Showtime Arabia was Showtime Networks pay television service in the Middle East and North Africa. It was a joint venture between Kuwaiti holding company KIPCO (79% stake) and American media firm Viacom Inc. (21% stake).[2][3] The company was incorporated in the Cayman Islands and had its headquarters at Dubai Media City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[4]
Showtime Arabia was one of three Pay TV networks in the Middle East and North Africa,[5]
When Showtime launched, some of its channels included TMC, MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Paramount, Style, Discovery and Hallmark. Gulf DTH F.Z. L.L.C. was the operating company behind the digital pay TV broadcaster, Showtime Arabia. Its broadcast facilities were based at Dubai Media City in the United Arab Emirates and its uplink teleport station is Samacom, the monopoly uplink provider in the UAE. Showtime Arabia used Irdeto Access Conditional Access technology to encrypt its DTH (Direct-to-Home) channels over satellite and the OpenTV interactive platform that runs on primarily UEC Multi-Media[6] set-top boxes.
On 12 July 2009, Showtime Arabia and Orbit Communications Company announced a merger[7] that created the "biggest Pay-TV platform" in the Middle East and North Africa.
The newly formed company is an equal partnership that would offer seventy exclusive channels featuring new movies, sports, series, Arabic content and international shows.
New customers can subscribe to packages featuring Showtime Arabia's and Orbit's programs, while existing subscribers will be able to either retain or upgrade their content. The company will offer HD channels, video on demand and other interactive services.
