Dubai One
Product brand
UnclaimedDubai One is an Emirati English-language entertainment television channel owned by Dubai Media Incorporated and serving English-speaking and non-Arab audiences across the MENA region.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Dubai One is an English-language entertainment television channel from the United Arab Emirates, owned by Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI). The channel is based in Dubai and is positioned for English-speaking viewers and non-Arab audiences in the Middle East and North Africa, including expatriate communities living in the UAE and Arab viewers who prefer Western-oriented entertainment. Its programming combines imported films and series with locally produced television, promotional material, and selected news and magazine formats. The service traces its origins to Channel 33, which was launched in 1994. Channel 33 was later replaced by One TV, a new service designed around a more contemporary entertainment proposition for Dubai’s expatriate population and westernized Arab audiences. One TV began broadcasting under that name on 24 December 2004. The relaunch introduced a schedule heavily weighted toward programming acquired from the United States and the United Kingdom, with Arabic subtitles intended to make the content accessible to a wider regional audience. The initial One TV schedule reportedly emphasized feature films and did not include news programming. Some viewers objected to the removal of familiar programs, including The Bold and the Beautiful, which was subsequently restored. Following a six-month audience survey, One TV was renamed Dubai One in early 2007. The new name tied the channel more closely to Dubai’s international identity while retaining its English-language entertainment focus. Although much of its production activity is centralized through DMI studios, Dubai One operates with its own management, staff structure, and programming strategy. Advertising sales and commercial inventory are handled through the Choueiri Group’s subsidiary MEMS. Dubai One’s schedule has generally centered on syndicated entertainment from the United States, with additional content from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Partnerships with Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Studios have supported a regular film offering. The channel has traditionally scheduled several films during its evening entertainment block and has also presented Bollywood films on a periodic basis. Repeats of the week’s programs are packaged as Catch Up Fridays. Alongside acquired programming, the channel has carried locally produced and Dubai-focused formats. These have included Emirates News, Dubai One Minute, and The London Show, as well as earlier programs such as Emirates 24/7, World of Sports, Studio One, That’s Entertainment, and Understanding Islam. This combination allows the service to function both as an international entertainment outlet and as a platform for Dubai-oriented information and lifestyle content. Dubai One began broadcasting in high definition through Nilesat 201 on 28 February 2019. Its continuing role within DMI’s portfolio is that of a pan-Arab English-language television brand, combining subtitled international entertainment with locally produced content for viewers in Dubai and the wider MENA region.
History
Dubai One is the current identity of an English-language television service associated with Dubai Media Incorporated. The service began in 1994 as Channel 33, establishing an English-oriented broadcasting outlet in Dubai at a time when the emirate’s resident and visitor population included a substantial expatriate audience. Its later development reflected Dubai’s increasingly international media environment and the demand for entertainment that could be consumed by English-speaking viewers while remaining accessible to Arabic-speaking audiences through subtitles. Channel 33 was eventually replaced by One TV. The replacement service started broadcasting at 9 a.m. on 24 December 2004. One TV introduced a substantially refreshed brand and schedule, with programming aimed at expatriates living in Dubai and Arab viewers interested in Western entertainment. Its initial offer drew heavily on programs acquired from the United States and the United Kingdom. Imported programming was generally subtitled in Arabic, allowing the channel to maintain English-language audio while broadening its regional reach. The launch schedule concentrated on entertainment rather than news and was notable for its regular feature-film output, including several films each day. The transition was not entirely seamless for viewers. Some programs associated with the earlier service were absent from the initial One TV schedule. The removal of The Bold and the Beautiful prompted viewer complaints, after which the series returned. This episode illustrates the importance of continuity in television branding: the relaunch sought to modernize the service, but audiences still expected certain familiar programs. In early 2007, One TV was renamed Dubai One after the results of a six-month survey. The change gave the channel a more direct geographic and institutional association with Dubai while preserving its English-language remit. Dubai One subsequently operated as a distinct channel within DMI, with its own management, staff, organizational structure, and programming strategy, even though much production activity was centralized through DMI’s studios. The channel’s programming model has combined acquired and original content. International scheduling has included syndicated series and films from the United States, with additional material from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Partnerships with Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Studios have supported the channel’s film inventory. Its schedule has included an evening film block, periodic Bollywood programming, and Friday repeats grouped under the Catch Up Fridays label. These elements have made the channel a general entertainment service rather than a narrowly defined news or culture outlet. Dubai One has also produced or carried programs made for its own audience and market. Examples include Emirates News, Dubai One Minute, and The London Show. Earlier programs associated with the service include Emirates 24/7, World of Sports, Studio One, That’s Entertainment, and Understanding Islam. The range of formats shows how the channel has combined international entertainment with news, lifestyle, sports, and locally relevant magazine programming. Commercially, advertising sales for the channel have been controlled by the Choueiri Group through its MEMS subsidiary. This arrangement separates the channel’s editorial and programming identity from the management of advertising inventory. Dubai One reached a further technical milestone on 28 February 2019, when it began broadcasting in high definition through Nilesat 201. The HD transition modernized its distribution and supported its continuing role as a Dubai-based English-language entertainment brand serving audiences throughout the MENA region.
