OSN, a leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, has strengthened its portfolio of exclusive and premium content with the addition of three new 24-hour channels that appeal to youth and families, through its partnership with Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a division of Viacom.

The channels include two kids and family channels - Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr, and international music channel MTV Live HD, which will start airing on January 5 next year on the network, said a statement.

Beginning in February, both Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr will be available in dual language - English and Arabic - on OSN, it said.

VIMN's Dubai Media City team will take over the production of Nickelodeon HD, transforming it into the only international kids TV channel available in Arabic produced in the Mena region exclusively for OSN.

The partnership with OSN strengthens VIMN’s ability to deliver high quality content appealing to different age-groups in Mena.

David Butorac, chief executive officer of OSN, said: “We are consistently strengthening our offering of premium and exclusive content to create sustained value for our subscribers. The launch of Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr, both in Arabic, and MTV Live HD strengthens OSN’s engagement with two key demographics – children and youth.

“With over 200 million youth in the MENA region and nearly 63 per cent of parents preferring to watch TV with their children as per recent research*, the new additions make OSN the go-to platform for entertainment for the entire family. The new channels build on our portfolio of family and children’s entertainment offering, further underlining our commitment to offer content that meets the demand and aspirations of our subscribers.”

Raffaele Annecchino, executive vice president and managing director South Europe, Middle East and Africa, VIMN, said: “This partnership with OSN provides an ideal opportunity for VIMN to deliver a wide range of entertainment content to the Mena region.

“Our kids and family channels, Nickelodeon HD and Nick Jr., along with our music-oriented channels MTV Live HD and VH1, create a perfect balance and provide programming that appeal to audiences ranging from preschoolers to the adult demographic.”

Meanwhile, content from the newly launched channels will also be available on OSN Play, the region’s first online viewing platform - which is being offered as a free value-added service for OSN subscribers, said the statement.

A dedicated Nickelodeon website, social media accounts and an exclusive Nick app will also be launched soon, it added. - TradeArabia News Service