OSN, a leading pay-TV network in the Mena region, has launched its Arabic channel OSN Ya Hala on TalkTalk in the UK.

It was launched in partnership with Thema, the company that aggregates foreign TV channels into TV bouquets targeted at diaspora communities, said a statement.

The Arabia entertainment channel is the first to be broadcast to a global audience, enabling Arabs in the UK to enjoy television content from the region, it said.

David Butorac, CEO of OSN, said: “We are excited about OSN Ya Hala going international and joining TalkTalk, one of the premier networks in Europe.

“We launched OSN Ya Hala in August 2011, OSN’s first step into original Arabic language content. The launch of OSN Ya Hala internationally underlines our commitment to fulfil the entertainment needs of Arabs living abroad making world class Arabic television content accessible to millions.”

According to the latest UK census, there are approximately 240,000 British Arabs and around 110,000 live in London. OSN Ya Hala will deliver Arabic television including series, talk shows, general entertainment and lifestyle programmes.

TalkTalk is one of the UK's leading providers of fixed-line broadband, telephone, television and mobile, serving four million customers across the UK. - TradeArabia News Service