- 2019
HD distribution begins on Nilesat 201
[1]Dubai One starts high-definition broadcasting through Nilesat 201 on 28 February.
- 2007
The One TV brand becomes Dubai One
[1]Following a six-month audience survey, the channel adopts the Dubai One name.
- 2004
One TV replaces Channel 33
[1]One TV launches on 24 December with a refreshed English-language entertainment proposition focused on expatriates and westernized Arab viewers.
- 1994
Channel 33 launches
[1]The television service that later became Dubai One begins broadcasting as Channel 33 in the United Arab Emirates.
Products and positioning
A Dubai-based, English-language entertainment channel for expatriates, English-speaking audiences, and westernized Arab viewers across the MENA region, combining subtitled international programming with locally produced Dubai-focused content.
English-language entertainment television · 1994
Dubai One television channel
The core Dubai One service is an English-language television channel owned by Dubai Media Incorporated. It combines international syndicated films and series, Arabic-subtitled Western programming, locally produced formats, and scheduled repeats. Its target audience includes expatriates and English-speaking viewers in Dubai and across the MENA region, together with Arab audiences seeking international entertainment. The channel is distributed by satellite and has offered high-definition broadcasting through Nilesat 201 since February 2019.
Television film block
International film programming
Films are a central component of Dubai One’s schedule. The channel has historically presented multiple feature films during its evening entertainment period, drawing particularly on United States releases and supported by relationships with Warner Bros. and Walt Disney Studios. The offering has also included occasional Bollywood films. This film-led schedule helps the channel serve viewers seeking accessible international entertainment in English, with Arabic subtitles for regional audiences.
News and magazine television
Locally produced programming
Dubai One has carried locally produced formats alongside acquired programming. Known examples include Emirates News, Dubai One Minute, and The London Show, while earlier output included Emirates 24/7, World of Sports, Studio One, That’s Entertainment, and Understanding Islam. These programs extend the channel beyond imported entertainment and provide Dubai- and regionally relevant news, lifestyle, sports, and magazine content.
Brand decisions
2019
Move to high-definition satellite broadcastingOtherBackground
The channel updated its technical distribution to support higher-definition viewing.
Action taken
Dubai One began HD broadcasting on Nilesat 201 on 28 February 2019.
Aftermath
The channel continued its satellite-based role as a regional English-language entertainment service.
2007
Rename One TV as Dubai OneStrategyBackground
A six-month audience survey informed a decision to revise the One TV brand.
Action taken
The channel adopted the Dubai One name, linking its identity more directly to Dubai while retaining its English-language entertainment focus.
Aftermath
Dubai One continued as an English-language channel within Dubai Media Incorporated’s portfolio.
2004
Replace Channel 33 with One TVStrategyBackground
The earlier Channel 33 service was replaced as the operator sought a refreshed proposition for Dubai’s expatriate community and westernized Arab viewers.
Action taken
One TV launched on 24 December with a new name, branding, and entertainment-led schedule centered on imported United States and United Kingdom programming with Arabic subtitles.
Aftermath
The service became the immediate predecessor to Dubai One. Viewer reaction to the removal of some familiar programs led to the return of The Bold and the Beautiful.
Recent events
- 2019
Dubai One begins HD broadcasting on Nilesat 201[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The channel began broadcasting in high definition through the Nilesat 201 satellite platform on 28 February 2019.
- 2007
One TV is renamed Dubai One[1]
Product generation
After a six-month audience survey, One TV adopted the Dubai One name, reinforcing its association with Dubai and its international English-language programming strategy.
- 2004
Dubai One launches as a replacement for Channel 33[1]
Product launch
One TV began broadcasting on 24 December 2004, replacing the earlier Channel 33 service with a new English-language entertainment schedule aimed at expatriates and westernized Arab audiences.
Sources2 sources
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