MBC to launch raft of HD channels

Middle Eastern broadcaster MBC Group is to launch a raft of high definition channels across the Middle East and North Africa after it struck a deal with satellite services operator Eutelsat.

The announcement was made at Informa Telecoms and Media’s Digital TV Middle East event.

MBC, which is based in Dubai, is planning to launch a bouquet of HD channels in January. The deal comes twenty years after MBC Group and Eutelsat struck a deal to launch free-to-air channel MBC1. The new channels will launch on Eutelsat’s Atlantic Bird 7 satellite and the lease of a full transponder will allow MBC to launch a raft of other additional digital services.

MBC Group chief operating officer Sam Barnett said: “We are enthusiastic about this additional capacity on the  Atlantic Bird 7 satellite that will allow us to further expand in  the future and meet the expectations of our loyal viewers across the MENA region”.