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After successful launches in the US, the UK, and Australia –New Zealand, COLORS now aims to entertain the
widespread South Asian community residing in the Middle East & North Africa with its popular fiction series, reality
shows and blockbuster Bollywood films. Additionally, the channel is also looking at capturing the local Arab and Arab
expat audience, particularly the young generation that is familiar with Bollywood entertainment. It will be available as
part of all three Asian packages offered by ADD – Pehla Basic, Pehla Silver and Pehla Gold.
Rajesh Kamat, Group COO – Viacom18 and CEO – COLORS, said: “It is a matter of pride for us that in a short
duration of two years, COLORS has not only become India’s favourite entertainment destination but is on its way to
replicate its success in other key markets as well. After our successful launch in the US and the UK this year, we are
pleased to partner with Arab Digital Distribution to offer the best of family entertainment to our viewers in the Middle
East. The launch is part of Viacom18’s aggressive growth plans to extend our flagship brand outside India.”
Commenting on the partnership with Viacom18, Mr. Abdel Ghani Ali, CFO, Arab Media Corporation (AMC), the
parent company of ADD said: “With the addition of COLORS to the Pehla bouquet, ADD is further strengthening its
position as the regional market leader. Over the years, ADD has consistently added some of the best known Asian
television channels to its Pehla bouquet, thus catering to the varied and ever evolving media needs of its customers.
COLORS certainly adds a greater depth to the general entertainment quotient of the Pehla bouquet.”
“The tie-up with ADD offers enormous strategic advantage to COLORS as the channel will leverage Pehla’s established
audience franchise across the MENA region,” added Mr. Ghani.
Elaborating on the addition, Mr. Humaid Rashid Sahoo, CEO of E-Vision said: “We are very pleased to welcome
COLORS on our platform. Considering our pioneering heritage and our standing as the leading cable TV provider in the
UAE, the addition of COLORS to e-Pehla packages on E-Vision and e-Life further reinforces our commitment to offer
the best in TV entertainment to our viewers."
Viewers in the Middle East now will be able to watch the most popular Indian fiction shows including Balika Vadhu,
Uttaran, Laagi Tujhse Lagan and Naa Aana Iss Des Laado on the same day as the Indian telecast. They can
look forward to an exciting line up of big ticket reality shows including Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi x 3, hosted
by Bollywood’s reigning queen, Priyanka Chopra and Bigg Boss Season 4 featuring the most wanted superstar,
Salman ‘Dabangg’ Khan on the channel.
A Bollywood extravaganza awaits them as COLORS readies to premiere the latest and the biggest Hindi blockbuster
films in the months to come. The exciting movie line-up on the channel includes Akshay Kumar starrer, Khatta Meetha
and Tees Maar Khan; Salman Khan’s mega-blockbuster, Dabangg; Ajay Devgn’s gritty thriller, Once Upon A Time in
Mumbaai; Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much awaited, Guzaarish featuring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai; Priyanka
Chopra’s Saat Khoon Maaf; Sonam Kapoor starrer, Aisha and Abhishek Bachchan-Deepika Padukone starrer Khelein
Hum Jee Jaan Sey, amongst others.
ADD packages reach out to more than 1.2 million subscribers across the region on three different bouquets and offer
more than 60 channels covering different genres of entertainment and information. With the highest audience reach
across the GCC, Pehla which caters to the Asian diaspora, is the fastest growing pay television bouquet in the Middle
East.
“Pehla has continued to maintain a robust year-on-year growth despite the prevailing recessionary conditions, with
subscription and advertising revenues clocking USD 55 million in 2009, riding on premium cricket and the diverse
content offering. We expect a further boost for 2010 with COLORS and new channel additions likely to drive the growth
in subscription and advertising revenues,” added Mr. Ghani.
About ‘COLORS’
‘COLORS’ is Viacom18’s flagship brand in the entertainment space in India. A combination of ‘emotions’ and ‘variety’,
COLORS launched on 21st July 2008 offers an entire spectrum of emotions to its viewers. From Fiction shows
to Format shows to Reality shows to Blockbuster Movies – the basket contains all ‘Jasbaat Ke Rang’. ‘COLORS’
is dedicated to promoting ‘Cohesive viewing’, through programmes like Balika Vadhu- Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke
Rishtey, Laagi Tujshe Lagan, Uttaran, Na Aana Is Des Laado, Sabki Jodi Wohi Banata… Bhagyavidhata, Thoda
Hai Bas Thode Ki Zaroorat Hai, Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi Level x3, Bigg Boss Season 4, India’s Got Talent
Khoj 2, amongst others. ‘COLORS’ is a pay channel and is available as a part of SUN18 Media Services in India.
About Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd.
Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. is a 50/50 joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B, world’s
leading entertainment content company, comprising brands like BET, MTV Networks and Paramount Pictures) and
the Network18 Group, (one of India's leading full play media conglomerates with interests in television, internet, filmed
entertainment, mobile content & allied businesses, comprising brands like CNBC TV18, CNBC Awaaz, Newswire18,
moneycontrol.com, CNN-IBN, IBN 7, Homeshop18 and E18 amongst others). The joint venture includes leading brands
across television, film and digital media to build one of India’s leading multimedia entertainment powerhouse. Viacom 18
Media Pvt. Ltd. includes the vibrant youth brand - MTV, the fastest growing kids channel - Nick, India’s only International
Music & Lifestyle channel - Vh1, Studio18, a new-age motion picture brand that produces, acquires and distributes Hindi
films and ‘COLORS’ the new Hindi general entertainment channel.
Viacom18 brings together the unique strengths of two formidable partners, thus forming an entertainment conglomerate
that will have a competitive advantage in serving the needs of both viewers and advertisers.
About Arab Digital Distribution:
Arab Digital Distribution (ADD) is the region’s largest provider of pay television, interactive and digital services
across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Established in the year 1997, ADD offers three popular bouquets
namely ART – Premium Arabic Family Entertainment, Pehla – Premium Asian Entertainment and Firstnet – Premium
International Entertainment.
The visionary behind satellite broadcasting in the Middle East, His Excellency Sheikh Saleh Kamel, Chairman of Arab
Media Corporation (AMC), the parent company of ADD was a founding shareholder in Middle East Broadcasting
(MBC) before establishing Arab Radio and Television Network (ART), the world’s largest television network for Arabs.
ADD holds the exclusive media and TV broadcast rights of cricket on CricOne channel including the Indian Premier
League, the ICC Champions League, the ICC World Twenty20, the Champions League for the coming years. ADD
also handles the advertisement sales of more than 12 Indian and Western channels
ADD reaches the following countries in Middle East North Africa (also known as ‘MENA’) Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan,
Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania
As per ADD’s arrangement with other Service Provider including leading IPTV / cable Operators, the Pehla platform is
available on E-Vision, DU (both UAE); Q-Tel (Qatar)
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