Governments still dominate the Terrestrial TV landscape in the Arab World.

August 15, 2006

The boom in the supply of free satellite TV channels in the Arab region may have stifled the terrestrial TV landscape. Local terrestrial TV stations are still alive in the region, but regulations and market dynamics have insured that –except in a few countries- the number of terrestrial TV stations did not grow in the past few years.

There are 98 terrestrial TV stations broadcasting in eighteen different Arab countries. Palestine and Iraq lead in the number of terrestrial TV stations, with the majority being privately owned. According to Arab Advisors Group surveys, terrestrial TV channels in the region still have substantial audience sizes: In Morocco and Egypt 93% and 91% of households respectively, tune into terrestrial TV stations. In Jordan 49% of households tune into terrestrial TV stations.

A new report, “Terrestrial TV in the Arab World 2006” was released to the Arab Advisors Group’s Media Strategic Research Service subscribers on August 8, 2006. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for only US$ 950. The 23-page report, which has 22 detailed exhibits, lists and analyzes the local TV stations in eighteen Arab countries. The analysis covers the channels ownership, language of broadcast, type of programs and other available details.

Any investment in this report will count towards an annual Strategic Research Service subscription should the service be acquired within three months from purchasing the report.

Please contact the Arab Advisors Group to get a copy of the report’s Table of Contents.

“Arab Advisors Group’s analysis shows that the vast majority of the countries covered, still have full government ownership of the operational terrestrial TV stations,” Mr. Judeh Siwady, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst wrote in the report. “Only Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Tunisia (of the 18 countries covered in this report) have operational private terrestrial TV stations, while The UAE and Egypt have the largest number of governmental terrestrial TV stations. Jordan awaits its first private terrestrial TV station in 2006” Mr. Siwady added.

The Arab Advisors Group’s team of analysts in the region has produced close to 630 reports on the Arab World’s communications and media markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group’s (www.arabadvisors.com) Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom). To date, Arab Advisors Group has served over to 385 global and regional companies by providing reliable research analysis and forecasts of Arab communications markets to these clients.