours of Arabic entertainment, sports, and cultural content exclusively to Starzplay’s ad-supported tier. This collaboration allows ADM to leverage Starzplay’s 2.6 million subscribers without the high costs of running a standalone digital platform, while Starzplay strengthens its Arabic content library and enhances its free-tier offering.
“This partnership reflects the ongoing evolution of the MENA media landscape,” said Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia. “Broadcasters are increasingly exploring collaboration rather than building standalone platforms. Working with established streaming partners allows them to preserve local content identities while reaching audiences more efficiently.”
Omdia notes that similar partnerships are already taking root in Europe—such as TF1, ITV, and Atresmedia’s collaborations with Netflix and Disney—highlighting a global shift toward hybrid revenue models combining advertising and subscriptions. The research firm expects more such alliances to emerge across MENA in the next 12–18 months as ad-supported streaming grows in significance and local players align with international best practices.
