Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 8 March, 2023: OSN, the regional entertainment company for premium content, announced that it has extended and expanded its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery with multiple components, including an exclusive licensing agreement with HBO, cementing OSN as the only home for HBO programming across the MENA region.
The multi-year licensing deal extends OSN’s rights to broadcast and stream content from HBO exclusively on OSNtv and OSN+, strengthening its market leading position with its unbeatable range of programming and best-in-class entertainment. As part of the deal, OSN will continue to release HBO series in the MENA region at the same time as US premieres and secures its rights for new seasons of ongoing series for the duration of the term.
“OSN is, and will continue to be the only place for HBO content in the region and we are excited to expand on this long-term partnership with the studio and Warner Bros Discovery.” said Joe Kawkabani, CEO at OSN. “On the back of successes such as House of the Dragon and The Last of Us, alongside a range of other exclusive and premium series, it is clear that HBO is a leader in first-class experiences, and we look forward to delivering these and other content pieces that have secured OSN as a leading choice of platform in the region.”
The partnership also includes the extension of the distribution of Discovery Channels: Discovery, TLC, ID and Discovery Science and signifies renewed ties with Warner Bros Studios, giving OSN access to recent hits such as The Batman, Dune, The Matrix Resurrections, The Suicide Squad and more. In addition to OSN Showcase, its existing channel for brand new HBO content, OSNtv will launch a new channel dedicated to classic HBO series, including The Wire, The Sopranos and Sex And The City, showcasing the full breadth of library that the studio has to offer. Furthermore, the channels will carry the much-loved American sitcom, FRIENDS and Big Bang Theory, in addition to CNN International. In 2024, OSN will expand its kids offering with the addition of Cartoon Network channels and programming across its platforms.
Jamie Cooke, GM CEE, Middle East & Turkey of Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “We’re excited to expand our partnership with our highly valued partner OSN. As Warner Bros. Discovery, we have a wide variety of content to offer and we’re delighted that we can now offer OSN’s viewers the possibility to enjoy even more of their favourite shows. No matter if it’s the newest season of Succession, their favourite episode of FRIENDS, the hit movie Dune or the newest season of Gold Rush, there is something for everyone to watch, whenever they want.”
