Governments still dominate Arab terrestrial TV

Details: Alec Barton; Category: Trends & Forecasts; 04 September 2006; 8966 views

The boom in free satellite TV channels in the Arab region may have stifled the growth of local terrestrial TV.

This forthright statement was made in "Terrestrial TV in the Arab World 2006" issued by the Arab Advisors Group's Media Strategic Research Service.

Local terrestrial TV stations are still alive in the region but their number has not actually grown in the past few years. As well as satellite TV, regulation and market dynamics have created this situation.

There are 98 terrestrial TV stations broadcasting in eighteen different Arab countries. Palestine and Iraq lead in the number of terrestrial TV stations, with the majority being privately owned. According to Arab Advisors Group surveys, terrestrial TV channels in the region still have substantial audience sizes: in Morocco and Egypt 93% and 91% of households respectively tune into terrestrial TV stations. In Jordan 49% of households tune into terrestrial TV stations.

"Arab Advisors Group's analysis shows that the vast majority of the countries covered still have full government ownership of the operational terrestrial TV stations," declares Judeh Siwady, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst. "Only Iraq , Palestine, Lebanon and Tunisia (of the 18 countries covered in this report) have operational private terrestrial TV stations, while the UAE and Egypt have the largest number of governmental terrestrial TV stations. Jordan awaits its first private terrestrial TV station in 2006", Mr Siwady added.

* "Terrestrial TV in the Arab World 2006" has 22 detailed exhibits in its 203 pages, lists and analyses the local TV stations in eighteen Arab countries, covering channel ownership, language of broadcast, type of programmes and other available details. It can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for US$ 950.

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