Zee launches second local channel in Middle East

MUMBAI: Pacing up its localisation strategy in global markets, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has launched its second channel in the Middle East.

Zee Alwan comes after Zee Aflam has seen reasonable growth and reached break-even status within three years. The Arabic channel, with content aimed at Arab family audiences, comes under Zee?s Asian television network arm, Zee Entertainment Enterprise LLC.

The broadcasting network had in 2008 launched a 24-hour free-to-air movie channel, Zee Aflam, in the Middle East.

Zee Alwan will have a content mix that include a diverse choice of Arabic serials and popular Indian TV serials dubbed in Arabic. A number of Arabic serials, produced and set in the Arab world, will also be aired. In the menu will include shows on cookery, health and fitness and travel features.

Zee Alwan will mark the arrival of Indian soaps to the Middle East. Says Zee Entertainment Enterprise LLC CEO - Middle East, North Africa & Pakistan Mukund Cairae, "With Zee Alwan, we are delighted to offer our audiences in the Arab world a dedicated channel that presents popular Indian serials dubbed in Arabic, and tailored for Arabic family audiences. The cultural context outlined in these popular serials will resonate with Arabic audiences as they are essentially about human values, family bonding, friendships and relationships. The historic ties between the Arab world and India will further enable Arabic audiences to relate to the serials."

Zee Alwan will be transmitted from Dubai with an operational office in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Viewers can receive the channel through frequency 12417 on Nilesat and 12111 Arabsat.

According to Cairae, the new channel will expand Zee?s footprint in the region which saw the launch of Zee Aflam, a Bollywood dedicated channel airing movies sub-titled in Arabic.

"We have already established a strong footprint in the Arab world through Zee Aflam, a channel dedicated to Bollywood films, dubbed or with subtitles in Arabic. Today, we are regarded as the ?Gateway to Bollywood for the Arab world? and with Zee Alwan we are taking our audience engagement to the next level with television serials and other lifestyle content, in addition to a strong bouquet of local programming," he says.

Zee?s other localisation experiments are already on in Malaysia, Russia and, to a limited extent, in France in partnership with Canal.