Media Distillery believes that the main technical cause preventing a good UX for linear TV ads in replay, is the lack of time markers. According to the AI-powered video analysis solution provider, this not only hinders service providers’ and broadcasters’ ability to generate additional revenue from ads, but also limits their ability to personalise and enhance the viewing experience.

The solution will enable operators and service providers to replace existing linear ad breaks with dynamically inserted and personalised ads for catch-up and replay. Additionally, the company says Ad Break Distillery can help them repurpose broadcast content for FAST and AVOD services, and to create a premium subscription which allows ad skipping.

Roland Sars, CEO of Media Distillery, says: “With the ad break markers we provide, video service providers are now enabled to do dynamic ad replacement, enforce trick play restrictions during ad breaks only, and deliver novel viewing experiences.”

Subscribers will also have access to mixed martial arts (MMA) content from top competitions, including the Professional Fighters League, MMA Bushido, King of Kings and the Brave Combat Federation.

Alongside a package of elite combat sports, fans can watch women’s football content which includes every game of the UEFA Women’s Champions League and top-flight Spanish women’s football league Primera División Femenina. Subscribing to DAZN 1 HD grants customers access to the entire DAZN service via the DAZN app.

Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, says: “Getting DAZN widely distributed is a priority for us as it delivers our great and growing array of content to more and more fans. We have ambitious, long-term and strategic plans for the UK market. The more people get to know DAZN and what we offer, not just in terms of rights but the full range of digital, interactive and sports entertainment we are developing, the better.”

According to Digital TV Research, Netflix will control 31.7% of total SVOD revenues by 2028, while Disney+ will earn 14.2% and Paramount+, 7.2%. HBO and Amazon will earn 9% and 7.5% respectively, while Apple TV will control 1.9%. The research company says that, while Netflix will remain the top SVOD revenue earner and will experience growth in Asia, in North America and Latin America its SVOD revenues are set to fall. The streamer that will generate the most additional SVOD revenues is Disney+, climbing by nearly $7B between 2022 and 2028.

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, says: “This growth comes despite most of the major platforms scaling back their content spend, which makes them less attractive to new subscribers. There is still plenty of growth left in the sector – both from international expansion and as US pay TV subscribers continue to convert to OTT.”

The service will also offer Showmax Originals and local content from MultiChoice’s proprietary channels including Mzansi Magic, Africa Magic and Maisha Magic.

MultiChoice will relaunch Showmax using NBCUniversal’s Peacock technology platform, and the new Showmax group will be 70% owned by MultiChoice and 30% owned by NBCUniversal. The companies say the move comes as Africa approaches an inflection point in terms of broadband connectivity and affordability, and builds on MultiChoice’s success on the continent, on which it has a 50-market footprint.

Calvo Mawela, Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice, says: “We launched Showmax as the first African streaming service in 2015 and are extremely proud of its success to date. This agreement represents a great opportunity for our Showmax team to scale even greater heights by working with a leading global player in Comcast and its subsidiaries.”

Matt Strauss, Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer & International, NBCUniversal, comments, “This partnership is an incredible opportunity to further scale the global presence of Peacock’s world-class streaming technology, as well as to introduce millions of new customers to extensive premium content from NBCUniversal and Sky’s stellar entertainment brands.”

The streaming service will also offer action titles such as Rush, Rambo, and Highlander, and comedies that include Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa and Four Lions. Other titles include Legend, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy, The Imitation Game and Non-Stop. Additionally, Premium subscribers will have access to a catalogue of TV series that includes Hannibal, Years and Years and All the Way Up.

Laura Franses, Director of Content Partnerships, Streaming, ITV, says: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with STUDIOCANAL PRESENTS. This fantastic collection of films and television series is the perfect addition to ITVX Premium, where subscribers can browse quality content ad-free to their hearts’ content.”

Akhila Khanna, Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development, UK, at Paramount, says: “Mobile distribution is a crucial part of our strategy to reach the widest possible audience with our premium content proposition. This significant partnership with Three UK allows us to complement their broad penetration and market-leading capabilities with the high value add on streaming content from Paramount+.”

