The growth in the number of free to air (FTA) satellite channels targeting the Arab region is slowing down, said a report.

The FTA landscape added 13 channels between March 2009 and April 2010, compared to the 104 channels added between August 2007 and March 2009, said the report “Satellite TV in the Arab World 2010” released by Amman-based Arab Advisors Group.

The Arab Advisors Group provides research, analysis and forecasts of Arab communications, media and technology markets.

By April 2010, the total number of distinct FTA satellite channels reached 487 on Arabsat, Nilesat and/or Noorsat, a marginal increase of 2.7 per cent over the number of channels recorded in March 2009, according to the report.

Advisors Group research revealed that the highest number of channel types were the private-sector general channels followed by government-sector general channels. It also said 16.5 per cent of the 448 fully launched and operational channels' headquarters are located in Saudi Arabia.

"In line with the liberalization of the audio visual sectors in the region, the number of private satellite channels exceeds the number of government owned channels: 69.9 per cent of the fully launched and operational FTA channels are privately owned while 29 per cent are government owned,” said Danya Nusseir, Arab Advisors senior research analyst.

"In terms of the types of channels, general- private sector channels have the highest share (19.6 per cent) amongst the total fully launched and operational FTA satellite channels, followed by the general-government sector channels at 12.7 per cent,” Nusseir added. – TradeArabia News Service