Andy Foy, Director of New Products and Propositions, at Three UK, comments: “Our partnership with Paramount+ will make some of the best and biggest TV shows and films on the planet directly available to our customers. We are excited to be embarking on this journey with Paramount+ on the UK’s Fastest 5G Network.”

The research company also forecasts that SVOD will be the main driver of OTT revenues in the region reaching $3.82B in 2028, up from $2.03B in 2022. MENA AVOD revenues will climb to $1.55B by 2028 – up from $1B in 2022. From that total, Turkey will contribute 62% of AVOD revenues, with Israel and Saudi Arabia contributing 11% and 10% each, respectively.

Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, says: “We forecast 42 million SVOD subscriptions by 2028, double from 21 million at end-2022. Netflix will have 11 million subscribers by 2028. Disney+ started in the Arabic countries, Israel and Turkey in 2022 – with 7.22 million subscribers expected by 2028.”

The MBC-owned streamer will run a hybrid service which includes both SVOD and AVOD options.

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Shahid, says: “At Shahid, we continuously strive to provide the very best in news, entertainment and other programming, and therefore we are delighted to welcome Euronews to our platform, where subscribers in MENA and the rest of the world will be able to access up-to-the-minute trusted impartial international news.

“Being the first and only international non-Arabic language media source on Shahid will allow viewers to access news content in several languages, including English and French.”

Maxime Carboni, Director of Worldwide Distribution, Euronews comments: “In a world of increasing disinformation, the continued development of digital distribution with premium partners like Shahid is fundamental for Euronews to strengthen its leading position toward new audiences.”

In addition, WATCH IT subscribers will have access to Starzplay’s entertainment catalogue including first-run Hollywood shows and movie premieres, as well as popular anime productions. The two companies also plan to collaborate on original Arabic productions.

WATCH IT has a library of more than 55,000 hours of content and is the largest Arabic catalogue available online, according to the Egyptian streamer.

Nashwa Gad El Hak, Chairwoman and Managing Director, WATCH IT, says: “Partnering with Starzplay is a tremendous opportunity for WATCH IT to deliver its content to a wider audience through Starzplay’s market penetration in the region. It also means that WATCH IT subscribers now can access Starzplay content, bringing greater variety to them. We look forward to expanding our audience within the MENA region, offering them a host of quality Arabic content.”

Maaz Sheikh, CEO and Co-Founder, Starzplay, adds: “We want to make it easy for our audience to find all their favourite content from Hollywood to Arabic under one subscription, without the need to download & pay for multiple apps & services. We are thrilled to partner with WATCH IT to offer our fans exceptional Arabic titles.

“WATCH IT has seen huge success and growth in Egypt, and we are committed to expanding in the region and adding value to the overall MENA streaming industry. The addition of WATCH IT’s unparalleled Arabic content complements our existing offering of premium Western first-run series, movie premieres, same time as US and Japan series, live sports and anime to meet the entertainment needs of our audience.”

Viaplay has said the content concept is focused on markets where local partners can benefit from its content pipeline. Alongside Crave in Canada, Viaplay Select has launched on WOWOW in Japan and SBS in Australia. It has also launched on CINDIE in nine Latin American markets and Pickbox NOW in seven countries in Eastern Europe. Viaplay will rollout its own streaming service in Canada in early 2023.

Nordic noir dramas which will be available on Crave include Face to Face, Furia, The Machinery and Partisan. Viaplay Select titles in the Young Adult genre include Delete Me, Harmonica and Love Me, and third-party features include The Emigrants, I am Zlatan and Tigers.

Vanda Rapti, Viaplay Group Chief Commercial Officer, North America & Viaplay Select, says: “This partnership with Crave gives Canadian audiences a great taste of what Viaplay is all about, ahead of our direct-to-consumer launch. Viaplay is the home of premium European storytelling that has both style and substance. In less than a year, Viaplay Select has already brought the best of Viaplay to 19 countries, and more are on the way in 2023.”

Justin Stockman, Vice President, Content Development and Programming, Bell Media (Crave’s parent company): “We’re delighted to offer Crave subscribers even more premium programming to explore. Viaplay’s original content is renowned around the world, and we’re pleased to join forces with Viaplay Group to introduce their uniquely gripping series and films to the Canadian market.”